Integrated circuit self aligned 3D memory array and manufacturing method
First Claim
1. A memory device, comprising:
- an integrated circuit substrate;
a plurality of stacks of conductive strips, the stacks being ridge-shaped and including at least two conductive strips separated by insulating material;
a plurality of conductive lines arranged orthogonally over, and having surfaces conformal with, the plurality of stacks, defining a multi-layer array of interface regions at cross-points between side surfaces of the conductive strips on the stacks and conductive lines; and
memory elements in the interface regions, which establish a 3D array of memory cells accessible via the plurality of conductive strips and the plurality of conductive lines.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A 3D memory device includes a plurality of ridge-shaped stacks, in the form of multiple strips of conductive material separated by insulating material, arranged as bit lines which can be coupled through decoding circuits to sense amplifiers. The strips of conductive material have side surfaces on the sides of the ridge-shaped stacks. A plurality of conductive lines arranged as word lines which can be coupled to row decoders, extends orthogonally over the plurality of ridge-shaped stacks. The conductive lines conform to the surface of the stacks. Memory elements lie in a multi-layer array of interface regions at cross-points between side surfaces of the conductive strips on the stacks and the conductive lines. The memory elements are programmable, like the anti-fuses or charge trapping structures. The 3D memory is made using only two critical masks for multiple layers.
259 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A memory device, comprising:
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an integrated circuit substrate; a plurality of stacks of conductive strips, the stacks being ridge-shaped and including at least two conductive strips separated by insulating material; a plurality of conductive lines arranged orthogonally over, and having surfaces conformal with, the plurality of stacks, defining a multi-layer array of interface regions at cross-points between side surfaces of the conductive strips on the stacks and conductive lines; and memory elements in the interface regions, which establish a 3D array of memory cells accessible via the plurality of conductive strips and the plurality of conductive lines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A memory device, comprising:
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an integrated circuit substrate; a plurality of stacks of conductive strips, the stacks being ridge-shaped and including at least two conductive strips separated by insulating material; a plurality of conductive lines arranged orthogonally over, and having surfaces conformal with, the plurality of stacks, defining a multi-layer array of interface regions at cross-points between side surfaces of the conductive strips on the stacks and conductive lines; a layer of programmable resistive memory material between the plurality of conductive lines and the plurality of stacks, which establishes a 3D array of memory cells accessible via the plurality of conductive strips and the plurality of conductive lines; a row decoder coupled to the plurality of conductive lines; and a plane and column decoder coupled to the conductive strips in the plurality of stacks. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A memory device, comprising:
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an integrated circuit substrate; a plurality of stacks of semiconductor strips, the stacks being ridge-shaped and including at least two semiconductor strips separated by insulating material; a plurality of conductive lines arranged orthogonally over, and having surfaces conformal with, the plurality of stacks, defining a multi-layer array of interface regions at cross-points between side surfaces of the semiconductor strips on the plurality of stacks and conductive lines; charge trapping structures in the interface regions between the plurality of conductive lines and the side surfaces of the semiconductor strips on the plurality of stacks, which establishes a 3D NAND array of charge trapping memory transistors accessible via the plurality of semiconductor strips and the plurality of conductive lines. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A memory device, comprising:
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an integrated circuit substrate; a plurality of stacks of n-type semiconductor strips, the stacks being ridge-shaped and including at least two semiconductor strips separated by insulating material; a plurality of p-type semiconductor lines arranged orthogonally over, and having surfaces conformal with, the plurality of stacks, defining a multi-layer array of interface regions at cross-points between side surfaces of the semiconductor strips on the plurality of stacks and the plurality of p-type semiconductor lines; charge trapping structures in the interface regions between the plurality of conductive lines and the side surfaces of the semiconductor strips on the plurality of stacks, which establishes a 3D NAND array of charge trapping memory transistors accessible via the plurality of semiconductor strips and the plurality of conductive lines, the charge trapping structures including a tunneling dielectric structure including a composite of materials to establish an inverted U-shaped valence band energy level, a charge trapping layer and a blocking layer.
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28. A method for manufacturing a memory device, comprising:
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forming a plurality of layers of a first conductive material separated by insulating material, on an integrated circuit substrate; etching the plurality of layers to define a plurality of stacks of conductive strips, the stacks being ridge-shaped and including at least two conductive strips separated by insulating material; forming a memory layer on sides of conductive strips in the plurality of stacks, the memory layer contacting side surfaces of the plurality of conductive strips; forming a layer of a second conductive material over and having a surface conformal with the memory layer on the plurality of stacks; and etching the layer of second conductive material to define a plurality of conductive lines arranged orthogonally over, and having surfaces conformal with, the memory layer on the plurality of stacks, defining a 3D array of memory cells in interface regions at cross-points between side surfaces of the conductive strips on the stacks and conductive lines. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification