A memory formation method includes: providing a substrate; forming a first mask layer on the substrate, in the first mask layer there being formed a plurality of parallel-arranged strip-shaped patterns positioned above the array area, and an end of each of the strip-shaped patterns being connected to the first mask layer on the peripheral area of the substrate; forming a second mask layer on the first mask layer, in the second mask layer there being formed a plurality of first patterns; and etching layer by layer by using the second mask layer and the first mask layer as masks to transfer the strip-shaped patterns and the first patterns into the substrate to form the discrete active areas arranged in an array.