A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate, memory openings vertically extending through a first region of the alternating stack, memory opening fill structures located in the memory openings, and support pillar structures vertically extending through a second region of the alternating stack. Each of the support pillar structures includes a central columnar structure and a set of fins laterally protruding from the central columnar structure at levels of a subset of the electrically conductive layers.

A method of forming a semiconductor device structure comprises forming a stack structure over a substrate, the stack structure comprising tiers each independently comprising a sacrificial structure and an insulating structure and longitudinally adjacent the sacrificial structure. A masking structure is formed over a portion of the stack structure. A photoresist is formed over the masking structure and over additional portions of the stack structure not covered by the masking structure. The photoresist and the stack structure are subjected to a series of material removal processes to selectively remove portions of the photoresist and portions of the stack structure not covered by one or more of the masking structure and remaining portions of the photoresist to form a stair step structure. Semiconductor devices and additional methods of forming a semiconductor device structure are also described.

Embodiments of three-dimensional (3D) memory devices having a shielding layer and methods for forming the 3D memory devices are disclosed. In an example, a method for forming a 3D memory device is disclosed. A peripheral device is formed on a substrate. A first interconnect layer including a first plurality of interconnects is formed above the peripheral device. A shielding layer including a conduction region is formed above the first interconnect layer. A second interconnect layer including a second plurality of interconnects is formed above the shielding layer. The conduction region of the shielding layer covers an area of the first and second plurality of interconnects in the first and second interconnect layers. A plurality of memory strings each extending vertically above the second interconnect layer are formed.

Semiconductor devices having inductive structures, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate and at least one circuit component coupled to the substrate. The semiconductor device can further include an inductive structure carried by the substrate and having a stack of alternating first and second layers. In some embodiments, the first layers comprise an oxide material and the second layers each include a coil of conductive material. The coils of conductive material can be electrically coupled (a) together to form an inductor and (b) to the at least one circuit component.

Embodiments of 3D memory devices and methods for forming the same are disclosed. In an example, a 3D memory device includes a substrate, a peripheral circuit on the substrate, a memory stack including interleaved conductive layers and dielectric layers above the peripheral circuit, a first semiconductor layer above the memory stack, a second semiconductor layer above and in contact with the first semiconductor layer, a plurality of channel structures each extending vertically through the memory stack and the first semiconductor layer, and an insulating structure extending vertically through the memory stack, the first semiconductor layer, and the second semiconductor layer.

Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatus includes a first conductive contact; a second conductive contact; levels of conductive materials stacked over one another and located over the first and second conductive contacts; levels of dielectric materials interleaved with the levels of the conductive materials, the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials formed a stack of materials; a first conductive structure located on a first side of the stack of materials and contacting the first conductive contact and a first level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials; and a second conductive structure located on a second side of the stack of materials and contacting the second conductive contact and a second level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials.

A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, and a memory stack structure vertically extending through the alternating stack. The memory stack structure includes a vertical semiconductor channel and a memory film. The vertical semiconductor channel can include a III-V compound semiconductor channel material. A III-V compound substrate semiconductor layer or a III-V compound semiconductor source region can be used to provide low-resistance electrical connection to a bottom end of the vertical semiconductor channel, and a drain region including a graded III-V compound semiconductor material can be used to provide low-resistance electrical connection to a top end of the vertical semiconductor channel.

A semiconductor structure includes a first-conductivity-type well located in a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor active area region located adjacent to the a first-conductivity-type well, a first transistor including a source region, a drain region, a channel region located between the source region and the drain region, a gate dielectric layer located over the channel region and a gate electrode located over the gate dielectric layer, such that the transistor is located on the semiconductor active area region, and a cutoff gate electrode located over the semiconductor active area region, and between the first transistor and the first-conductivity-type well.

Described herein are methods of filling features with tungsten and related apparatus. The methods described herein involve deposition of a tungsten nucleation layer prior to deposition of a bulk layer. The methods involve multiple atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycles. According to various embodiments, both a boron-containing reducing agent and silicon-reducing agent may be pulses during a single cycle to react with a tungsten-containing precursor and form a tungsten film.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a stacked structure including trenches having different depths, forming an insulating layer on the stacked structure to fill the trenches, and forming a plurality of protrusions located corresponding to locations of the trenches by patterning the insulating layer. The method also includes forming insulating patterns filling the trenches, respectively, by planarizing the patterned insulating layer including the plurality of protrusions.