Three-dimensional memory device containing epitaxial ferroelectric memory elements and methods for forming the same
AssigneeSanDisk Technologies LLC
InventorsRahul Sharangpani, Adarsh Rajashekhar, Raghuveer S. Makala, Fei Zhou, Seung-Yeul Yang
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Abstract
A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate, and a memory stack structure extending through the alternating stack. The memory stack structure includes a vertical semiconductor channel, a vertical stack of majority germanium layers each containing at least 51 atomic percent germanium, and a vertical stack of ferroelectric dielectric layers.
Claims20
A three-dimensional memory device, comprising:
- an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate;
- and
- memory stack structure extending through the alternating stack and comprising a vertical semiconductor channel, a vertical stack of majority germanium layers each comprising at least 51 atomic percent germanium, and a vertical stack of ferroelectric dielectric layers.
A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device, comprising:
- forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers over a substrate;
- forming an opening vertically extending through the alternating stack;
- forming a vertical semiconductor channel in the openings through the alternating stack;
- forming backside recesses by removing the sacrificial material layers;
- forming a vertical stack of majority germanium layers on the physically exposed surfaces of the vertical semiconductor channel;
- forming a vertical stack of ferroelectric dielectric layers on the vertical stack of majority germanium layers;
- and
- forming electrically conductive layers on the vertical stack of ferroelectric dielectric layers in remaining volumes of the backside recesses.
A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device, comprising:
- forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers over a substrate;
- forming openings through the alternating stack;
- forming vertical semiconductor channels comprising a respective single crystalline silicon material in the openings through the alternating stack;
- forming backside recesses by removing the sacrificial material layers;
- forming vertical stacks of single crystalline ferroelectric dielectric layers, wherein each vertical stack of single crystalline ferroelectric dielectric layers is formed adjacent to a respective one of the vertical semiconductor channels;
- and
- forming electrically conductive layers on the vertical stacks of single crystalline ferroelectric dielectric layers in remaining volumes of the backside recesses.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.