Methods of forming vertical field-effect transistor with self-aligned contacts for memory devices with planar periphery/array and intermediate structures formed thereby
First Claim
1. A method of forming a structure of a memory device having an array portion including a plurality of vertical array transistors and a periphery region including peripheral circuit transistors, the method comprising:
- forming at least one trench in the periphery region of a substrate and at least one trench in the array portion of the substrate concurrently, the at least one trench in the periphery region producing one or more fins in the periphery region and the at least one trench in the array portion producing one or more fins in the array portion;
forming each of the peripheral circuit transistors over a fin of the one or more fins in the periphery region;
forming the plurality of vertical array transistors from the one or more fins in the array portion, each of the plurality of vertical array transistors having a self-aligned contact; and
forming a phase change memory cell over the self-aligned contact of each of the vertical array transistors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods of forming a memory device having an array portion including a plurality of array transistors and a periphery region including peripheral circuit transistor structures of the memory device, where an upper surface of the periphery region and an upper surface of the array portion are planar (or nearly planar) after formation of the peripheral circuit transistor structures and a plurality of memory cells (formed over the array transistors). The method includes forming the peripheral circuit transistor structures in the periphery region, forming the plurality of array transistors in the array portion and forming a plurality of memory cells over respective vertical transistors. Structures formed by the method have planar upper surfaces of the periphery and array regions.
40 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of forming a structure of a memory device having an array portion including a plurality of vertical array transistors and a periphery region including peripheral circuit transistors, the method comprising:
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forming at least one trench in the periphery region of a substrate and at least one trench in the array portion of the substrate concurrently, the at least one trench in the periphery region producing one or more fins in the periphery region and the at least one trench in the array portion producing one or more fins in the array portion; forming each of the peripheral circuit transistors over a fin of the one or more fins in the periphery region; forming the plurality of vertical array transistors from the one or more fins in the array portion, each of the plurality of vertical array transistors having a self-aligned contact; and forming a phase change memory cell over the self-aligned contact of each of the vertical array transistors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6)
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5. The method of claim , wherein forming the phase change memory cells comprises:
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forming a plurality of silicide contacts by silicidation of the self-aligned contact of each of the vertical array transistors; and depositing a phase-change material over each of the plurality of silicide contacts.
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7. A method of forming a structure of a memory device having an array portion including a plurality of vertical array transistors and a periphery region including peripheral circuit transistor structures, the method comprising:
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forming the peripheral circuit transistor structures in the periphery region; forming the plurality of vertical array transistors in the array portion, each of the plurality of vertical array transistors having a self-aligned contact; and forming a phase change memory cell over the self-aligned contact of each of the vertical array transistors, wherein forming the plurality of vertical array transistors comprises; doping an upper surface of a substrate in the array portion; forming an oxide over the array portion and the periphery region, wherein the oxide extends above an upper surface of the peripheral circuit transistor structures; forming a first plurality of trenches in the array portion, the first plurality of trenches extending through the oxide to the doped upper surface of the substrate; growing epitaxial silicon within the first plurality of trenches; forming a patterned resist material mask on the array portion, in a direction perpendicular to a direction of formation of the first plurality of trenches, and forming the resist material mask over the entire periphery region; etching unmasked areas of the oxide and unmasked areas of the epitaxial silicon within the first plurality of trenches to form a second plurality of trenches, the second plurality of trenches extending through the oxide and epitaxial silicon to the doped upper surface of the substrate, resulting in a plurality of silicon pillars in the array portion; removing the resist material; forming a gate oxide on exposed surfaces of the silicon pillars and on exposed portions of the doped upper surface of the substrate; and forming side gates on the gate oxide. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of forming a structure of a memory device having an array portion including a plurality of vertical array transistors and a periphery region including peripheral circuit transistor structures, the method comprising:
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forming the peripheral circuit transistor structures in the periphery region; forming the plurality of vertical array transistors in the array portion, each of the plurality of vertical array transistors having a self-aligned contact; and forming a phase change memory cell over the self-aligned contact of each of the vertical array transistors, wherein forming the plurality of vertical array transistors comprises; doping an upper surface of a substrate in the array portion; forming an oxide over the array portion and the periphery region, wherein the oxide extends above an upper surface of the peripheral circuit transistor structures; forming a plurality of trenches through the oxide to the doped upper surface of the substrate; growing epitaxial silicon within the plurality of trenches to form a plurality of silicon pillars; etching the oxide to expose sides of the plurality of silicon pillars; forming a gate oxide on exposed surfaces of the silicon pillars and on exposed portions of the doped upper surface of the substrate; and forming all around gates on the silicon pillars. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of forming a structure of a memory device having an array portion including a plurality of vertical array transistors and a periphery region including peripheral circuit transistor structures, the method comprising:
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forming the peripheral circuit transistor structures in the periphery region; forming the plurality of vertical array transistors in the array portion, each of the plurality of vertical array transistors having a self-aligned contact; and forming a phase change memory cell over the self-aligned contact of each of the vertical array transistors, wherein forming the peripheral circuit transistor structures and forming the plurality of vertical array transistors comprises; forming a pad oxide on a silicon substrate; forming a nitride on the pad oxide; forming at least one first trench in the periphery region, for formation of shallow trench isolation regions, and a plurality of second trenches in the array portion; doping the silicon substrate in the periphery region for transistor structure formation; doping the silicon substrate in the array portion; depositing an oxide into the at least one first trench and the plurality of second trenches, and planarizing the oxide to a top surface of the nitride; forming a patterned resist material mask on the array portion, in a direction perpendicular to a direction of formation of the plurality of second trenches, and forming the resist material mask over the entire periphery region; etching unmasked areas of the array portion to form a plurality of third trenches, the plurality of third trenches extending through the nitride, and the pad oxide to the doped array portion of the silicon substrate, resulting in a plurality of silicon pillars in the array portion; removing the resist material; forming a gate oxide on exposed surfaces of the silicon pillars and on exposed portions of the doped upper surface of the silicon substrate; forming gates on the silicon pillars; removing the nitride and the pad oxide from the periphery region; and forming the self-aligned contacts by removing the nitride and the pad oxide from the array portion. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of forming a structure of a memory device having an array portion including a plurality of vertical array transistors and a periphery region including peripheral circuit transistor structures, the method comprising:
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forming the peripheral circuit transistor structures in the periphery region; forming the plurality of vertical array transistors in the array portion, each of the plurality of vertical array transistors having a self-aligned contact; and forming a phase change memory cell over the self-aligned contact of each of the vertical array transistors, wherein forming the peripheral circuit transistor structures and forming the plurality of vertical array transistors comprises; forming shallow trench isolation regions in a substrate in the periphery region; forming a gate oxide; forming a gate stack over the gate oxide in the periphery region; forming a nitride spacer on a side surface of the gate stack between the periphery region and the array portion; doping an upper surface of the substrate in the array portion; growing epitaxial silicon in the array portion, wherein the epitaxial silicon is grown to a level of an upper surface of the gate stack; forming a nitride cap over the array portion and the periphery region; forming at least one transistor structure in the periphery region; patterning the epitaxial silicon in the array portion; forming a gate oxide on exposed surfaces of the epitaxial silicon; forming gates; depositing an oxide to gap fill the array portion and planarizing the oxide to the nitride cap; and forming the self-aligned contacts for the plurality of vertical array transistors. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification