Patent ID: 8193054

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 different from the first material over a substrate; etching the stack to form at least one opening in the stack; forming a discrete charge storage material layer on a sidewall of the at least one opening; forming a tunnel dielectric layer on the discrete charge storage material layer in the at least one opening; forming a semiconductor channel material on the tunnel dielectric layer in the at least one opening; selectively removing the second material layers without removing the first material layers; etching the discrete charge storage material layer using the first material layers as a mask to form a plurality of separate discrete charge storage segments; depositing an insulating material between the first material layers to form alternating layers of insulating material layers and the first material layers; selectively removing the first material layers to expose side wall of the discrete charge storage segments; forming a blocking dielectric on the side wall of the discrete charge storage segments exposed between the insulating material layers; and forming control gates on the blocking dielectric between the insulating material layers.