A method of making a monolithic three dimensional NAND string is provided. A stack of alternating layers of a first material and a second material different from the first material is formed over a substrate. The stack is etched to form at least one opening in the stack. A charge storage material layer is formed on a sidewall of the at least one opening. A tunnel dielectric layer is formed on the charge storage material layer in the at least one opening. A semiconductor channel material is formed on the tunnel dielectric layer in the at least one opening. The first material layers are selectively removed to expose side wall of the charge storage material layer. A blocking dielectric is formed on the exposed side wall of the charge storage material layer. Control gates are formed on the blocking dielectric.

The non-volatile memory device comprises memory cells each comprising a selectable state transistor having a floating gate and a control gate. The state transistor is of the depletion-mode type and is advantageously configured so as to have a threshold voltage that is preferably negative when the memory cell is in a virgin state. When the memory cell is read, a read voltage of zero may then be applied to the control gate and also to the control gates of the state transistors of all the memory cells of the memory device.

Some embodiments include a memory device and methods of forming the memory device. One such memory device includes a first group of memory cells, each of the memory cells of the first group being formed in a cavity of a first control gate located in one device level of the memory device. The memory device also includes a second group of memory cells, each of the memory cells of the second group being formed in a cavity of a second control gate located in another device level of the memory device. Additional apparatus and methods are described.

A memory opening can be formed through an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers provided over a substrate. Annular etch stop material portions are provided at each level of the sacrificial material layers around the memory opening. The annular etch stop material portions can be formed by conversion of surface portions of the sacrificial material layers into dielectric material portion, or by recessing the sacrificial material layers around the memory opening and filling indentations around the memory opening. After formation of a memory stack structure, the sacrificial material layers are removed from the backside. The annular etch stop material portions are at least partially converted to form charge trapping material portions. Vertical isolation of the charge trapping material portions among one another around the memory stack structure minimizes leakage between the charge trapping material portions located at different word line levels.

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including: forming a stacked structure including first material layers and second material layers alternately stacked on each other; forming a pillar passing through the stacked structure, the pillar including a protruding portion protruding above an uppermost surface of the stacked structure; forming a conductive layer surrounding the protruding portion of the pillar; and forming a conductive pattern in contact with the protruding portion of the pillar by oxidizing a surface of the conductive layer.

Various embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the same. One such apparatus can include a first dielectric material and a second dielectric material, and a conductive material between the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material. A charge storage element, such as a floating gate or charge trap, is between the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material and adjacent to the conductive material. The charge storage element has a first surface and a second surface. The first and second surfaces are substantially separated from. the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material, respectively, by a first air gap and a second air gap. Additional apparatuses and methods are disclosed.

A semiconductor device may include pillars and a plurality of conductive layers being stacked while surrounding the pillars and including a plurality of first regions including non-conductive material layers and a plurality of second regions including conductive material layers, wherein the first regions and the second regions are alternately arranged.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a vertical transistor device, and an associated method of formation. The transistor device has a source region over a substrate and a vertical channel bar over the source region. The vertical channel bar has a bottom surface with an elongated shape. A conductive gate region is separated from sidewalls of the vertical channel bar by a gate dielectric layer. The conductive gate region has a vertical leg and a horizontal leg protruding outward from a sidewall of the vertical leg. A dielectric layer vertically extends from a plane extending along an uppermost surface of the conductive gate region to a position surrounded by the conductive gate region. A drain contact is over the vertical channel bar.

Methods of forming multi-tiered semiconductor devices are described, along with apparatus and systems that include them. In one such method, an opening is formed in a tier of semiconductor material and a tier of dielectric. A portion of the tier of semiconductor material exposed by the opening is processed so that the portion is doped differently than the remaining semiconductor material in the tier. At least substantially all of the remaining semiconductor material of the tier is removed, leaving the differently doped portion of the tier of semiconductor material as a charge storage structure. A tunneling dielectric is formed on a first surface of the charge storage structure and an intergate dielectric is formed on a second surface of the charge storage structure. Additional embodiments are also described.

A method includes patterning a substrate to form a nanowire over the substrate, applying a plurality of doping processes to the nanowire to form a first drain/source region at a lower portion of the nanowire, a second drain/source region at an upper portion of the nanowire and a channel region, wherein the channel region is between the first drain/source region and the second drain/source region, depositing a first dielectric layer along sidewalls of the channel region, depositing a control gate layer over the first dielectric layer, wherein the control gate layer surrounds a lower portion of the channel region, depositing a second dielectric layer along the sidewalls of the channel region and over the control gate layer and forming a floating gate region surrounding an upper portion of the channel region.