US 12,004,346 B2
Microelectronic devices with nitrogen-rich insulative structures
Swapnil Lengade, Boise, ID (US); Jeremy Adams, Boise, ID (US); Naiming Liu, Boise, ID (US); Jeslin J. Wu, Boise, ID (US); Kadir Abdul, Singapore (SG); and Carlo Mendoza Orofeo, Singapore (SG)
Assigned to Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US)
Filed by Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US)
Filed on Mar. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/200,169.
Prior Publication US 2022/0293625 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. H10B 43/27 (2023.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01); H10B 41/27 (2023.01)
CPC H10B 43/27 (2023.02) [H01L 21/0217 (2013.01); H01L 21/02266 (2013.01); H01L 21/02274 (2013.01); H10B 41/27 (2023.02)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microelectronic device, comprising:
a stack structure including an array region and a peripheral region horizontally neighboring the array region, the stack structure comprising:
a first region comprising first levels respectively comprising:
silicon oxide material within the array region and the peripheral region;
within the array region, conductive material vertically adjacent the silicon oxide material; and
within the peripheral region, silicon nitride material vertically adjacent the silicon oxide material and having a first refractive index and a first ratio of nitrogen atoms to silicon atoms greater than about 1.60:1.00; and
a second region vertically overlying the first region and including second levels respectively comprising:
the silicon oxide material within the array region and the peripheral region;
within the array region, the conductive material vertically adjacent the silicon oxide material; and
within the peripheral region, additional silicon nitride material vertically adjacent the silicon oxide material, the additional silicon nitride material having a second refractive index greater than the first refractive index and having a second ratio of nitrogen atoms to silicon atoms less than about 1.60:1.00; and
a third region vertically overlying the second region and including third levels respectively comprising:
the silicon oxide material within the array region and the peripheral region;
within the array region, the conductive material vertically adjacent the silicon oxide material; and
within the peripheral region, the silicon nitride material vertically adjacent the silicon oxide material; and
strings of memory cells vertically extending through the stack structure and horizontally confined within the array region of the stack structure.