Arrays of elevationally-extending strings of memory cells and methods of forming memory arrays

US9985049B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Micron Technology, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Gurtej S. Sandhu · Boise, US
• Richard J. Hill · Boise, US
• John Smythe · Boise, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 28, 2017
• Grant date: May 29, 2018
• Expiry date: Apr 28, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/321
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

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.