US 2022/0068944 A1 · Memory Array Comprising Strings Of Memory Cells And Method Used In Forming A Memory Array Comprising Strings Of Memory Cells

Abstract

A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating first tiers and second tiers. The stack comprises laterally-spaced memory-block regions that have horizontally-elongated trenches there-between. Channel openings extend through the first tiers and the second tiers in the memory-block regions. Channel material of channel-material strings is formed in the channel openings and the channel material is formed in the horizontally-elongated trenches. The channel material is removed from the horizontally-elongated trenches and the channel material of the channel-material strings is left in the channel openings. After removing the channel material from the horizontally-elongated trenches, intervening material is formed in the horizontally-elongated trenches laterally-between and longitudinally-along immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory-block regions. Other embodiments, including structure independent of method, are disclosed.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells, comprising:

forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating first tiers and second tiers, the stack comprising laterally-spaced memory-block regions having horizontally-elongated trenches there-between, channel openings extending through the first tiers and the second tiers in the memory-block regions;
forming channel material of channel-material strings in the channel openings and forming the channel material in the horizontally-elongated trenches;
removing the channel material from the horizontally-elongated trenches and leaving the channel material of the channel-material strings in the channel openings;
and
after removing the channel material from the horizontally-elongated trenches, forming intervening material in the horizontally-elongated trenches laterally-between and longitudinally-along immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory-block regions.

2 more elements

A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells, comprising:

forming an upper stack directly above a lower stack, the lower stack comprising vertically-alternating lower first tiers and lower second tiers, the upper stack comprising vertically-alternating upper first tiers and upper second tiers, the upper and lower stacks collectively comprising laterally-spaced memory-block regions;
simultaneously forming (a) and (b), where,
(a):
horizontally-elongated upper trenches into the upper stack laterally-between immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory-block regions;
and
(b):
upper channel openings into the upper stack laterally-between the horizontally-elongated upper trenches;
forming channel-material strings in the upper channel openings;
and
forming intervening material in the horizontally-elongated upper trenches laterally-between and longitudinally-along the immediately-laterally-adjacent memory-block regions.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Memory Array Comprising Strings Of Memory Cells And Method Used In Forming A Memory Array Comprising Strings Of Memory Cells

Life of this patent

Memory Array Comprising Strings Of Memory Cells And Method Used In Forming A Memory Array Comprising Strings Of Memory Cells

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27