Three-dimensional NAND memory device containing two terminal selector and methods of using and making thereof

1. A three-dimensional memory device, comprising:

an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive word line layers located over a substrate; and

a plurality of vertical memory strings, wherein each vertical memory string comprises a series connection of a memory stack structure and a selector element;

wherein:

each of the memory stack structures extends through the alternating stack and includes a respective memory film and a respective vertical semiconductor channel; and

each of the selector elements comprises a two terminal device that is configured to provide at least two different resistivity states and has a bottom surface that overlies a topmost layer of the alternating stack and overlies a horizontal plane including topmost surfaces of the vertical semiconductor channels.

2. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1 , wherein:

each of the selector elements comprises a vertical stack of a bottom electrode, a memory element, and a top electrode;

the top electrode is electrically connected to one of the bit lines; and

the bottom electrode is electrically connected to a respective one of the vertical semiconductor channels through a respective drain region.

3. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 2 , wherein the respective drain region contacts the bottom electrode and the respective one of the vertical semiconductor channels.

4. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 2 , wherein the memory element comprises a vacancy-modulated memory element.

5. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 2 , wherein the memory element comprises a conductive-bridge memory element.

6. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 2 , wherein the memory element comprises a phase change memory element.

7. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 2 , wherein the memory element comprises a spin-torque-transfer (STT) magnetic memory element containing a magnetic tunneling junction.

8. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 2 , wherein the selector element has a pillar structure.

9. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 2 , wherein:

the top electrode of the selector element and the bottom electrode of the selector element laterally extend along different horizontal directions; and

the memory element is located within an overlap area between the top electrode and the bottom electrode.

10. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1 , wherein:

each of the memory stack structures is located within a respective memory opening that vertically extends through the alternating stack; and

each memory film comprises a stack including a respective blocking dielectric, a respective set of charge storage elements, and a respective tunneling dielectric.

11. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1 , wherein:

each vertical memory string comprises a series connection of a memory stack structure and a selector device; and

the selector device comprises a series connection of a select transistor and the selector element.

12. A method of operating the three-dimensional memory device of claim 1 , comprising:

activating a first group of vertical memory strings by setting each selector element within the first group to a low resistivity state and deactivating a second group of vertical memory strings by setting each selector element within the second group to a high resistivity state; and

performing an operation selected from programming or reading least one memory element within the first group of vertical memory strings while the second group of vertical memory strings remains deactivated.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising deactivating the first group of vertical memory strings by setting each selector element within the first group of vertical memory strings to the high resistivity state after the programming or reading operation.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

activating the first and the second groups of vertical memory strings by setting each selector element within the first and second groups of vertical memory strings to the low resistivity state;

performing an erase operation on the first and second groups of vertical memory strings; and

deactivating the first and second groups of vertical memory strings by setting each selector element within the first and second groups of vertical memory strings to the high resistivity state after the erase operation.

15. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1 , wherein:

the vertical semiconductor channels have a doping of a first conductivity type;

a top end of each of the vertical semiconductor channels in contact with a respective drain region having a doping of a second conductivity type that is an opposite of the first conductivity type; and

each of the drain regions is in contact with a bottom surface of a respective one of the selector elements.

16. A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device, comprising:

forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers and a two-dimensional array of memory stack structures vertically extending therethrough over a substrate, wherein each of the memory stack structures includes a respective memory film and a respective vertical semiconductor channel; and

forming a two-dimensional array of two terminal selector elements over the two-dimensional array of memory stack structures, wherein a two-dimensional array of series connections of a memory stack structure and a selector element is formed, wherein each of the selector elements is configured to provide at least two different resistivity states, and wherein each of the selector elements has a bottom surface that overlies a topmost layer of the alternating stack and overlies a horizontal plane including topmost surfaces of the vertical semiconductor channels.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising forming bit lines on the two-dimensional array of selector elements, wherein the plurality of bit lines are laterally spaced apart along a first horizontal direction, laterally extend along a second horizontal direction, and are electrically connected to top ends of the selector elements.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

each of the selector elements comprises a vertical stack of a bottom electrode, a memory element, and a top electrode; and

the bottom electrode is electrically connected to a respective one of the vertical semiconductor channels through a respective drain region.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising forming access lines over the alternating stack, wherein each of the access lines comprises bottom electrodes or top electrodes of a respective subset of the selector elements.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the vertical semiconductor channels have a doping of a first conductivity type;

the method comprises forming drain regions comprising a doped semiconductor material having a doping of a second conductivity type that is an opposite of the first conductivity type on top ends of the vertical semiconductor channels; and

the selector elements are formed on top surfaces of the drain regions.