# US 2014/0154861 A1 · Semiconductor Constructions, Memory Arrays, Methods of Forming Semiconductor Constructions and Methods of Forming Memory Arrays > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154861 A1 - Document ID: US20140154861A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/173,454 - Filed: 2014-02-05 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-18 - Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Fabio Pellizzer; Cinzia Perrone - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154861A1 ## CPC - H10P 50/283: {by chemical means} - H10B 63/20: {comprising selection components having two electrodes, e.g. diodes} - H10N 70/063: {by etching of pre-deposited switching material layers, e.g. lithography} - H10N 70/231: {based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect} - H10N 70/8413: {adapted for resistive heating} - H10N 70/8828: {Tellurides, e.g. GeSbTe} - H10P 14/6902: {composed of carbon, e.g. alpha-C, diamond or hydrogen doped carbon} - H10N 70/021: {Formation of switching materials, e.g. deposition of layers} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Some embodiments include methods of forming semiconductor constructions. Carbon-containing material is formed over oxygen-sensitive material. The carbon-containing material and oxygen-sensitive material together form a structure having a sidewall that extends along both the carbon-containing material and the oxygen-sensitive material. First protective material is formed along the sidewall. The first protective material extends across an interface of the carbon-containing material and the oxygen-sensitive material, and does not extend to a top region of the carbon-containing material. Second protective material is formed across the top of the carbon-containing material, with the second protective material having a common composition to the first protective material. The second protective material is etched to expose an upper surface of the carbon-containing material. Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions, memory arrays and methods of forming memory arrays. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of forming a semiconductor construction, comprising: forming carbon-containing material over oxygen-sensitive material; the carbon-containing material and oxygen-sensitive material together forming a structure having a sidewall that extends along both the carbon-containing material and the oxygen-sensitive material; forming first protective material along the sidewall, the first protective material extending across an interface of the carbon-containing material and the oxygen-sensitive material, and not extending to a top region of the carbon-containing material; forming second protective material across the top of the carbon-containing material, the first and second protective materials comprising a common composition; and etching through the second protective material to expose an upper surface of the carbon-containing material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second protective materials comprise silicon nitride. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second protective materials consist essentially of silicon nitride. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second protective materials consist of silicon nitride. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the carbon-containing material consists essentially of carbon. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the carbon-containing material consists of carbon. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the oxygen-sensitive material is a phase change material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the oxygen-sensitive material comprises chalcogenide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the oxygen-sensitive material comprises GST. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising forming an electrically conductive material at the exposed upper surface of the carbon-containing material. ### Claim 11 A method of forming a memory array, comprising: forming a plurality of spaced-apart electrical nodes supported by a semiconductor substrate; forming an arrangement of heater element material strips and intervening material over the nodes, the strips extending along a first direction and across pluralities of the nodes; each strip having a horizontal portion directly against the nodes and having a non-horizontal portion extending upwardly from the horizontal portion; the intervening material being between the strips; a first planarized surface extending across the strips and the intervening material; forming phase change material across the first planarized surface; forming carbon-containing material over the phase change material; patterning the carbon-containing material, phase change material and heater element material strips to form structures having sidewalls that extend along the heater element material, the carbon-containing material and the phase change material; the carbon-containing material and phase change material of such structures being configured as lines extending along a second direction that intersects the first direction; forming first protective material over and between the structures; anisotropically etching the first protective material to pattern the first protective material into protective spacers along the sidewalls of the structures; the spacers extending across interfaces of the carbon-containing material and the phase change material, and not extending to a top region of the carbon-containing material; forming dielectric material between the structures and over the spacers; planarizing the dielectric material to remove the dielectric material from over the structures and form a second planarized surface extending across the dielectric material and the structures; forming second protective material across the second planarized surface; etching through the second protective material to form trenches extending along the lines and exposing carbon-containing material of the lines; and forming electrically conductive material within the trenches and electrically coupled with the carbon-containing material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the phase change material comprises chalcogenide. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the phase change material comprises GST. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the dielectric material comprises oxygen. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the electrically conductive material comprises copper. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the first and second protective materials comprise a common composition. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the first and second protective materials consist of silicon nitride. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the dielectric material is a first dielectric material, and further comprising forming a second dielectric material over the second protective material; the trenches being formed through both the second dielectric material and the second protective material; the first and second dielectric materials both comprising oxygen. ### Claim at position 19 19-36. (canceled) ### Claim 37 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the dielectric material is a first dielectric material, and further comprising forming a second dielectric material over the second protective material; the trenches being formed through both the second dielectric material and the second protective material; the first and second dielectric materials both comprising silicon and oxygen.