A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a lower portion of a stack that will comprise vertically-alternating conductive tiers and insulative tiers. The stack comprises laterally-spaced memory-block regions. The lower portion comprises multiple lower of the conductive tiers and multiple lower of the insulative tiers. The lower insulative tiers comprise insulative material. The lower conductive tiers comprise sacrificial material that is of different composition from that of the insulative material. The sacrificial material is replaced with conducting material. After the replacing of the sacrificial material, the vertically-alternating conductive tiers and insulative tiers of an upper portion of the stack are formed above the lower portion. The upper portion comprises multiple upper of the conductive tiers and multiple upper of the insulative tiers. The upper insulative tiers comprise insulating material. The upper conductive tiers comprise sacrifice material that is of different composition from that of the conducting material, the insulating material, and the insulative material. The sacrifice material is replaced with conductive material. Other embodiments, including structure independent of method, are disclosed.

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 P-type doped semiconductor layer above the memory stack, a plurality of channel structures each extending vertically through the memory stack into the P-type doped semiconductor layer, and a source contact above the memory stack and in contact with the P-type doped semiconductor layer. An upper end of each of the plurality of channel structures is flush with or below a top surface of the P-type doped semiconductor layer.

A nonvolatile memory device includes; a memory cell area including a cell structure and a common source plate. The memory cell area is mounted on a peripheral circuit area including a buried area covered by the memory cell area and an exposed area uncovered by the memory cell area. A first peripheral circuit (PC) via extending from the exposed area, and a common source (CS) via extending from the common source plate, wherein the first PC via and the CS via are connected by a CS wire disposed outside the cell structure and providing a bias voltage to the common source plate.

A semiconductor memory cell includes a floating body region configured to be charged to a level indicative of a state of the memory cell; a first region in electrical contact with said floating body region; a second region in electrical contact with said floating body region and spaced apart from said first region; and a gate positioned between said first and second regions. The cell may be a multi-level cell. Arrays of memory cells are disclosed for making a memory device. Methods of operating memory cells are also provided.

A memory die includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers through which memory opening fill structures vertically extend. The memory die includes at least three memory array regions interlaced with at least two contact regions, or at least three contact regions interlaced with at least two memory array regions in the same memory plane. A logic die including at least two word line driver regions can be bonded to the memory die. The interlacing of the contact regions and the memory array regions can reduce lateral offset of boundaries of the word line driver regions from boundaries of the contact regions.

A semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor includes first and second diffusion regions in a substrate, a first gate insulating film over the substrate, a first gate electrode over the first gate insulating film; first and second silicide layers on the first and second diffusion regions, respectively; and a first gate silicide layer on the first gate electrode. The second transistor includes third and fourth diffusion regions in the substrate; a second gate insulating film over the substrate; a second gate electrode over the second gate insulating film; and a second gate silicide layer on the second gate electrode. The second gate insulating film is thicker than the first gate insulating film, and at least a part of the third diffusion region and at least a part of the fourth diffusion region are covered by the second gate insulating film.

A variety of applications can include memory devices designed to provide enhanced gate-induced-drain-leakage (GIDL) current during memory erase operations. The enhanced operation can be provided by enhancing the electric field in the channel structures of select gate transistors to strings of memory cells. The channel structures can be implemented as a segmented portion for drains and a portion opposite a gate. The segmented portion includes one or more fins and one or more non-conductive regions with both fins and non-conductive regions extending vertically from the portion opposite the gate. Variations of a border region for the portion opposite the gate with the segmented portion can include fanged regions extending from the fins into the portion opposite the gate or rounded border regions below the non-conductive regions. Such select gate transistors can be formed using a single photo mask process. Additional devices, systems, and methods are discussed.

A memory die includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers through which memory opening fill structures vertically extend. The memory die includes at least three memory array regions interlaced with at least two contact regions, or at least three contact regions interlaced with at least two memory array regions in the same memory plane. A logic die including at least two word line driver regions can be bonded to the memory die. The interlacing of the contact regions and the memory array regions can reduce lateral offset of boundaries of the word line driver regions from boundaries of the contact regions.

Described is a semiconductor memory device and methods of manufacture. The semiconductor memory device comprises a memory array comprising at least one select-gate-for-drain (SGD) transistor and at least one memory transistor, the memory array having at least one strapping region and at least one strapping contact, the strapping contact connecting a select-gate-for-drain (SGD) transistor to a strapping line.

Embodiments of three-dimensional (3D) memory devices have a hydrogen blocking layer and fabrication methods thereof are disclosed. In an example, a method for form a 3D memory device is disclosed. An array of NAND memory strings each extending vertically above a first substrate are formed. A plurality of logic process-compatible devices are formed on a second substrate. The first substrate and the second substrate are bonded in a face-to-face manner. The logic process-compatible devices are above the array of NAND memory strings after the bonding. The second substrate is thinned to form a semiconductor layer above and in contact with the logic process-compatible devices.