A 3D memory array has data storage structures provided at least in part by one or more vertical films that do not extend between vertically adjacent memory cells. The 3D memory array includes conductive strips and dielectric strips, alternately stacked over a substrate. The conductive strips may be laterally indented from the dielectric strips to form recesses. A data storage film may be disposed within these recesses. Any portion of the data storage film deposited outside the recesses may have been effectively removed, whereby the data storage film is essentially discontinuous from tier to tier within the 3D memory array. The data storage film within each tier may have upper and lower boundaries that are the same as those of a corresponding conductive strip. The data storage film may also be made discontinuous between horizontally adjacent memory cells.

A semiconductor memory structure includes a fin structure formed over a substrate. The structure also includes a gate structure formed across the fin structure. The structure also includes spacers formed over opposite sides of the gate structure. The structure also includes source drain epitaxial structures formed on opposite sides of the gate structure beside the spacers. The gate structure includes a III-V ferroelectric layer formed between an interfacial layer and a gate electrode layer.

A semiconductor memory structure includes a fin structure formed over a substrate. The structure also includes a gate structure formed across the fin structure. The structure also includes spacers formed over opposite sides of the gate structure. The structure also includes source/drain epitaxial structures formed on opposite sides of the gate structure beside the spacers. The gate structure includes a III-V ferroelectric layer formed between an interfacial layer and a gate electrode layer.

A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate, a plurality of periodic two-dimensional arrays of memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, a plurality of periodic two-dimensional arrays of memory opening fill structures, and bit lines. The bit lines laterally extend along a second horizontal direction. Each periodic two-dimensional array of memory openings includes a plurality of columns of memory openings in which neighboring columns of memory openings are laterally spaced apart along a first horizontal direction with an intercolumnar pitch. Memory openings within each column of memory openings are laterally spaced apart along the second horizontal direction with a nearest-neighbor pitch.

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional semiconductor memory device including a ferroelectric thin film. The method includes forming a mold structure including interlayer dielectric layers and sacrificial layers alternately stacked on a substrate, forming channel holes penetrating the mold structure, forming vertical channel structures inside the channel holes, forming an isolation trench penetrating the mold structure and having a line shape extending in one direction, selectively removing the sacrificial layers exposed by the isolation trench, forming gate electrodes filling a space from which the sacrificial layers are removed, and performing a heat treatment process and a cooling process for the vertical channel structures.

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a substrate, and a gate structure disposed over the substrate. The gate structure includes a hole pattern including a central axis extending in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate. The gate structure includes a gate electrode layer and an interlayer insulation layer, which are alternately stacked along the central axis. The semiconductor device includes a ferroelectric layer disposed adjacent to a sidewall surface of the gate electrode layer inside the hole pattern, and a channel layer disposed adjacent to the ferroelectric layer inside the hole pattern. In this case, one of the gate electrode layer and the interlayer insulation layer protrudes toward the central axis of the hole pattern relative to the other one of the gate electrode layer and the interlayer insulation layer.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for forming an integrated chip, the method includes depositing a grid layer over a substrate. The grid layer is patterned to form a grid structure. The grid structure comprises a plurality of sidewalls defining a plurality of openings. A ferroelectric layer is deposited over the substrate. The ferroelectric layer fills the plurality of openings and is disposed along the plurality of sidewalls of the grid structure. An upper conductive structure is formed over the grid structure.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, a memory device includes a first memory array including: a plurality of memory strings spaced from each other along a first lateral direction and a second lateral direction, each of the plurality of memory strings including a plurality of memory cells arranged along a vertical direction; and a plurality of first conductive structures extending along the vertical direction; wherein each of the plurality of first conductive structures includes a first portion and a second portion; wherein the first portion extends across the plurality of memory cells of a corresponding pair of the plurality of memory strings along the vertical direction, and the second portion is disposed over the first portion along the vertical direction; and wherein the second portion extends farther than the first portion along at least one of the first or second lateral direction.

A method for forming a semiconductor memory structure includes following operations. A plurality of doped regions are formed in a semiconductor substrate. The doped regions are separated from each other. A stack including a plurality of first insulating layers and a plurality of second insulating layers alternately arranged is formed over the semiconductor substrate. A first trench is formed in the stack. The second insulating layers are replaced with a plurality of conductive layers. A second trench is formed. A charge-trapping layer and a channel layer are formed in the second trench. An isolation structure is formed to fill the second trench. A source structure and a drain structure are formed at two sides of the isolation structure.

Reliability of a semiconductor device including a ferroelectric memory is improved. A gate electrode of a ferroelectric memory is formed on a semiconductor substrate so as to arrange a ferroelectric film therebetween, and a semiconductor layer serving as an epitaxial semiconductor layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the gate electrode. The semiconductor layer is formed on a dent portion of the semiconductor substrate. At least a part of each of a source region and a drain region of the ferroelectric memory is formed in the semiconductor layer.