Three-dimensional memory device having on-pitch drain select gate electrodes and method of making the same

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

forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers over a substrate, wherein the spacer material layers are formed as, or are subsequently replaced with, electrically conductive layers;

forming an array of memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack and arranged as rows that extend along a first horizontal direction and are spaced along a second horizontal direction, wherein each of the memory stack structures comprises a memory film and a memory level channel portion contacting an inner sidewall of the memory film;

forming a first dielectric template layer over the alternating stack;

forming an array of cylindrical openings through the first dielectric template layer; and depositing and anisotropically etching a gate electrode material layer in the array of cylindrical openings, wherein remaining portions of the gate electrode material layer comprise a plurality of cylindrical electrode portions;

forming an array of drain select level assemblies having a same periodicity as the array of memory stack structures along the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction over the alternating stack, wherein each of the drain select level assemblies comprises a drain select level channel portion contacting a respective memory level channel portion;

forming drain select gate electrodes laterally surrounding respective rows of drain select level assemblies, wherein the drain select gate electrodes are formed by forming a plurality of cylindrical electrode portions over the alternating stack, wherein each of the drain select level channel portions is formed within a respective one of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions, and forming strip electrode portions that are arranged in rows that extend along a first horizontal direction on a respective subset of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions; and

forming a drain select level isolation strip comprising at least one dielectric material located between a neighboring pair of drain select gate electrodes.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

topmost surfaces of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions are recessed below a topmost surface of the first dielectric template layer; and

the method further comprises forming sacrificial pedestals within unfilled volumes of the array of cylindrical openings after formation of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

recessing the first dielectric template layer after formation of the sacrificial pedestals;

trimming upper portions of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions above a recessed top surface of the first dielectric template layer; and

forming a second dielectric template layer around the sacrificial pedestals after forming the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

removing the sacrificial pedestals, wherein inner sidewalls of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions are physically exposed; and

forming a plurality of gate dielectrics on the inner sidewalls of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the drain select level channel portions are formed by depositing a conformal semiconductor material layer on inner sidewalls of the plurality of gate dielectrics.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an insulating spacer layer over the array of memory stack structures and the alternating stack,

wherein:

the first dielectric template layer is formed over the insulating spacer layer; and the array of cylindrical openings is formed through the first dielectric template layer and does not extend through the insulating spacer layer.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

forming a plurality of cylindrical gate dielectrics on inner sidewalls of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions;

forming a cover spacer layer on an inner sidewall of each of the plurality of cylindrical gate dielectrics; and

forming openings through the cover spacer layer, wherein each opening through the cover spacer layer has a lesser maximum lateral dimension than a maximum lateral dimension of an overlying one of the cylindrical openings through the first dielectric template layer.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the openings through the cover spacer layer extends below a horizontal plane including top surfaces of the memory level channel portions; and

a sidewall of a respective one of the memory level channel portions is physically exposed around each of the openings through the cover spacer layer.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

depositing a drain select level channel layer on sidewalls of the memory level channel portions and within each opening through the cover spacer layer and through each of the plurality of cylindrical gate dielectrics; and

removing upper portions of the drain select level channel layer, wherein remaining portions of the drain select level channel layer constitute the drain select level channel portions.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the drain select level channel portions are formed within the openings through the cover spacer layer and on the sidewalls of the memory level channel portions; and

the method further comprises forming drain select level dielectric cores within the drain select level channel portions.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drain select level isolation strip comprises a perforated dielectric strip portion including two rows of cylindrical openings therethrough, wherein each of the cylindrical openings laterally surrounds a respective one of a subset of the drain select level channel portions that is arranged in two rows that extend along the first horizontal direction.

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

forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers over a substrate, wherein the spacer material layers are formed as, or are subsequently replaced with, electrically conductive layers;

forming an array of memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack and arranged as rows that extend along a first horizontal direction and are spaced along a second horizontal direction, wherein each of the memory stack structures comprises a memory film and a memory level channel portion contacting an inner sidewall of the memory film;

forming at least one dielectric template layer over the array of memory stack structures;

forming an array of drain select level assemblies having a same periodicity as the array of memory stack structures along the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction over the alternating stack, wherein each of the drain select level assemblies comprises a drain select level channel portion contacting a respective memory level channel portion;

forming drain select gate electrodes laterally surrounding respective rows of drain select level assemblies, wherein the drain select gate electrodes are formed by forming a plurality of cylindrical electrode portions over the alternating stack, wherein each of the drain select level channel portions is formed within a respective one of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions, and forming strip electrode portions that are arranged in rows that extend along a first horizontal direction on a respective subset of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions;

forming a drain select level isolation strip comprising at least one dielectric material located between a neighboring pair of drain select gate electrodes; and

forming cavities by removing portions of the at least one dielectric template layer employing an anisotropic etch process in which at least the drain regions are used as an etch mask, wherein the array of drain select level assemblies is formed through the at least one dielectric template layer overlying the alternating stack and the array of memory stack structures; and

wherein the method further comprises at least one feature selected from:

a first feature that the method further comprises:

forming drain regions on top of a respective one of the drain select level channel portions, and

a second feature that the strip electrode portions are formed by:

depositing at least one conductive material in the cavities formed by removing portions of the at least one dielectric template layer, and

recessing the at least one conductive material below a horizontal plane including top surfaces of the drain regions.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the method comprises the first feature.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the method comprises the second feature.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein each of the strip electrode portions is formed directly on a respective subset of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least one conductive material comprises:

a conductive metal nitride material; and

an elemental metal.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the drain select level isolation strip comprises a perforated dielectric strip portion including two rows of cylindrical openings therethrough, wherein each of the cylindrical openings laterally surrounds a respective one of a subset of the drain select level channel portions that is arranged in two rows that extend along the first horizontal direction.

18. A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device, comprising:-forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers over a substrate, wherein the spacer material layers are formed as, or are subsequently replaced with, electrically conductive layers;

forming an array of memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack and arranged as rows that extend along a first horizontal direction and are spaced along a second horizontal direction, wherein each of the memory stack structures comprises a memory film and a memory level channel portion contacting an inner sidewall of the memory film;

forming an insulating spacer layer on the alternating stack;

forming an array of drain select level assemblies having a same periodicity as the array of memory stack structures along the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction over the alternating stack, wherein each of the drain select level assemblies comprises a drain select level channel portion contacting a respective memory level channel portion;

forming drain select gate electrodes laterally surrounding respective rows of drain select level assemblies, wherein the drain select gate electrodes are formed by forming a plurality of cylindrical electrode portions over the alternating stack, wherein each of the drain select level channel portions is formed within a respective one of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions, and forming strip electrode portions that are arranged in rows that extend along a first horizontal direction on a respective subset of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions, wherein the drain select gate electrodes are formed on a top surface of the insulating spacer layer;

forming openings through the insulating spacer layer after formation of the plurality of cylindrical electrode portions and prior to formation of the strip electrode portions, wherein the drain select level channel portions are formed through the openings through the insulating spacer layer; and

forming a drain select level isolation strip comprising at least one dielectric material located between a neighboring pair of drain select gate electrodes.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein:

the array of drain select level assemblies is formed after the step of forming the array of memory stack structures is completed;

sidewalls of the memory level channel portions are physically exposed after formation of the openings through the insulating spacer layer; and

the drain select level channel portions are formed directly on the sidewalls of the memory level channel portions.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the drain select level isolation strip comprises a perforated dielectric strip portion including two rows of cylindrical openings therethrough, wherein each of the cylindrical openings laterally surrounds a respective one of a subset of the drain select level channel portions that is arranged in two rows that extend along the first horizontal direction.