Patent ID: 7245000

Claim:
A monolithic 3-dimensional memory array comprising: a first plane of memory cells; a first set of strips including a first terminal; a second set of strips including a second terminal; a third set of strips including a third terminal; a plurality of first pillars, each first pillar having at least one side wall with a slightly positive slope, each first pillar disposed between and connecting one of said first strips and one of said second strips, and including a first P doped silicon region, a first N doped silicon region and a first insulating region; a second plane of memory cells; a plurality of second pillars, each second pillar having at least one side wall with a slightly positive slope, each second pillar disposed between and connecting one of said second strips and one of said third strips, and including a second P doped silicon region, a second N doped silicon region and a second insulating region; wherein each of the pluralities of first and second pillars is substantially free of stringers, and wherein the first plane of memory cells includes the first pillars, the second plane of memory cells includes the second pillars, and first and second pillars included in memory cells in the first plane and the second plane of are free of stringers.