Method for fabricating 3D lateral NOR type memory array

Abstract

The disclosed method forms a thin-film storage transistor (e.g., an HNOR device) with an improved channel region by conformally depositing a thin channel layer that borders the source and drain regions with a cavity, such that one portion of the channel material junction connects to the source region and another portion of the channel layer junction connects to the drain region. The cavity is also surrounded by a storage layer. In one aspect of the method, the channel region is formed before forming the storage layer. In another aspect, the storage layer is formed before forming the channel region.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for fabricating integrated circuits, and more particularly to a method for fabricating a three-dimensional horizontal NOR memory string. [Background technology]

[0002] The non-provisional patent application discloses a method for forming thin-film storage transistors (HNOR devices) configured as NOR-type memory strings formed along horizontal semiconductor active strips. According to the teachings of the non-provisional patent application, the HNOR devices can be used as both non-volatile memory ("NVM") devices and quasi-volatile memory ("QVM") devices.

[0003] Non-provisional Patent Application I, in Figures 5c-5e and the associated description in paragraphs 0142-0150 (published in 2014), discloses forming a channel region of an HNOR device by replacing a sacrificial layer (SAC-1) with a lightly doped silicon material or a polysilicon material. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a method for fabricating thin film storage transistors (e.g., HNOR devices) with improved channel regions. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the method includes the steps of: (1) forming a plurality of active stacks of semiconductor material on a planar surface of a semiconductor substrate, the active stacks being spaced apart from one another along a first direction substantially parallel to the planar surface, each active stack (i) extending longitudinally along a second direction substantially parallel to the planar surface and substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and (ii) including one or more active strips, each of which (a) extends along the second direction and (b) includes first and second semiconductor layers having a first conductivity type and a sacrificial layer disposed between the first and second semiconductor layers; (2) providing a protective layer over the active stacks; and (3) providing a protective layer over the adjacent active stacks, the protective layer extending through the protective layer to expose at least one sidewall of the adjacent active stacks. (4) providing an etchant to selectively remove the sacrificial layer from the active stack to remove portions from the exposed sidewalls of the active strips down to a majority of the sacrificial layer of the active strips, thereby forming a cavity in place of the sacrificial layer; (5) conformally depositing a third semiconductor layer having first and second portions abutting the first and second semiconductor layers, respectively, and having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type; and (6) exposing the first, second, and third semiconductor layers to a temperature at which dopants in the first and second semiconductor layers can diffuse into the first and second portions of the third semiconductor layer of the active strips to change the first and second portions of the third semiconductor layer from the second conductivity type to the first conductivity type.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention ("charge trapping layer pre-process"), the method further comprises, before the step of providing the protective layer, the steps of (i) forming a charge trapping layer on the sidewalls of the active strips, and (ii) forming a local word line between adjacent active stacks abutting the charge trapping layer of the adjacent active stack. The step of forming the charge trapping layer comprises the steps of forming (i) a tunnel dielectric layer, (ii) a charge trapping layer, and (iii) a blocking dielectric layer. The formation of the tunnel dielectric layer may comprise the steps of (i) depositing a silicon nitride layer on the sidewalls of the active stacks, and (ii) oxidizing the silicon nitride layer such that a portion of the silicon nitride layer forms a silicon oxynitride layer. The non-oxidized portion of the silicon nitride layer may be removed or may remain.

[0006] According to another embodiment of the present invention ("channel-first process"), after the step of conformally depositing the third semiconductor layer, the method further includes the steps of (a) removing the protective layer, and (b) (i) forming a charge trapping layer on the sidewalls of the active stacks, and (ii) forming a local word line between adjacent active stacks abutting the charge trapping layer of the adjacent active stack. The formation of the charge trapping layer includes the steps of (i) forming a tunnel dielectric layer, (ii) a charge trapping layer, and (iii) a blocking dielectric layer. In the channel-first process, the step of providing the protective layer includes the sub-steps of depositing a conformal silicon nitride layer on the sidewalls of the active stacks, and depositing a polysilicon layer such that the third semiconductor layer to be conformally deposited later results in third and fourth portions of the third semiconductor layer abutting the conformal silicon nitride deposited on the sidewalls opposite the sidewalls of the active stacks.

