Patent ID: 11943928
Assignee: YANGTZE MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Field: Semiconductors (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A method for forming a channel hole plug structure in a three-dimensional (3D) memory device, comprising:
forming an alternating dielectric stack disposed on a substrate;
forming an insulating layer and a hard mask layer on the alternating dielectric stack;
forming a channel structure, comprising:
forming a channel hole penetrating the insulating layer, the hard mask layer, and the alternating dielectric stack;
forming a functional layer on a sidewall of the channel hole; and
forming a channel layer covering at least a portion of the functional layer on the sidewall of the channel hole and in direct contact with a top surface of the hard mask layer;

removing a top portion of the channel structure and a portion of the insulating layer surrounding the top portion of the channel structure to form a recess; and
forming a channel hole plug in the recess, wherein a projection of the channel hole plug in a lateral plane covers a projection of the channel structure in the lateral plane.