A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers above a conductor tier. Strings of memory cells comprise channel-material strings that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The channel-material strings directly electrically couple with conductor material of the conductor tier by conducting material that is in a lowest of the conductive tiers and that is directly against multiple of the channel-material strings. The channel-material strings in the laterally-spaced memory blocks comprise part of a memory plane. A wall in the lowest conductive tier is aside the conducting material. The wall is in a region that is edge-of-plane relative to the memory plane. The edge-of-plane region comprises a TAV region. The wall is horizontally-elongated relative to an edge of the TAV region that is in the edge-of-plane region. Other memory arrays and methods are disclosed.

A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers above a conductor tier. Strings of memory cells comprise channel-material strings that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The channel-material strings directly electrically couple with conductor material of the conductor tier by conducting material that is in a lowest of the conductive tiers and that is directly against multiple of the channel-material strings. The channel-material strings in the laterally-spaced memory blocks comprise part of a memory plane. A wall in the lowest conductive tier is aside the conducting material. The wall is in a region that is edge-of-plane relative to the memory plane. The edge-of-plane region comprises a TAV region. The wall is horizontally-elongated relative to an edge of the TAV region that is in the edge-of-plane region. Other memory arrays and methods are disclosed.

A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers above a conductor tier. The conductor tier is directly above a lower tier that comprises conductive lines that are horizontally elongated. An insulator tier is vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier. Strings of memory cells comprise channel-material strings that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The channel-material strings directly electrically couple to the conductor material of the conductor tier. A through-array-via (TAV) region comprises TAVs that individually directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines. Insulator walls are in the TAV region. The insulator walls extend vertically through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and are horizontally elongated. Methods are also disclosed.

A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers above a conductor tier. The conductor tier is directly above a lower tier that comprises conductive lines that are horizontally elongated. An insulator tier is vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier. Strings of memory cells comprise channel-material strings that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The channel-material strings directly electrically couple to the conductor material of the conductor tier. A through-array-via (TAV) region comprises TAVs that individually directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines. Insulator walls are in the TAV region. The insulator walls extend vertically through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and are horizontally elongated. Methods are also disclosed.

A semiconductor memory device includes a first insulating layer, a first conductive layer, a first pillar, a second pillar, and a second insulating layer. The first conductive layer contains tungsten. The first conductive layer includes a first sub conductive layer and a second sub conductive layer. The first pillar and the second pillar pass through the first insulating layer and the first conductive layer. The second insulating layer divides the first insulating layer and the first conductive layer. The first sub conductive layer is in contact with the second sub conductive layer and is provided between the second sub conductive layer and the first insulating layer. A fluorine concentration in the first sub conductive layer is lower than that in the second sub conductive layer.

A semiconductor memory device includes a first insulating layer, a first conductive layer, a first pillar, a second pillar, and a second insulating layer. The first conductive layer contains tungsten. The first conductive layer includes a first sub conductive layer and a second sub conductive layer. The first pillar and the second pillar pass through the first insulating layer and the first conductive layer. The second insulating layer divides the first insulating layer and the first conductive layer. The first sub conductive layer is in contact with the second sub conductive layer and is provided between the second sub conductive layer and the first insulating layer. A fluorine concentration in the first sub conductive layer is lower than that in the second sub conductive layer.

A semiconductor device includes active regions extending in a first direction on a substrate; a gate electrode intersecting the active regions on the substrate, extending in a second direction, and including a contact region protruding upwardly; and an interconnection line on the gate electrode and connected to the contact region, wherein the contact region includes a lower region having a first width in the second direction and an upper region located on the lower region and having a second width smaller than the first width in the second direction, and wherein at least one side surface of the contact region in the second direction has a point at which an inclination or a curvature is changed between the lower region and the upper region.

A semiconductor device includes active regions extending in a first direction on a substrate; a gate electrode intersecting the active regions on the substrate, extending in a second direction, and including a contact region protruding upwardly; and an interconnection line on the gate electrode and connected to the contact region, wherein the contact region includes a lower region having a first width in the second direction and an upper region located on the lower region and having a second width smaller than the first width in the second direction, and wherein at least one side surface of the contact region in the second direction has a point at which an inclination or a curvature is changed between the lower region and the upper region.

A method comprises forming a gate structure between gate spacers; etching back the gate structure to fall below top ends of the gate spacers; forming a gate dielectric cap over the etched back gate structure; performing an ion implantation process to form a doped region in the gate dielectric cap; depositing a contact etch stop layer over the gate dielectric cap and an ILD layer over the contact etch stop layer; performing a first etching process to form a gate contact opening extending through the ILD layer and terminating prior to reaching the doped region of the gate dielectric cap; performing a second etching process to deepen the gate contact opening, wherein the second etching process etches the doped region of the gate dielectric cap at a slower etch rate than etching the contact etch stop layer; and forming a gate contact in the deepened gate contact opening.

A method comprises forming a gate structure between gate spacers; etching back the gate structure to fall below top ends of the gate spacers; forming a gate dielectric cap over the etched back gate structure; performing an ion implantation process to form a doped region in the gate dielectric cap; depositing a contact etch stop layer over the gate dielectric cap and an ILD layer over the contact etch stop layer; performing a first etching process to form a gate contact opening extending through the ILD layer and terminating prior to reaching the doped region of the gate dielectric cap; performing a second etching process to deepen the gate contact opening, wherein the second etching process etches the doped region of the gate dielectric cap at a slower etch rate than etching the contact etch stop layer; and forming a gate contact in the deepened gate contact opening.