[0007] According to the method of the present invention, the local word line forms the gate electrode, the charge trapping layer abutting the local word line forms the storage layer, the third and fourth portions of the third semiconductor layer abutting the tunnel dielectric layer of the charge trapping layer form the channel region, and the third and fourth semiconductor layers form the source and drain regions of the thin film storage transistor. Adjacent thin film storage transistors along one side of the active strip form a NOR type memory string. In one embodiment, the thin film storage transistor has a channel region that is substantially depleted when the local word line is biased to 0 volts. The layer containing the charge trapping component of the storage layer includes one or more materials selected from silicon rich silicon nitride, silicon nanocrystals, germanium, and nanodot materials embedded with silicon nitride or silicon oxide. For QVM applications, the tunnel dielectric layer may have a thickness in the range of 0.0 to 4.0 nm. Alternatively, for NVM applications, the tunnel dielectric layer may have a thickness in the range of 4.0 to 7.0 nm. The dopants in the source and drain regions of the thin film storage transistor may be any of phosphorous, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, or combinations thereof.

[0008] The present invention provides a robust electrical contact between a channel region and the abutting source and drain regions in a thin film storage transistor, such as an HNOR device. This robust contact improves the forward current in the HNOR device and the uniformity between HNOR devices in an active strip of an active stack. Such uniformity benefits may be achieved among all HNOR devices formed on the same semiconductor die or wafer.

[0009] In one embodiment, the present invention provides an air gap between the channel regions of adjacent HNOR devices on opposite sides of an active strip, which reduces interference (electrical interference) between adjacent thin film storage transistors along the active strip.

[0010] In one embodiment, the channel region of the thin film storage transistor of the present invention is formed after the formation of the source and drain layers and the charge trapping layer, such that thermal steps that may adversely affect the diffusion of dopants from the adjacent highly doped source and drain regions into the channel region may be performed prior to the formation of the channel region.

[0011] The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates a semiconductor structure 150 including exemplary active stacks 10, 20, 30, 40 formed on a semiconductor substrate 6 at an intermediate step in the formation of an HNOR device, each active stack including four exemplary active strips (or layers) 0-3 of an HNOR device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows the semiconductor structure 150 of FIG. 1 after a thin silicon nitride (SiN) layer 110 and a second sacrificial material layer (SAC-2 layer) 120 have been deposited using, for example, low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows the semiconductor structure 150 of FIG. 2 in which both a portion of the SAC-2 layer 120 and an underlying portion of the SiN layer 110 have been anisotropically removed by patterning using photolithographic techniques to form vertical shafts, each disposed between adjacent active stacks and extending to or below the bottom of active strip 0 of each active stack. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows the semiconductor structure 150 of FIG. 3 after the SAC-1 layer 70 has been isotropically etched away using hydrofluoric acid (HF). [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 shows the semiconductor structure 150 of FIG. 4 after depositing an in-situ thin P-doped silicon layer 160 . [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows the semiconductor structure 150 of FIG. 5 after the P-doped silicon layer 160 and the deposited thin dielectric layer have been removed from the exposed surfaces outside the cavity 165 (i.e., the area indicated by reference numeral 170 and the interior of the shaft 130) by anisotropic or lateral etching. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows the semiconductor structure 150 of FIG. 6 after depositing silicon oxide (eg, SiO_2) on the shafts (not shown) of the columns 130 and removing both the SAC-2 layer 120 and the SiN layer 110. [Figure 8A] FIG. 8A shows the semiconductor structure 150 after depositing a charge trapping layer 181 and forming vertical local wordlines 182, 183 on opposite sides of each active stack. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view detailing thin film storage transistors located on opposite sides of an active strip. [Figure 9A] FIG. 9A is a detailed cross-sectional view of an active strip of the active stack 10 after, for example, the formation of the charge trapping trilayer 191 and the local wordlines 182, 183. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9B is a detailed cross-sectional view of an active strip of the active stack 10 after, for example, forming the charge trapping layer 191a, the local word lines 182, 183, and the P-doped channel regions 161, 162. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] In this detailed description, process steps described with respect to one embodiment of the present invention may be used with other embodiments, even if such process steps are not explicitly described for use in combination with other embodiments. Unless expressly stated otherwise, when a method is described herein as having two or more defined steps, the defined steps may be performed in any order or simultaneously. Additionally, the methods described herein may include one or more other steps performed before any defined step, between any two defined steps, or after any number of defined steps have been performed.

