Replacement Gate Formation for High-Temperature 3D Memory Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming replacement gates in 3-D memory arrays often damage memory cells due to high temperatures required for gate formation, necessitating temperature constraints that limit the effectiveness of the replacement gate formation process.
Innovation Solution
Performing replacement gate formation prior to the formation of memory cells allows for higher temperatures to be used, eliminating the constraint of damaging memory cells and enabling the creation of an interdigitated electrode structure for each tier of the 3-D memory array.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If replacement gate formation is performed after memory cell formation, then memory cells are protected from damage, but the replacement gate formation process is limited by temperature constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The replacement gate formation is performed before memory cell formation, allowing the gate structure to be created at higher temperatures without risking damage to pre-formed memory cells. This preliminary action enables optimal gate formation conditions to be achieved while maintaining memory cell integrity through subsequent protective measures during cell formation.
2Manufacturing precision
If higher temperatures are used for replacement gate formation, then gate formation effectiveness is improved, but memory cells are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The replacement gate formation is executed as a preliminary step before memory cell formation, enabling the use of higher temperatures that improve gate formation quality without exposing vulnerable memory cells to thermal damage. The temporal sequencing ensures that temperature-sensitive memory cells are not present during high-temperature processing.
3Reliability
If temperature constraints are imposed on replacement gate formation, then memory cells are protected, but the interdigitated electrode structure cannot be created
Solution Approach 1:
The replacement gate formation is performed as a preliminary operation before memory cell formation, removing temperature constraints that would otherwise prevent the creation of complex interdigitated electrode structures. This sequencing allows advanced electrode architectures to be formed without compromising memory cell protection, as cells are formed after the high-temperature gate process is complete.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure includes methods for replacement gate formation in memory, and apparatuses and systems including memory formed accordingly. An embodiment includes forming a first oxide material in an opening through alternating layers of a second oxide material and a nitride material. An array of openings can be formed through the first oxide material formed in the opening. The layers of the nitride material can be removed. A metal material can be formed in voids resulting from the removal of the layers of the nitride material.