Memory arrays

Abstract

A memory array comprises vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells. The memory cells individually include a transistor comprising first and second source/drain regions having a channel region there-between and a gate operatively proximate the channel region. At least a portion of the channel region is horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow in the portion between the first and second source/drain regions. The memory cells individually include a capacitor comprising first and second electrodes having a capacitor insulator there-between. The first electrode is electrically coupled to the first source/drain region. The second capacitor electrodes of multiple of the capacitors in the array are electrically coupled with one another. A sense-line structure extends elevationally through the vertically-alternating tiers. Individual of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in different memory cell tiers are electrically coupled to the elevationally-extending sense-line structure. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A memory array, comprising:
 vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells, the memory cells individually comprising:
 a transistor comprising first and second source/drain regions having a channel region there-between and a gate operatively proximate the channel region, at least a portion of the channel region being horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow in the portion between the first and second source/drain regions; and 
 a capacitor comprising first and second electrodes having a capacitor insulator there-between, the first electrode being electrically coupled to the first source/drain region, the second capacitor electrodes of multiple of the capacitors in the array being electrically coupled with one another; and 
   a sense-line structure extending elevationally through the vertically-alternating tiers, individual of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in different memory cell tiers being electrically coupled to the elevationally-extending sense-line structure.   
     
     
         2 . The array of  claim 1  wherein all of the channel region is horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow there-through. 
     
     
         3 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the first electrode is directly electrically coupled to the first source/drain region. 
     
     
         4 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the individual second source/drain regions are directly electrically coupled to the elevationally-extending sense-line structure. 
     
     
         5 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the sense-line structure is directly electrically coupled to a horizontal longitudinally-elongated sense line that is above or below the vertically-alternating tiers. 
     
     
         6 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the second capacitor electrodes of the multiple capacitors are directly electrically coupled with one another. 
     
     
         7 . The array of  claim 6  comprising an elevationally-extending wall that is longitudinally-elongated horizontally and that directly electrically couples the second capacitor electrodes of the multiple capacitors with one another. 
     
     
         8 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the second electrode is both directly above and directly below the first electrode in a straight-line vertical cross-section. 
     
     
         9 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the second electrode is not both directly above and directly below the first electrode in any straight-line vertical cross-section. 
     
     
         10 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the first electrode is both directly above and directly below the second electrode in a straight-line vertical cross-section. 
     
     
         11 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the channel-region comprises two channel-region segments spaced elevationally apart relative one another in a straight-line vertical cross-section. 
     
     
         12 . The array of  claim 11  wherein the two channel-region segments are directly electrically coupled to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The array of  claim 12  wherein the two channel-region segments are directly electrically coupled to one another by the first source/drain region. 
     
     
         14 . The array of  claim 1  wherein individual of the tiers of memory cells comprise two of the memory cells one of which is directly above the other in that individual tier of memory cells. 
     
     
         15 . The array of  claim 1  wherein individual of the memory cell tiers have no two of the memory cells that are directly above and directly below one another in that individual memory cell tier. 
     
     
         16 . The array of  claim 1  wherein individual of the tiers of memory cells comprise the gate and another gate, one of the gate and the another gate being directly above the other in that individual tier of memory cells. 
     
     
         17 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the channel region comprises an annulus in a straight-line horizontal cross-section. 
     
     
         18 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the first source/drain region comprises an annulus in a straight-line horizontal cross-section. 
     
     
         19 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the second source/drain region comprises an annulus in a straight-line horizontal cross-section. 
     
     
         20 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the first electrode comprises an annulus in a straight-line horizontal cross-section. 
     
     
         21 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the second electrode comprises an annulus in a straight-line horizontal cross-section. 
     
     
         22 . The array of  claim 1  wherein the gate comprises an annulus in a straight-line horizontal cross-section. 
     
     
         23 . A memory array, comprising:
 vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells, the memory cells individually comprising:
 a transistor comprising first and second source/drain regions having a channel region there-between and a gate operatively proximate the channel region, at least a portion of the channel region being horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow in the portion between the first and second source/drain regions; and 
 a capacitor comprising first and second electrodes having a capacitor insulator there-between, the first electrode being electrically coupled to the first source/drain region; 
   a capacitor-electrode structure extending elevationally through the vertically-alternating tiers, individual of the second electrodes of individual of the capacitors that are in different memory cell tiers being electrically coupled to the elevationally-extending capacitor-electrode structure; and   a sense line electrically coupled to multiple of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors.   
     
     
         24 . The array of  claim 23  wherein the capacitor-electrode structure is directly electrically coupled to a horizontally-elongated capacitor-electrode construction that is above or below the vertically-alternating tiers. 
     
     
         25 . The array of  claim 23  wherein the capacitor-electrode structure comprises an elevationally-extending wall that is longitudinally-elongated horizontally and that directly electrically couples the individual second capacitor together. 
     
     
         26 . A memory array, comprising:
 vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells, the memory cells individually comprising:
 a transistor comprising first and second source/drain regions having a channel region there-between and a gate operatively proximate the channel region, at least a portion of the channel region being horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow in the portion between the first and second source/drain regions; and 
 a capacitor comprising first and second electrodes having a capacitor insulator there-between, the first electrode being electrically coupled to the first source/drain region; 
   a sense-line structure extending elevationally through the vertically-alternating tiers, individual of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in different memory cell tiers being electrically coupled to the elevationally-extending sense-line structure; and   a capacitor-electrode structure extending elevationally through the vertically-alternating tiers, individual of the second electrodes of individual of the capacitors that are in different memory cell tiers being electrically coupled to the elevationally-extending capacitor-electrode structure.   
     