[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a semiconductor structure 150 including exemplary active stacks 10, 20, 30, 40 formed on a semiconductor substrate 6 at intermediate steps in the formation of an HNOR device. Each active stack includes four exemplary active strips (or layers) 0-3 of an HNOR device. Although FIG. 1 illustrates only four active strips of an HNOR device in each of the four active stacks, the number of active strips and the number of active stacks are given for illustrative purposes only and any number of active stacks and any number of active strips (e.g., 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, or more) may be provided. Supporting circuitry (not shown) for operation of the HNOR device may be formed in or on the semiconductor substrate. Such circuitry may include, for example, decoders, sense amplifiers, voltage sources, and control logic. These circuits may be electrically connected to the HNOR device by conductor filled vias, buried contacts, interconnect conductor layers, or any suitable method. The active stacks 10, 20, 30, 40 are spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance. Braces (not shown) may be provided to ensure its structural integrity.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, each of the active strips 0-3 includes (i) a dielectric layer 100, (ii) a source layer 80 having a metal strapping layer 90, (iii) a sacrificial layer (SAC-1 layer) 70, and (iv) a drain layer 60 having a metal strapping layer 50. The SAC-1 layer is, for example, silicon oxide (e.g., SiO2). The dielectric layer 100 electrically insulates adjacent active strips in the active stack from each other. The metal strapping layers 50, 90 may be formed using the replacement method disclosed in Nonprovisional Patent Application No. II. In the example of this detailed description, the source layer 80 and the drain layer 60 are, for example, 1.0×10 20 cm -3 At dopant concentrations above n + doped (eg, doped with phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, or any combination of these dopants).

[0016] Figure 2 shows the semiconductor structure 150 of Figure 1 after a thin silicon nitride (SiN) layer 110 and a second sacrificial material layer (SAC-2 layer) 120 have been deposited, for example, using low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The SiN layer 110 coats the sidewalls and top surface of the active stacks 10, 20, 30, 40. The SAC-2 layer 120 (which may be thicker than the SiN layer 110 and may be formed from polysilicon or germanium) fills the trenches between adjacent active stacks.

[0017] Thereafter, both portions of the SAC-2 layer 120 and the underlying SiN layer 110 are anisotropically removed by patterning the semiconductor structure 150 using photolithography techniques to form vertical shafts, each between adjacent active stacks and reaching to or below the bottom of the active strip 0 of each active stack, as shown in FIG. 3. After anisotropically removing the SAC-2 layer 120, the underlying SiN layer 110 may be removed, for example, using hot phosphoric acid. Residue may be removed from the shafts of the columns 130 by performing a brief isotropic etch. Each shaft exposes a vertical portion of the sidewall of a respective active strip in each active stack. Although FIG. 3 shows only a single column of shafts for the active stacks 10, 20, 30, 40, more than one such column of shafts may be formed. In this case, each column of shafts may be spaced apart from its adjacent column by a predetermined distance along the length of the active stack.

[0018] FIG. 4 shows the semiconductor structure 150 of FIG. 3 after removal of the SAC-1 layer 70 by isotropic etching with hydrofluoric acid (HF). A highly selective HF etch has a higher etch rate for the SAC-1 layer 70 than for the other layers of the active strip. The HF etchant first forms an opening 135 in the sidewall of the SAC-1 layer 70 of each active strip in the portion exposed by the shaft. The HF etchant then proceeds from the opening 135 in both directions along the length of the active strip to remove the remaining portions of the SAC-1 layer 70. FIG. 4 shows the semiconductor structure 150 after removal of the SAC-1 layer 70 by HF etching, resulting in an air-filled cavity or tunnel 140 in place of the removed SAC-1 layer.

