Three-dimensional memory device containing drain-select-level air gap and methods of making the same

1. A three-dimensional memory device comprising:

an alternating stack of insulating layers and word lines located over a substrate;

memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack and comprising a respective vertical semiconductor channel and a respective memory film;

drain select gate electrodes located over the alternating stack, extending along a first horizontal direction, and laterally spaced apart along a second horizontal direction;

a dielectric cap layer located between adjacent drain select gate electrodes, wherein an air gap is located between adjacent drain select gate electrodes in the dielectric cap layer; and

drain-select-level pillar structures located on a respective one of the memory stack structures;

wherein:

each of the drain-select-level pillar structures comprises a drain-select-level channel which contacts an underlying one of the memory stack structures;

the dielectric cap layer comprises a planar portion overlying the drain select gate electrodes and downward-protruding rail portions located between neighboring pairs of the drain select gate electrodes; and

each of the downward-protruding rail portions comprises the air gap which is a cavity that is free of any solid phase material or any liquid phase material.

2. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1 , wherein each cavity within the downward-protruding rail portions is a laterally undulating cavity that generally extends along the first horizontal direction and has a lateral undulation along the second horizontal direction.

3. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 2 , wherein each cavity within the downward-protruding rail portions includes an upper portion having a variable width that decreases with a vertical distance from the substrate.

4. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 1 , wherein each of the drain-select-level pillar structures comprises:

a cylindrical gate dielectric laterally surrounding the drain-select-level channel; and

a cylindrical gate electrode laterally surrounding the cylindrical gate dielectric.

5. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 4 , wherein each drain select gate electrode comprises a respective cylindrical gate electrode which contacts a respective drain-select-level electrode strip.

6. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 5 , wherein each of the downward-protruding rail portions contacts two rows of dielectric cylindrical segments that are arranged along the first horizontal direction.

7. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 6 , wherein the cylindrical gate electrodes comprise:

first cylindrical gate electrodes that contacts a respective one of the dielectric cylindrical segments on one side and contacting a respective drain-select-level electrode strip; and

second cylindrical gate electrodes that do not contact any of the dielectric cylindrical segments and is laterally surrounded by the drain-select-level electrode strip.

8. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 5 , wherein:

each of the cylindrical gate electrodes comprises a doped semiconductor material; and

each of the drain-select-level electrode strips comprises a metallic material.

9. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 5 , further comprising a dielectric etch stop layer located between the alternating stack and the drain-select-level electrode strips, wherein each drain-select-level channel extends through a respective opening through the dielectric etch stop layer.

10. The three-dimensional memory device of claim 9 , wherein each of the downward-protruding rail portions of the dielectric cap layer includes a pair of sidewalls and a bottom portion that contacts a top surface of the dielectric etch stop layer, wherein a thickness of the bottom portion increases with a lateral distance from a proximal one of the pair of sidewalls.