Semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing semiconductor memory device
AssigneeToshiba Memory Corporation
InventorKiyomitsu YOSHIDA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes a slit-side end portion of an insulating layer includes a main body of the insulating layer, a first thin layer thinner than the main body and extending from an end portion closer to an upper surface of the main body, the end portion facing the slit, toward the slit, and a second thin layer thinner than the main body and extending from an end portion closer to a lower surface of the main body, the end portion facing the slit, toward the slit, and the insulating layer includes an air gap layer surrounded by the main body, the first thin layer, and the second thin layer in the slit-side end portion.
Claims20
A semiconductor memory device comprising:
- a stacked body having a plurality of conductive layers and at least one insulating layer alternately stacked above a substrate;
- a plurality of pillars extending in a stacking direction of the stacked body to penetrate the stacked body;
- a plurality of memory cells arrayed in a height direction of the pillars;
- and
- a slit extending in the stacking direction of the stacked body to penetrate the stacked body, outside a region where the pillars are arranged, wherein
- an end portion of the insulating layer on a side of the slit has
- a main body of the insulating layer,
- a first thin layer thinner than the main body and extending from an end portion closer to an upper surface of the main body, the end portion facing the slit, toward the slit, and
- a second thin layer thinner than the main body and extending from an end portion closer to a lower surface of the main body, the end portion facing the slit, toward the slit,
- a connection end of the first thin layer, the connection end being connected with the main body, and a connection end of the second thin layer, the connection end being connected with the main body, are separated in the stacking direction of the stacked body,
- a tip end portion of the first thin layer, the tip end portion extending toward the slit, and a tip end portion of the second thin layer, the tip end portion extending toward the slit, are in contact with each other, and
- the insulating layer includes
- an air gap layer surrounded by the main body, the first thin layer, and the second thin layer, in the end portion on the side of the slit.
A semiconductor memory device comprising:
- a stacked body portion in which a plurality of conductive layers extending in a first direction is stacked above a substrate via an insulating layer;
- and
- a plurality of pillars extending in a stacking direction of the stacked body portion to penetrate the stacked body portion and forming a plurality of memory cells at intersection portions between the plurality of pillars and the plurality of conductive layers, respectively, wherein
- each of the plurality of conductive layers has
- a thick layer portion thicker than a portion in a region where the plurality of pillars is arranged, in a peripheral edge region in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and
- the insulating layer has
- a main body arranged in the region where the plurality of pillars is arranged,
- a peripheral edge portion interposed between the thick layer portions of the plurality of conductive layers adjacent in the stacking direction, and
- an air gap layer arranged between the main body and the peripheral edge portion in the second direction.
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device, the method comprising:
- forming a stacked body in which a plurality of sacrificial layers and at least one insulating layer are alternately stacked above a substrate and a thin layer to serve as a sacrificial material is interposed in the insulating layer;
- forming a plurality of pillars penetrating the stacked body and altering the thin layer near the pillars;
- forming a slit penetrating the stacked body outside a region where the pillars are arranged;
- and
- removing a portion of the thin layer except the altered thin layer near the pillars and the sacrificial layers from a side of the slit, and bringing a pair of portions of the insulating layer adjacent via the portion of the thin layer in a stacking direction of the stacked body to adhere to each other at a position where the thin layer has been removed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.