[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates the semiconductor structure 150 of FIG. 4 after depositing a thin P-doped silicon layer 160 (e.g., 3.0-20.0 nm thick) in-situ at a relatively low temperature (e.g., about 550° C.) using, for example, LPCVD techniques. The resulting P-doped silicon layer 160 has good step coverage and thickness uniformity. To obtain a smooth surface, the P-doped silicon layer 160 may be deposited first as amorphous silicon and then recrystallized at a higher temperature. Alternatively, the P-doped silicon layer 160 may be deposited as polycrystalline silicon at a higher temperature. The P-doped silicon layer 160 conformally coats the sidewalls of all features, thereby forming walls 161, 162, 163, 164 that surround a cavity 165 (i.e., the reduced cavity 140) along the length of each active strip (i.e., the P-doped silicon layer 160 forms a macaroni-shaped tube in each active strip).

[0020] 5, walls 161, 162 extending along opposing sides of each active strip are in junction contact with the adjacent source and drain layers 80, 60 of the active strip along the shorter extents. Walls 163, 164 at the top and bottom of the P-doped silicon layer 160 are in intimate contact with the corresponding source and drain layers 80, 60 along the longer extents. As a result, walls 163, 164 are able to dissolve n-type dopant in the source and drain layers 80, 60 by a subsequent annealing step. ++ When the dopant diffuses through the contacting regions into the walls 163, 164, n ++ However, it is important to note that the walls 161, 162 that contact the source layer 80 and the drain layer 60 in the regions along the long sides are volumetrically constrained to remain P-doped after recrystallization. This is because the n ++Thermal diffusion of n-type dopants (e.g., arsenic or antimony) into the bulk polysilicon of the walls 163, 164 ++ This is because the diffusion of P-doped channel regions 161, 162 is much slower (perhaps by an order of magnitude) than the thermal diffusion of type dopants. As a result, even for relatively short and thin channels (e.g., channels having a length of 100.0 nm or less and a thickness of 30.0 nm or less), the P-doped channel regions of the walls 161, 162 can avoid punch-through between the source and drain of the transistor. The cavity 165 can be left air-filled (i.e., an air gap) or can be partially filled by depositing a dielectric material through the openings 135 of each active strip. Suitable dielectric materials include, for example, silicon oxide (not shown). Whether left air-filled or partially filled by depositing a dielectric material, the cavity 165 between the P-doped channel regions 161, 162 on the opposing sidewalls of the active strips is provided with dielectric isolation.

[0021] 6 shows the semiconductor structure 150 of FIG. 5 after removal of the P-doped silicon layer 160 and the deposited thin dielectric layer from the exposed surfaces outside the cavities 165 (i.e., the area indicated by reference numeral 170 and inside the shaft 130) by anisotropic or lateral etching. A short isotropic etch may be used to further remove P-doped silicon residues from the vertical sidewalls of the shaft (e.g., columns 130). However, care must be taken to ensure that the P-doped silicon in the cavities 165 of each active strip remains substantially intact beyond a few nm from the openings 135.

[0022] FIG. 7 shows the semiconductor structure 150 of FIG. 6 after depositing silicon oxide (e.g., SiO2) on the shafts (not shown) of the columns 130 and removing both the SAC-2 layer 120 and the SiN layer 110. After deposition on the shafts of the columns 130, the silicon oxide may be planarized using either an etch-back technique or a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technique. The resulting silicon oxide forms silicon oxide braces 180 that provide mechanical stability to the long active strips in the tall multi-layer active stacks 10, 20, 30, 40. The sacrificial layer 120 and the SiN layer 110 may then be removed by selective etching.

