The present technology includes vertical cell array transistor (VCAT) that include a bit line arranged in a first horizontal direction and a word line arranged in a second horizontal direction. The arrays include a channel extending in a vertical direction generally orthogonal to the first direction and the second horizontal direction, such that the bit line intersects with a source/drain region of the plurality of channels, and the word lines intersect with gate regions of the plurality of channels. Arrays include where the channels have at least one source/drain region and a channel body disposed between the first end and the second end. Arrays include where the channel body has a thickness that is greater than or about 5% less than a thickness of at least a portion of the at least one source/drain region.

A method of forming a vertically integrated memory cell including a deep trench extending into a substrate, a trench capacitor located within the deep trench, and a vertical transistor at least partially embedded within the deep trench above the trench capacitor, the vertical transistor is in direct contact with and electrically coupled to the trench capacitor.

Embodiments provide an integrated capacitor disposed directly over and aligned to a vertical gate all around memory cell transistor. In some embodiments, an air gap may be provided between adjacent word lines to provide a low k dielectric effect between word lines. In some embodiments, a bottom bitline structure may be split across multiple layers. In some embodiments, a second tier of vertical cells may be positioned over a first tier of vertical cells.

In certain aspects, a three-dimensional (3D) memory device includes a first semiconductor structure, a second semiconductor structure, and a bonding interface between the first semiconductor structure and the second semiconductor structure. The first semiconductor structure includes a peripheral circuit. The second semiconductor structure includes an array of memory cells and a plurality of bit lines coupled to the memory cells and each extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Each of the memory cells includes a vertical transistor extending in a first direction, and a storage unit coupled to the vertical transistor. A respective one of the bit lines and a respective storage unit are coupled to opposite ends of each one of the memory cells in the first direction. Two adjacent vertical transistors of the vertical transistors in the second direction are mirror-symmetric to one another. The array of memory cells is coupled to the peripheral circuit across the bonding interface.

A method of forming a microelectronic device includes forming first trenches in a semiconductor structure having semiconductor pillars interposed therebetween, and forming first insulative structures having a second insulative structure therein in the first trenches. The method also includes forming first conductive structures adjacent first ends of the semiconductor pillars and portions of the first insulative structures, and forming masks adjacent the first conductive structures and exposed portions of the first insulative structures, an uppermost mask being a neutral layer mask used to form a polymeric mask via directed self-assembly. The method further includes forming second trenches utilizing the polymeric mask, and removing portions of the first conductive structures exposed by third trenches to form first conductive members having openings therebetween. The method also includes forming second conductive structures adjacent sidewalls of the semiconductor pillars, and forming third conductive structures adjacent second ends of the semiconductor pillars.

Three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor devices and fabricating methods are provided. In some implementations, a disclosed semiconductor device comprises an array of channel structures each vertically extending in a stack structure. The stack structure includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer over the first conductive layer. The semiconductor device further includes first isolation structures each extending along a first lateral direction and separating the first conductive layer into first conductive lines, and second isolation structures each extending along the first lateral direction and separating the second conductive layer into second conductive lines. Each first isolation structure is separated from the second isolation structures by at least one row of the channel structures that are aligned along the first lateral direction.

A vertical-type nonvolatile memory device has a multi-stack structure with reduced susceptibility to mis-alignment of a vertical channel layer. This nonvolatile memory device includes: (i) a main chip area including a cell area and an extension area arranged to have a stepped structure, with the cell area and the extension area formed in a multi-stack structure, and (ii) an outer chip area, which surrounds the main chip area and includes a step key therein. The main chip area includes a first layer on a substrate and a second layer on the first layer. A lower vertical channel layer is arranged in the first layer. The step key includes an alignment vertical channel layer, and a top surface of the alignment vertical channel layer is lower than a top surface of the lower vertical channel layer.

A semiconductor structure, a method for manufacturing the same and a memory are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate, multiple first active pillars above the substrate, a memory structure, multiple transistors, and multiple second active pillars. The multiple first active pillars are arranged in an array along a first direction and a second direction. The substrate includes an isolation structure on which the first active pillars are located. The memory structure includes first electrode layers, a dielectric layer and a second electrode layer. The first electrode layer covers a sidewall of the first active pillar, the dielectric layer covers at least surfaces of the first electrode layers, the second electrode layer covers a surface of the dielectric layer. Each of the second active pillars is located above a corresponding one of the first active pillars; a channel structure of each transistor is located in the second active pillar.

Embodiments provide an integrated capacitor disposed directly over and aligned to a vertical gate all around memory cell transistor. In some embodiments, an air gap may be provided between adjacent word lines to provide a low k dielectric effect between word lines. In some embodiments, a bottom bitline structure may be split across multiple layers. In some embodiments, a second tier of vertical cells may be positioned over a first tier of vertical cells.

A semiconductor device and a data storage system including the same, the semiconductor device including a substrate structure; a stack structure; a vertical memory structure; a vertical dummy structure; and an upper separation pattern, wherein hen viewed on a plane at a first height level, higher than a height level of a lowermost end of the upper separation pattern, the dummy channel layer includes a first dummy channel region facing the dummy data storage layer and a second dummy channel region facing the dummy data storage layer, the first dummy channel region having a thickness different from a thickness of the second dummy channel region.