Three-dimensional memory devices and methods for forming the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025038131-A1
Application number	US-202418915005-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 14, 2024
Priority date	Sep 13, 2021
Publication date	Jan 30, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

In certain aspects, a three-dimensional (3D) memory device includes a stack structure including a core region and a staircase region, a channel structure extending through the stack structure in the core region, and a first support structure extending through the stack structure in the staircase region. The first support structure includes a first portion extending along a first direction and a second portion protruding from the first portion along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first support structure is located between two blocks of the 3D memory device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A three-dimensional (3D) memory device, comprising:
a stack structure comprising a core region and a staircase region; a channel structure extending through the stack structure in the core region; and a first support structure extending through the stack structure in the staircase region, wherein the first support structure comprises a first portion extending along a first direction and a second portion protruding from the first portion along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and the first support structure is located between two blocks of the 3D memory device.

2 . The 3D memory device of claim 1 , further comprising a second support structure, wherein the second support structure comprises a set of block shape support structures arranged in a two-dimensional array.

3 . The 3D memory device of claim 2 , wherein the second support structure is located within a same memory block.

4 . The 3D memory device of claim 2 , wherein a cross-section of at least one of the block shape support structures in a plane parallel to the first and second directions includes one of a square shape, a rectangular shape, a pentagon shape, a hexagon shape, a diamond shape and an L-shape.

5 . The 3D memory device of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the first support structure comprises a plurality of curved portions protruding from two opposite sides of the first portion of the first support structure.

6 . The 3D memory device of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of curved portions are aligned along the two opposite sides of the first portion of the first support structure pair-by-pair.

7 . The 3D memory device of claim 5 , wherein adjacent two curved portions have a same distance therebetween along the first direction.

8 . The 3D memory device of claim 5 , wherein a radius of a curved portion is between ¼ of a width of the first portion in the second direction and two times of the width of the first portion in the second direction.

9 . The 3D memory device of claim 5 , wherein a distance between edges of adjacent two curved portions is between ⅙ of a width of the first portion in the second direction and three times of the width of the first portion in the second direction.

10 . The 3D memory device of claim 5 , wherein each of the curved portions has a same shape.

11 . The 3D memory device of claim 5 , wherein each of the curved portions has a shape of a partial of a circle.

12 . The 3D memory device of claim 5 , wherein each of the curved portions has a shape of a partial of an ellipse.

13 . The 3D memory device of claim 1 , further comprises a plurality of gate line slits intermittently extending along the first direction, wherein the plurality of gate line slits are located in a same memory block of the 3D memory device.

14 . A three-dimensional (3D) memory device, comprising:
a stack structure comprising a core region and a staircase region; a channel structure extending through the stack structure in the core region; and a first support structure extending through the stack structure in the staircase region, wherein the first support structure comprises a first portion extending along a first direction and a second portion protruding from the first portion along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a plurality of seams are disposed inside or on a surface of the first support structure along the first direction.

15 . The 3D memory device of claim 14 , wherein the first support structure is located between two blocks of the 3D memory device.

16 . A method for forming a three-dimensional (3D) memory device, comprising:
forming a stack structure, the stack structure comprising a core region and a staircase region; forming a channel structure extending through the stack structure in the core region; and forming a first support structure extending through the stack structure in the staircase region, wherein the first support structure comprises a first portion extending along a first direction and a second portion protruding from the first portion along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a plurality of seams are disposed inside or on a surface of the first support structure along the first direction.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein forming the first support structure further comprises:
forming a trench through the stack structure in the staircase region, wherein the trench comprises a plurality of curved portions protruding from two opposite sides of a slit; and filling in the trench with an insulation material to form the first support structure.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein each of the curved portions has a shape of a partial of a circle, or each of the curved portions has a shape of a partial of an ellipse.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the trench is etched in places of the stack structure between adjacent two blocks of the 3D memory device.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
forming a second support structure, wherein the second support structure comprises a set of block shape support structures arranged in a two-dimensional array.

Assignees

• Yangtze Memory Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Xie Wei
• Wang Di
• Zhao Tingting
• Zhou Wenxi

Classifications

• H10W20/435

  Cross-sectional shapes or dispositions of interconnections · CPC title

• H10W20/42

  Vias, e.g. via plugs · CPC title

• H10W42/121 Primary

  protecting against mechanical damage (H10W76/00, H10W74/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• H10B43/27 Primary

  the channels comprising vertical portions, e.g. U-shaped channels · CPC title

• H10B41/27

  the channels comprising vertical portions, e.g. U-shaped channels · CPC title