[0023] 8A shows the semiconductor structure 150 after depositing a charge trapping layer 181 and forming vertical local word lines 182, 183 on opposing sides of each active stack. The deposition of the charge trapping layer 181 (e.g., an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) triple layer) and the formation of the local word lines 181, 182 may be performed according to the fabrication methods disclosed in Nonprovisional Patent Application No. III, incorporated herein by reference above. The local word lines may be formed from a conductive material such as, for example, polysilicon.

[0024] 8B is a detailed cross-sectional view of the thin film storage transistors located on opposite sides of the active strip. As shown in FIG. 8B, the dashed lines encircle region 189, which includes local word line 183 (forming the gate electrode), charge trapping layer 181 (e.g., ONO trilayer), and n ++ The doped source layer 80 and ++ Included is a P-doped channel region 161 in junction contact with the doped drain layer 60. Region 189 represents a thin-film storage transistor. Region 190 includes a local word line 182, a charge trapping layer 181 (e.g., an ONO triple layer), and a n ++ The doped source layer 80 and ++A P-doped channel region 162 is included in junction contact with the doped drain layer 60, and region 190 similarly forms a thin film storage transistor on the opposite side of the active strip from the thin film storage transistor 189. The process described above of forming the P-doped channel regions 161, 162 prior to providing the charge trapping layer 181 is referred to herein as a "channel-first" process to distinguish it from the process of an alternative embodiment described next (the "charge trapping layer-first process").

[0025] In the charge trapping layer-first process, unlike the channel-first process described above, the P-doped channel region is formed after the formation of the charge trapping layer, thereby creating the thin film storage transistor of the present invention. In these alternative processes, the charge trapping layer and local word lines are formed on the semiconductor structure 150 of FIG. 1 prior to depositing the SAC-2 layer 120 (see FIG. 2). FIG. 9A shows, for example, the charge trapping trilayer 191 and the local word lines 182, 183 2 is a detailed cross-sectional view of an active strip of the active stack 10 after formation of the active strip.

[0026] 9A, instead of using silicon oxide for the SAC-1 layer 70, the SAC-1 layer 70 may be formed using, for example, silicon germanium (SiGe), germanium, or silicon nitride. The charge trapping triple layer 191 includes an ultra-thin tunnel oxide layer 191-1, a charge trapping layer 191-2, and a blocking dielectric layer 191-3. The tunnel oxide layer 191-1 may have a thickness of 0.0-4.0 nm in applications where the programming or erasing operations are accomplished by direct tunneling (e.g., QVM applications), or may have a thickness of 4.0-7.0 nm in applications where the programming and erasing operations are accomplished by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling (e.g., NVM applications). The charge trapping layer 191-2 is formed of a dielectric material (e.g., silicon-rich silicon nitride, silicon nanocrystals, silicon nitride or silicon oxide embedded with germanium or other nanodot materials, or other suitable charge trapping material) and has a thickness of 2.0 to 7.0 nm. 1 -3 is formed of silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, other dielectric material with a high dielectric constant, or any combination of these materials, as known to those skilled in the art, and has a thickness of 3.0 to 8.0 nm. The charge trapping triple layer 191 and the local word lines may be formed using substantially the same processes described above with respect to the channel-first process (e.g., the processes disclosed in Nonprovisional Patent Application III).

[0027] Thereafter, after depositing the SAC-2 layer 120, one or more rows of shafts (e.g., row 130 in FIG. 3) may be formed using substantially the same technique as described above with respect to FIG. 3. Adjacent rows of shafts may be spaced apart from each other along the length of the active stack 10, 20, 30, 40 by a predetermined number of local word lines. Openings for adjacent rows of shafts may be provided, for example, every 64, 128, or any suitable number of local word lines. As with the row of shafts 130 shown in FIG. 3, each shaft exposes an opening (e.g., opening 135 shown in FIG. 4) in the sidewall of the SAC-1 layer 70 of each active strip. Care should be taken to ensure that the SAC-2 layer 120 completely protects the charge trapping triple layer (e.g., charge trapping triple layer 191 in FIG. 9A) during the etching step performed on the shafts. The SAC-1 layer 70 may be removed by selective etching, leaving an elongated hollow cavity or tunnel 140 in each active strip. It should be noted that the SAC-1 layer 70 is formed from a material having a high etch selectivity relative to the selected etchant, and therefore may be removed by the selected etchant at an etch rate many times faster than the etch rate of the tunnel dielectric layer 191-1, thereby maintaining the integrity of the tunnel dielectric layer 191-1. In NVM applications, where the tunnel dielectric layer 191-1 may be a relatively thick silicon oxide, this selective etching can be easily achieved. However, in QVM applications, where the tunnel oxide layer 191-1 is expected to be "ultra-thin", it is undesirable to lose even one or two atomic layers of this tunnel oxide during removal of the SAC-1 material by selective etching. In order to fully protect the ultra-thin tunnel oxide layer 191-1 during removal of the SAC-1 layer 70, a charge trapping quadruple layer, as shown for example in the charge trapping quadruple layer 191a of FIG. 9B, may be used, rather than a charge trapping trilayer.

