Patent ID: 9666594
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: G11C,H01L

Claim:
1. A method of making a memory device, the method comprising: forming a stack of alternating layers of a first material and a second material different from the first material over a substrate; forming a trench through the stack; filling the trench with a separator insulating material; forming a memory opening in the stack extending through the separator insulating material located in the trench by etching a portion of the separator insulating material, wherein remaining portions of the separator insulating material include two physically disjoined portions of the separator insulating material that are laterally spaced from each other by a cavity that defines a volume of the memory opening; forming at least a portion of a memory film within a volume of the memory opening after formation of the memory opening; and forming a semiconductor channel within the volume of the memory opening over the at least the portion of the memory film.