{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10529732","patent":{"patent_number":"US-10529732","title":"Method for forming staircase structure of three-dimensional memory device","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2018-07-26T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2020-01-07T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L"],"num_claims":15,"abstract":"Embodiments of a method for forming a staircase structure of 3D memory devices are disclosed. The method comprises (i) forming an alternating layer stack including multiple layers disposed on a substrate in a vertical direction; (ii) removing a portion of the alternating layer stack to form multiple step-platforms in a staircase region of the alternating layer stack; (iii) forming a hard mask layer to cover top surfaces of the step-platforms; (iv) forming multiple openings in the hard mask layer to expose a portion of each of the step-platforms; (v) forming a photoresist layer to cover the top surfaces of the step-platforms and the hard mask layer; (vi) using a same set of trim-etch processes to pattern the photoresist layer to form a set of staircases on each of the step-platforms; (vii) removing the photoresist layer and the hard mask layer; and repeating (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii) sequentially."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Method for forming staircase structure of three-dimensional memory device","description":"Embodiments of a method for forming a staircase structure of 3D memory devices are disclosed. The method comprises (i) forming an alternating layer stack including multiple layers disposed on a substr","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10529732","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10529732","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Method for forming staircase structure of three-dimensional memory device\" (US-10529732). https://patentable.app/patents/US-10529732","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-10529732","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-10529732","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-05-30T14:44:27.224Z"}