[0028] FIG. 9B shows, for example, the charge trapping layer 191a, the local word line 182, 1839B is a detailed cross-sectional view of an active strip of the active stack 10 after forming the P-doped channel regions 161, 162, and the SAC-1 layer 70. In FIG. 9B, instead of forming a charge trapping triple layer (e.g., ultra-thin tunnel oxide / charge trapping nitride / blocking oxide or ONO triple layer) on the SAC-1 layer 70, a charge trapping (NONO) quadruple layer 191a is provided. As shown in FIG. 9B, the NONO quadruple layer 191a includes a nitride interface layer 191-0, an ultra-thin tunnel dielectric layer 191-1 (e.g., an oxynitride layer), a charge trapping layer 192-2 (e.g., a silicon nitride layer), and a blocking oxide layer 192-3. To form the silicon nitride interface layer 191-0 and the ultra-thin tunnel dielectric layer 191-1, a silicon nitride layer having a thickness of 1.0 to 4.0 nm may first be deposited on the smooth exposed surface of the SAC-1 layer 70. The deposited silicon nitride layer is then partially, but not completely, oxidized. The oxidation can be performed at high temperature (e.g., 600-800° C.) or at low temperature using a plasma assisted step. The oxidation step results in an ultra-thin oxynitride layer on the outside of the silicon nitride layer, which becomes the tunnel insulating layer 191-1. The unoxidized portion of the silicon nitride layer becomes the silicon nitride interface layer 191-0. The ultra-thin tunnel dielectric layer 191-1 is a high quality dielectric with a well-controlled thickness because the oxidation of silicon nitride is a relatively slow process that can be controlled to provide a high quality tunnel dielectric layer with a desired thickness (even less than 1 nm) and a consistent smooth interface between the grown tunnel dielectric layer 191-1 and the silicon nitride interface layer 191-0. The charge trapping layer 191-2 and the blocking dielectric layer 191-3 may be formed in substantially the same manner as described above.

[0029] Removal of the SAC-1 layer 70 to provide the cavity 140 may be performed in substantially the same manner as described above with respect to Figures 3-4. Even if the silicon nitride interface layer 191-0 is only a fraction of a nm thick after oxidation, this will be sufficient to protect the tunnel dielectric layer 191-1 during the selective etch removal of the SAC-1 layer 70. The silicon nitride interface layer 191-0 may then be removed by a rapid isotropic nitride etch (e.g., a hot phosphoric acid etch) that has high etch selectivity to silicon oxide. Alternatively, the silicon nitride interface layer 191-0 may be left intact as long as it is thin enough not to significantly interfere with the direct tunnel programming or erasing operations that will be used.

[0030] After removing the SAC-1 layer 70 and, optionally, the silicon nitride interface layer 191-0, the P-doped channel regions 161, 162 may be formed in a manner substantially similar to that described above with respect to FIG. 6. The resulting active strip is shown in cross-section in FIG. 9B. The P-doped channel regions 161, 162 may be 3-15 nm thick and have an in-situ dopant concentration selected to provide a relatively low positive native threshold voltage (e.g., 0.5-1.5 V). In the storage transistors 199a, 199b of FIG. 9B, the channel regions 161, 162 are easily depleted when the respective word line voltages are at 0 volts, thereby minimizing sub-threshold leakage current between the source layer 90 and the drain layer 60.