     
         27 . A memory array, comprising:
 vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells, the memory cells individually comprising:
 a transistor comprising first and second source/drain regions having a channel region there-between and a gate operatively proximate the channel region, at least a portion of the channel region being horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow in the portion between the first and second source/drain regions; and 
 a capacitor comprising first and second electrodes having a capacitor insulator there-between, the first electrode being electrically coupled to the first source/drain region, the second capacitor electrodes of multiple of the capacitors in the array being electrically coupled with one another; 
   a sense line electrically coupled to multiple of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in different memory cell tiers; and   individual of the tiers of memory cells comprising two of the memory cells one of which is directly above the other in that individual tier of memory cells.   
     
     
         28 . The array of  claim 27  wherein all of the channel region is horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow there-through. 
     
     
         29 . A memory array, comprising:
 vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells, the memory cells individually comprising:
 a transistor comprising first and second source/drain regions having a channel region there-between and a gate operatively proximate the channel region, at least a portion of the channel region being horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow in the portion between the first and second source/drain regions; and 
 a capacitor comprising first and second electrodes having a capacitor insulator there-between, the first electrode being electrically coupled to the first source/drain region, the second capacitor electrodes of multiple of the capacitors in the array being electrically coupled with one another; 
   a sense line electrically coupled to multiple of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in different memory cell tiers; and   individual of the tiers of memory cells comprising the gate and another gate, one of the gate and the another gate being directly above the other in that individual tier of memory cells.   
     
     
         30 . The array of  claim 29  wherein the gate and the another gate are directly electrically coupled to one another. 
     
     
         31 . The array of  claim 29  wherein the gate and the another gate are not directly electrically coupled to one another. 
     
     
         32 . The array of  claim 29  wherein the one of the gate and the another gate extends longitudinally directly above the capacitor in a straight-line vertical cross-section. 
     
     
         33 . The array of  claim 29  wherein the other of the gate and the another gate extends longitudinally directly under the capacitor in a straight-line vertical cross-section. 
     
     
         34 . The array of  claim 33  wherein the one of the gate and the another gate extends longitudinally directly above the capacitor in the straight-line vertical cross-section. 
     
     
       35. A memory array, comprising:
 vertically alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells, the memory cells individually comprising:
 a transistor comprising first and second source/drain regions comprising polysilicon, the first and second source/drain regions having a channel region there-between and a gate operatively proximate the channel region, at least a portion of the channel region being horizontally oriented for horizontal current flow; and 
 a data storage element comprising first and second electrodes having an insulator there-between; 
   a conductive line structure extending elevationally through the vertically alternating tiers, individual of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in different memory cell tiers being electrically coupled to the conductive line structure; and   a horizontal conductive line that is above or below the vertically alternating tiers, the conductive line structure being directly electrically coupled to the horizontal line.    
     
     
       36. A method of forming a memory array, comprising:
 forming a plurality of insulative tiers;   forming a plurality of memory cell tiers, the memory cell tiers vertically alternating with the insulative tiers, the forming the memory cell tiers comprising:
 forming a transistor comprising first and second polysilicon-comprising source/drain regions having a channel region there-between at least a portion of the channel region being horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow; 
 forming a gate operatively proximate the channel region; and 
 forming a data storage element comprising first and second electrodes having an insulator there-between; and 
   forming a conductive line structure extending elevationally through the plurality of insulative tiers and the plurality of memory cell tiers, individual of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in different memory cell tiers being electrically coupled to the elevationally-extending conductive line structure.    
     
     
       37. A memory array, comprising:
 vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells, the memory cells individually comprising:   a transistor comprising first and second polysilicon-comprising source/drain regions having a channel region there-between and a gate operatively proximate the channel region, at least a portion of the channel region being horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow; and   a data storage element comprising first and second electrodes having an insulator there-between, the first electrode being electrically coupled to the first source/drain region; and   a conductive line structure extending elevationally through the vertically-alternating tiers.    
     
     
       38. The array of  claim 37  wherein all of the channel region is horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow there-through.  
     
     
       39. The array of  claim 37  wherein individual of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in different memory cell tiers are electrically coupled to the elevationally-extending conductive line structure.  
     
     
       40. The array of  claim 37  wherein the second electrodes of the multiple data storage elements are directly electrically coupled with one another.  
     
     
       41. The array of  claim 37  wherein the channel-region comprises two channel-region segments spaced elevationally apart relative one another in a straight-line vertical cross-section.  
     
     
       42. The array of  claim 37  wherein the channel region comprises an annulus in a straight-line horizontal cross-section.  
     
     
       43. A memory array, comprising:
 vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells, the memory cells individually comprising:   a transistor comprising first and second polysilicon-comprising source/drain regions having a channel region there-between and a gate operatively proximate the channel region, at least a portion of the channel region being horizontally-oriented for horizontal current flow; and   a capacitor comprising first and second electrodes having a capacitor insulator there-between, the first electrode being electrically coupled to the first source/drain region;   a first conductive structure extending elevationally through the vertically-alternating tiers, individual of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in different memory cell tiers being electrically coupled to the first conductive structure; and   a second conductive structure extending elevationally through the vertically-alternating tiers, individual of the second electrodes of individual of the capacitors that are in different memory cell tiers being electrically coupled to the second conductive structure.