# US 10,504,917 B2 · Arrays of elevationally-extending strings of memory cells and methods of forming memory arrays

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- Number: US 10,504,917 B2
- Document ID: US10504917B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/975,893
- Filed: 2018-05-10
- Published: 2018-11-01
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2017-04-28
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu; Richard J. Hill; John A. Smythe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504917B2

## CPC

- H10B 43/27: the channels comprising vertical portions, e.g. U-shaped channels
- H10B 41/27: the channels comprising vertical portions, e.g. U-shaped channels
- H10D 64/035: {comprising conductor-insulator-conductor-insulator-semiconductor structures}
- H10D 64/037: {comprising charge-trapping insulators}
- H10P 14/6328: {Deposition from the gas or vapour phase}
- H10P 14/6508: {by exposure to a liquid}
- H10P 14/6512: {by exposure to a gas or vapour}
- H10P 14/6682: {the compound being a silane, e.g. disilane, methylsilane or chlorosilane}
- H10P 14/69433: {the material being a silicon nitride not containing oxygen, e.g. SixNy or SixByNz}
- H10P 50/642: {Chemical etching}
- H10P 14/61: using masks
- H10P 95/00: Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An array of elevationally-extending strings of memory cells comprises a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels. The wordline levels have terminal ends corresponding to control-gate regions. Charge-storage material of individual memory cells extend elevationally along individual of the control-gate regions of the wordline levels and do not extend elevationally along the insulative levels. A charge-blocking region of the individual memory cells extends elevationally along the individual control-gate regions of the wordline levels laterally through which charge migration between the individual control-gate regions and the charge-storage material is blocked. Channel material extends elevationally along the stack and is laterally spaced from the charge-storage material by insulative charge-passage material. All of the charge-storage material of individual of the elevationally-extending strings of memory cells is laterally outward of all of the insulative charge-passage material of the individual elevationally-extending strings of memory cells. Other embodiments, including method embodiments, are disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An array of elevationally-extending strings of memory cells, comprising:
a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels, the wordline levels having terminal ends corresponding to control-gate regions;
charge-storage material of individual memory cells extending elevationally along individual of the control-gate regions of the wordline levels and not extending elevationally along the insulative levels;
a charge-blocking region of the individual memory cells extending elevationally along the individual control-gate regions of the wordline levels;
channel material extending elevationally along the stack and being laterally spaced from the charge-storage material by insulative charge-passage and material;
all of the charge-storage material of individual of the elevationally-extending strings of memory cells being laterally outward of all of the insulative charge-passage material of the individual elevationally-extending strings of memory cells; and
intervening material laterally between the control-gate regions and the charge-storage material, the intervening material comprising at least one of a semi-metal, an elemental metal, and a metal compound.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The array of claim 1 wherein,
the insulative levels comprise insulator material; and
the charge-storage material of the individual elevationally-extending strings of memory cells and the insulator material of the insulative levels each have planar-laterally-innermost surfaces in vertical cross-section that are co-planar.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The array of claim 2 wherein the co-planar surfaces are vertical.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The array of claim 1 wherein the intervening material is directly against the charge-storage material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The array of claim 1 wherein the intervening material is directly against the charge-blocking region.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The array of claim 1 wherein the intervening material is directly against the control-gate regions.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The array of claim 1 wherein the intervening material is laterally thinner than the charge-storage material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The array of claim 1 wherein the intervening material has the same lateral thickness as that of the charge-storage material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The array of claim 1 wherein the intervening material comprises a semi-metal, the semi-metal being at least one of doped and/or undoped silicon or germanium.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The array of claim 1 wherein the intervening material comprises an elemental metal, the elemental metal being at least one of indium, aluminum, cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, and tungsten.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The array of claim 10 wherein the elemental metal is indium.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The array of claim 10 wherein the elemental metal is aluminum.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The array of claim 10 wherein the elemental metal is cobalt.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The array of claim 10 wherein the elemental metal is nickel.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The array of claim 10 wherein the elemental metal is molybdenum.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The array of claim 10 wherein the elemental metal is tungsten.

### Claim 17

An array of elevationally-extending strings of memory cells, comprising:
a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels, the wordline levels having terminal ends corresponding to control-gate regions, the insulative levels comprising insulator material;
charge-storage material of individual memory cells extending elevationally along individual of the control-gate regions of the wordline levels and not extending elevationally along the insulative levels;
a charge-blocking region of the individual memory cells extending elevationally along the individual control-gate regions of the wordline levels;
channel material extending elevationally along the stack and being laterally spaced from the charge-storage material by insulative charge-passage material extending elevationally along the stack;
the charge-storage material of individual of the elevationally-extending strings of memory cells and the insulator material of the insulative levels each having planar-laterally-innermost surfaces in vertical cross-section that are co-planar; and
intervening material laterally between the control-gate regions and the charge-storage material, the intervening material comprising at least one of a semi-metal, an elemental metal, and a metal compound.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The array of claim 17 wherein the co-planar surfaces are vertical.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The array of claim 17 wherein the intervening material is directly against the charge-storage material.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The array of claim 17 wherein the intervening material is directly against the charge-blocking region.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The array of claim 17 wherein the intervening material is directly against the control-gate regions.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The array of claim 17 wherein the intervening material is laterally thinner than the charge-storage material.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The array of claim 17 wherein the intervening material has the same lateral thickness as that of the charge-storage material.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The array of claim 17 wherein the intervening material comprises a semi-metal, the semi-metal being at least one of doped and/or undoped silicon or germanium.

### Claim 25 (depends on 17)

The array of claim 17 wherein the intervening material comprises an elemental metal, the elemental metal being at least one of indium, aluminum, cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, and tungsten.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The array of claim 25 wherein the elemental metal is indium.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The array of claim 25 wherein the elemental metal is aluminum.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The array of claim 25 wherein the elemental metal is cobalt.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

The array of claim 25 wherein the elemental metal is nickel.

### Claim 30 (depends on 25)

The array of claim 25 wherein the elemental metal is molybdenum.

### Claim 31 (depends on 25)

The array of claim 25 wherein the elemental metal is tungsten.