[0031] Advantages of this charge trapping first process include: (a) (because the channel regions 161, 162 are not yet in place) +The charge trapping quadruple layer 191a can be formed and annealed at high temperatures without concern for thermal diffusion of dopants from the source layer 80 or drain layer 60 into the channel region. (b) The interface between the P-doped channel region (e.g., P-doped channel regions 161, 162) and the silicon nitride interface layer 191-0 is smooth and substantially free of a native oxide layer, which reduces the presence of interface states and facilitates tight threshold voltage and channel mobility distributions between active strips within an active stack and between active stacks on the same die or wafer.

[0032] The above detailed description is provided to illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the present invention. The gist of the present invention is set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A method of making a memory device, comprising: forming a plurality of active stacks on a planar surface of a semiconductor substrate, the active stacks being spaced apart from one another along a first direction substantially parallel to the planar surface, each active stack comprising: (i) extending longitudinally along a second direction substantially parallel to the planar surface and substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and (ii) one or more active strips, each of which (a) extends along the second direction and (b) includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer having a first conductivity type, and a sacrificial layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; providing a protective layer by depositing a conformal silicon nitride layer on sidewalls of the plurality of active stacks, followed by depositing a polysilicon layer; forming an opening in the protective layer to expose a sidewall of at least one of the adjacent active stacks; selectively etching the sacrificial layer from the active stack to substantially remove the sacrificial layer of the active strip, thereby forming a cavity in place of the sacrificial layer; conformally depositing a semiconductor layer having a first portion and a second portion abutting the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, respectively; removing the protective layer; forming a data storage layer on the sidewalls of the plurality of active stacks and forming local word lines between adjacent active stacks, each local word line abutting the data storage layer of an adjacent active stack; removing the semiconductor layer from the exposed sidewalls of each of the openings without substantially removing the semiconductor layer of the active strips; and thermally annealing the semiconductor layer.

2. 1. A method of making a memory device, comprising: forming a plurality of active stacks on a planar surface of a semiconductor substrate, the active stacks being spaced apart from one another along a first direction substantially parallel to the planar surface, each active stack comprising: (i) extending longitudinally along a second direction substantially parallel to the planar surface and substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and (ii) one or more active strips, each of which (a) extends along the second direction and (b) includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer having a first conductivity type, and a sacrificial layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; (i) forming a data storage layer on sidewalls of the active stacks; and (ii) forming local word lines between adjacent active stacks, each local word line abutting the data storage layer of an adjacent active stack; providing a protective layer over the plurality of active stacks; forming openings through the protective layer in the active stacks to expose sidewalls of at least one of the adjacent active stacks; selectively etching the sacrificial layer from each of the active strips to substantially remove the sacrificial layer thereby forming a cavity in place of the sacrificial layer; conformally depositing a semiconductor layer having a first portion and a second portion abutting the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, respectively; removing the semiconductor layer from the exposed sidewalls of each of the openings without substantially removing the semiconductor layer of the active strips; and thermally annealing the semiconductor layer.

3. 3. The method of claim 2, The method, wherein forming the data storage layer comprises forming (i) a tunneling dielectric layer, (ii) a charge trapping layer, and (iii) a blocking dielectric layer.

4. 4. The method of claim 3, The method, wherein forming the tunnel dielectric layer comprises: (i) depositing a silicon nitride layer on the sidewalls of the active stack; and (ii) oxidizing the silicon nitride layer such that a portion of the silicon nitride layer forms a silicon oxynitride layer.

5. 5. The method of claim 4, The method further comprising removing non-oxidized portions of the silicon nitride layer prior to the step of depositing the semiconductor layer.

6. 5. The method of claim 4, The method, wherein the step of conformally depositing the semiconductor layer produces a third portion and a fourth portion, each abutting the tunnel dielectric layer on opposing sidewalls of the active stack.

