Full metal gate replacement process for NAND flash memory

1. A method of forming a NAND flash memory array comprising:

forming a plurality of sacrificial control gate structures extending in a word line direction, an individual sacrificial control gate structure lying in direct contact with a dielectric layer that overlies a charge storage element;

forming a plurality of sacrificial filler structures extending in the word line direction between sacrificial control gate structures; and

subsequently replacing the plurality of sacrificial control gate structures with a plurality of control gate lines that extend in the word line direction while the plurality of sacrificial filler structures remain initially between the sacrificial control gate structures and subsequently between the control gate lines, the charge storage element, and the dielectric layer that overlies the charge storage element remain, an individual control gate line forming a control gate for a memory cell where the individual control gate line lies in direct contact with the dielectric layer that overlies the charge storage element.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein an individual control gate line consists of metal.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, subsequent to replacing the plurality of sacrificial control gate structures, removing the plurality of sacrificial filler structures to leave air gaps extending in the first word line direction between control gate lines.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising forming a sidewall layer at first locations on surfaces of sacrificial control gate structures, wherein the sidewall layer remains in place at the first locations during the forming of the plurality of sacrificial filler structures, during the subsequent replacing of the plurality of sacrificial control gate structures, and during the subsequent removing of the plurality of sacrificial filler structures.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising, subsequent to removing the plurality of sacrificial filler structures, forming an air gap capping layer that caps the air gaps extending in the word line direction between control gates and isolates the air gaps from ambient air.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the air gap capping layer is a Silicon Dioxide layer.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a sacrificial select line structure extending in the word line direction and subsequently replacing the sacrificial select line structure with a select line.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

forming a first sidewall layer on a first side of the sacrificial select line structure;

forming a second sidewall layer on a second side of the sacrificial select line structure; and

wherein first and second sidewall layers remain during the subsequent replacing of the sacrificial select line structure.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

forming an air gap in contact with the first sidewall layer; and

forming a dielectric filled gap in contact with the second sidewall layer.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising, prior to replacing the sacrificial select line structure, forming an opening that extends through the sacrificial select line structure and through a dielectric layer that underlies the sacrificial select line structure.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the select line forms an electrical contact with charge storage element material through the opening.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

forming a plurality of sacrificial peripheral transistor gate structures in a peripheral area of the NAND flash memory array; and

subsequently replacing the plurality of sacrificial peripheral transistor gate structures with a plurality of peripheral transistor gates.

13. A method of forming a NAND flash memory array comprising:

forming a plurality of sacrificial control gate structures extending in a first direction, an individual sacrificial control gate structure lying in contact with a dielectric and etch-stop layer that overlies a charge storage element;

forming a sidewall layer on surfaces of sacrificial control gate structures;

forming a plurality of sacrificial filler structures extending in the first direction between sacrificial control gate structures;

subsequently removing the plurality of sacrificial control gate structures by etching down to the dielectric and etch-stop layer without substantially etching the plurality of sacrificial filler structures;

subsequently depositing metal directly on the dielectric and etch-stop layer to form a plurality of metal control gate lines while the plurality of sacrificial filler structures and the sidewall layer remain to separate adjacent metal control gate lines, an individual metal control gate line forming a control gate for a memory cell where metal of the individual metal control gate line lies in contact with the dielectric and etch-stop layer that overlies the charge storage element; and

subsequently removing the plurality of sacrificial filler structures, without removing the sidewall layer, to leave air gaps extending in the first direction between control gate lines.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising forming a sacrificial select line structure extending in the first direction;

forming a select line sidewall layer on the sacrificial select line structure; and

subsequently replacing the sacrificial select line structure with a select line while the select line sidewall layer remains.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the dielectric and etch-stop layer is formed as a dielectric layer stack that includes an uppermost layer of a high-k dielectric material.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the high-k dielectric material is Alumina (Al 2 O 3 ).

17. The method of claim 13 wherein forming the plurality of metal control gate lines includes planarizing the deposited metal to leave the metal control gate lines only at locations previously occupied by sacrificial control gate structures.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein, subsequent to depositing the metal, the metal is not etched.