US 12,250,820 B2
Elevationally-extending string of memory cells and methods of forming an elevationally-extending string of memory cells
John D. Hopkins, Meridian, ID (US); and David Daycock, Boise, ID (US)
Assigned to Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US)
Filed by Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US)
Filed on Jan. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/098,019.
Application 18/098,019 is a division of application No. 17/156,241, filed on Jan. 22, 2021, granted, now 11,616,075.
Application 17/156,241 is a division of application No. 15/494,969, filed on Apr. 24, 2017, granted, now 10,923,492, issued on Feb. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0157024 A1, May 18, 2023
Int. Cl. H10B 43/27 (2023.01); H01L 29/10 (2006.01); H10B 41/27 (2023.01); H10B 41/35 (2023.01); H10B 43/35 (2023.01)
CPC H10B 43/27 (2023.02) [H01L 29/1037 (2013.01); H10B 41/27 (2023.02); H10B 41/35 (2023.02); H10B 43/35 (2023.02)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming an elevationally-extending string of memory cells, comprising:
forming a lower stack comprising first-alternating tiers comprising different composition first- and second-lower-stack materials, insulator material above the lower stack, and a lower opening extending through the insulator material and through the first-alternating tiers;
forming lower-stack-channel material in the lower opening;
forming laterally-central material in the lower opening, the laterally-central material comprising an uppermost region having dopant therein and a lowermost dopant-diffusion-barrier region;
forming conductive material in the lower opening electrically coupled with the lower-stack-channel material;
providing lower control-gate material laterally outward of the lower-stack-channel material; and
providing lower insulative-charge-passage material, lower charge-storage material, and a lower charge-blocking region laterally between the lower control-gate material and the lower-stack-channel material;
forming an upper stack comprising second-alternating tiers comprising different composition first and second-upper-stack materials elevationally over the lower stack, the laterally-central material in the lower opening, and the conductive material in the lower opening; the upper stack having an upper opening extending elevationally through the second-alternating tiers and to at least one of the laterally-central material and the conductive material in the lower opening;
forming upper-stack-channel material in the upper opening that is electrically coupled with the lower-stack-channel material through the conductive material in the lower opening;
providing upper control-gate material laterally outward of the respective upper stack-channel material; and
providing upper insulative-charge-passage material, upper charge-storage material, and an upper charge-blocking region laterally between the upper control-gate material and the upper stack-channel material.