7. 7. The method of claim 6, the local word line forms a gate electrode; the data storage layer abuts the local word line; the third portion or the fourth portion of the semiconductor layer abutting the tunnel dielectric layer of the data storage layer forms a channel region; The method wherein the semiconductor layer forms source and drain regions of a thin film storage transistor.

8. 8. The method of claim 7, The method, wherein the thin film storage transistor has a channel region that is substantially depleted when the local word line abutting the channel region is biased to 0 volts.

9. 4. The method of claim 3, The method, wherein the data storage layer comprises one or more materials selected from silicon-rich silicon nitride, silicon nanocrystals, germanium, and silicon nitride or silicon oxide embedded nanodot materials.

10. 4. The method of claim 3, The method wherein the tunnel dielectric layer has a thickness in the range of 0.0 to 4.0 nm.

11. 4. The method of claim 3, The method wherein the tunnel dielectric layer has a thickness in the range of 4.0 to 7.0 nm.

12. 4. The method of claim 3, The method wherein the charge trapping layer has a thickness in the range of 2.0 to 7.0 nm.

13. 2. The method of claim 1 , The method, wherein forming the data storage layer comprises forming at least (i) a tunneling dielectric layer, (ii) a charge trapping layer, and (iii) a blocking dielectric layer.

14. 2. The method of claim 1 , the step of conformally depositing the semiconductor layer results in third and fourth portions of the semiconductor layer abutting the conformal silicon nitride deposited on opposing sidewalls of the active stack.

15. 15. The method of claim 14, the local word line forms a gate electrode; the data storage layer abutting the local word line forms a storage layer; the third portion or the fourth portion of the semiconductor layer abutting the data storage layer forms a channel region; The method wherein the semiconductor layer forms source and drain regions of a thin film storage transistor.

16. 16. The method of claim 15, The method includes forming a NOR type memory string, the adjacent thin film storage transistors along the active strip.

17. 16. The method of claim 15, The method, wherein the thin film storage transistor has a channel region that is substantially depleted when the local word line is biased to 0 volts.

18. 14. The method of claim 13, The method, wherein the data storage layer comprises one or more materials selected from silicon-rich silicon nitride, silicon nanocrystals, germanium, and silicon nitride or silicon oxide embedded nanodot materials.

19. 14. The method of claim 13, The method wherein the tunnel dielectric layer has a thickness in the range of 0.0 to 4.0 nm.

20. 14. The method of claim 13, The method wherein the tunnel dielectric layer has a thickness in the range of 4.0 to 7.0 nm.

21. 14. The method of claim 13, The method wherein the charge trapping layer has a thickness in the range of 2.0 to 7.0 nm.

22. 14. The method of claim 13, The method wherein said blocking dielectric layer has a thickness in the range of 3.0 to 8.0 nm.

23. 2. The method of claim 1 , The method, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises one or more of phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth as a dopant.

24. 2. The method of claim 1 , The method further includes forming, on each of the active strips, a first metal layer abutting the first conductive layer and a second metal layer abutting the second conductive layer.

25. 2. The method of claim 1 , The method further comprising providing a dielectric material in a space enclosed by the semiconductor layer to provide separation between a third portion and a fourth portion of the semiconductor layer.

26. 2. The method of claim 1 , The method wherein the space enclosed by the semiconductor layer forms an air gap between a third portion and a fourth portion of the semiconductor layer.

27. 2. The method of claim 1 , The method wherein the semiconductor layer of the active strip does not fill the cavity.

28. 2. The method of claim 1 , The method wherein the sacrificial layer comprises silicon oxide.

29. 2. The method of claim 1 , The method wherein the sacrificial layer comprises silicon germanium.

30. 2. The method of claim 1 , A method of recrystallizing the semiconductor layer by thermal annealing the semiconductor layer.

31. 2. The method of claim 1 , the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are each formed of a semiconductor material; The method of claim 1, wherein dopants in the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer diffuse into the first and second portions of the semiconductor layer of the active strips by thermally annealing the semiconductor layer, changing the first and second portions of the semiconductor layer from a first conductivity type to a second conductivity type. 7

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