Sandisk Technologies Inc.

Yuki Kasai

Tatsuya Hinoue

Shigehisa Inoue

Raghuveer S Makala

Jayavel Pachamuthu

Masanori Tsutsumi

Satoshi Shimizu

Tomohiro Kubo

Yusuke Mukae

Takumi Moriyama

Yuji Totoki

Li Li

Hironori Matsuoka

Yasushi Dowaki

Tomohiro Asano

A semiconductor structure includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, a memory opening vertically extending through the alternating stack, and a memory opening fill structure located in the memory opening and including a vertical semiconductor channel, a memory film in contact with the vertical semiconductor channel, and a vertical stack of tubular dielectric spacers laterally surrounding the memory film. The tubular dielectric spacers may include tubular graded silicon oxynitride portions having a composition gradient such that an atomic concentration of nitrogen decreases with a lateral distance from an outer sidewall of the memory film, or may include tubular composite dielectric spacers including a respective tubular silicon oxide spacer and a respective tubular dielectric metal oxide spacer. Each of the electrically conductive layers has a hammerhead-shaped vertical cross-sectional profile.

Three-dimensional memory device including hammerhead-shaped word lines and methods of manufacturing the same

A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, and memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack. Each of the memory stack structures includes a vertical semiconductor channel, a tunneling dielectric layer, a vertical stack of discrete silicon nitride memory elements located at levels of the electrically conductive layers, and a vertical stack of discrete silicon oxide blocking dielectric structures laterally surrounding the vertical stack of discrete silicon nitride memory elements. Each of the silicon oxide blocking dielectric structures includes a silicon oxynitride surface region, and an atomic concentration of nitrogen atoms within the silicon oxynitride surface region decreases with a lateral distance from an interface between the silicon oxynitride surface region and a respective one of the silicon nitride memory elements.

Three-dimensional memory device with discrete charge storage elements and methods for forming the same

An alternating stack of disposable material layers and silicon nitride layers is formed over a substrate. Memory openings are formed through the alternating stack, and memory opening fill structures are formed in the memory openings, wherein each of the memory opening fill structures comprises a charge storage material layer, a tunneling dielectric layer, and a vertical semiconductor channel Laterally-extending cavities are formed by removing the disposable material layers selective to the silicon nitride layers and the memory opening fill structures. Insulating layers comprising silicon oxide are formed by oxidizing surface portions of the silicon nitride layers and portions of the charge storage material layers that are proximal to the laterally-extending cavities. Remaining portions of the charge storage material layers form vertical stacks of discrete charge storage elements. Remaining portions of the silicon nitride layers are replaced with electrically conductive layers.

Three-dimensional memory device including discrete charge storage elements and methods of forming the same

An alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers is formed located over a substrate. The spacer material layers are formed as, or are subsequently replaced with, electrically conductive layers. Memory openings are formed through the alternating stack. A memory stack structure is formed within each memory opening. Each memory stack structure includes a memory film and a vertical semiconductor channel. A silicon nitride layer is formed over a sidewall of each memory opening as a component of the memory film. A silicon carbon nitride interfacial layer is formed on the silicon nitride layer, and a tunneling dielectric layer is formed on the silicon carbon nitride interfacial layer.

Three-dimensional memory device with a silicon carbon nitride interfacial layer in a charge storage layer and methods of making the same

An alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers is formed over a substrate. Memory openings are formed through the alternating stack. Annular recesses are formed by laterally recessing the sacrificial material layers around each memory opening. A tubular aluminum oxide spacer is formed at a periphery of each annular recess. A tubular silicon oxycarbide spacer is selectively deposited on each of the tubular aluminum oxide spacers. The tubular silicon oxycarbide spacers are converted into tubular silicon oxide spacers by an oxidation process. Tubular charge storage spacers are formed on inner sidewalls of the tubular silicon oxide spacers. A vertical semiconductor channel is formed over a respective vertical stack of tubular charge storage spacer within each memory opening. The sacrificial material layers are removed to form backside recesses. Electrically conductive material are deposited in the backside recesses to form electrically conductive layers.

Three-dimensional memory device containing tubular blocking dielectric spacers

An alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers is formed over a substrate. A memory opening is formed through the alternating stack. A memory film including a silicon nitride layer and a tunneling dielectric layer is formed in the memory opening, and an opening is formed through the memory film. A chemical oxide layer is formed on a physically exposed surface of an underlying semiconductor material portion. A silicon nitride ring can be formed by selectively growing a silicon nitride material from an annular silicon nitride layer portion of the silicon nitride layer while suppressing deposition of the silicon nitride material on the tunneling dielectric layer and on the chemical oxide layer. A vertical semiconductor channel can be formed by depositing a continuous semiconductor material layer on the underlying semiconductor material portion and the tunneling dielectric layer and on the silicon nitride ring.

Three-dimensional memory device containing a silicon nitride ring in an opening in a memory film and method of making the same

A first memory die including an array of first memory stack structures and a logic die including a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit are bonded. The CMOS circuit includes a first peripheral circuitry electrically coupled to nodes of the array of first memory stack structures through a first subset of first metal interconnect structures included within the first memory die. A second memory die is bonded to the first memory die. The second memory die includes an array of second memory stack structures. The CMOS circuit includes a second peripheral circuitry electrically coupled to nodes of the array of second memory stack structures through a second subset of first metal interconnect structures included within the first memory die and through second metal interconnect structures included within the second memory die. The logic die provides peripheral devices that support operation of memory stack structures in multiple memory dies.

Three-dimensional memory devices having a multi-stack bonded structure using a logic die and multiple three-dimensional memory dies and method of making the same

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Yokkaichi, Japan

Yuki Kasai