Patent ID: 8283228

Claim:
A method of making a monolithic three dimensional NAND string, comprising: forming a stack of alternating layers of a first material and a second material over a major surface of a substrate, wherein the first material comprises a conductive or semiconductor control gate material and wherein the second material comprises an insulating material; etching the stack to form at least one opening in the stack; selectively etching the first material to form first recesses in the first material; forming a blocking dielectric in the first recesses; forming a plurality of discrete charge storage segments separated from each other in the first recesses over the blocking dielectric layer; forming a tunnel dielectric layer over a side wall of the plurality of discrete charge storage segments in the at least one opening; forming a semiconductor material in the at least one opening; etching a middle portion of the semiconductor material to form two wing portions of a semiconductor channel, the two wing portions of the semiconductor channel extending substantially perpendicular to the major surface of the substrate; and forming an insulating fill separating two wing portions of the semiconductor channel.