Patent ID: 8450176

Claim:
A method of forming a nonvolatile memory device, comprising: forming a vertical stack of nonvolatile memory cells on a substrate by: forming a vertical stack of spaced-apart gate electrodes on a first sidewall of a vertical silicon active layer; and treating a second sidewall of the vertical silicon active layer with an oxidizing species that converts a surface of the second sidewall into a silicon dioxide passivation layer; wherein said forming the vertical stack of nonvolatile memory cells comprises: forming a thin layer structure containing first and second different material layers that are sequentially and repeatedly stacked; then forming a trench penetrating the thin layer structure; and then forming recessed regions exposing respective portions of the first sidewall of the vertical silicon active layer between the first material layers by removing the second material layers; and wherein said forming a vertical stack of spaced-apart gate electrodes comprises forming the vertical stack of spaced-apart gate electrodes in the recessed regions.