A semiconductor device includes: a first gate stack including a plurality of first gate electrodes; a second gate stack arranged on the first gate stack and including a plurality of second gate electrodes; and a plurality of channel structures arranged in a plurality of channel holes penetrating the first gate stack and the second gate stack. Each of the channel holes includes a first channel hole portion penetrating the first gate stack and a second channel hole portion penetrating the second gate stack, and a ratio of a second width in the second direction to a first width in the first direction of an upper end of the first channel hole portion is less than a ratio of a fourth width in the second direction to a third width in the first direction of an upper end of the second channel hole portion.

In a method for forming a semiconductor device, a layer of logic devices is formed on a substrate. The layer of logic devices includes a stack of gate-all-around field-effect transistors (GAA-FETs) positioned over the substrate, where the stack of GAA-FETs includes a first layer of GAA-FETs stacked over a second layer of GAA-FETs. A first wiring layer is formed over the layer of logic devices, where the first wiring layer includes one or more metal routing levels. A memory stack is formed over the first wiring layer. The memory stack includes wordline layers and insulating layers that alternatingly arranged over the first wiring layer. A three-dimensional (3D) NAND memory device is formed in the memory stack. The 3D NAND memory device includes a channel structure that extends into the memory stack and further is coupled to the wordline layers of the memory stack.

There are provided a semiconductor memory device and a manufacturing method thereof. The semiconductor memory device includes: a gate stack structure including interlayer insulating layers and conductive patterns, which are alternately stacked in a vertical direction on a substrate; a plurality of channel structures penetrating the gate stack structure, each of the plurality of channel structures with one end portion protruding past a boundary of the gate stack structure; and a source layer formed on the gate stack structure. The protruding end portion of each of the plurality of channel structures extends into the source layer. The protruding end portion of each of the plurality of channel structures has a flat section.

A semiconductor device includes a first memory array which includes a first memory string including a plurality of first memory cells arranged in a vertical direction. The first memory array further includes a first conductive structure operatively coupled to the first memory string that extends through the first memory array in the vertical direction. The semiconductor device further includes a second memory array including a second memory string including a plurality of second memory cells arranged in the vertical direction. The second memory array further includes a second conductive structure operatively coupled to the second memory string that extends through the second memory array in the vertical direction. The semiconductor device further includes a bowl-shaped conductive structure interposed between the first and second memory arrays, and configured to operatively couple the first conductive structure to the second conductive structure.

A semiconductor memory device includes first memory dies stacked one upon another and electrically connected one to another by first bond wires, and covered with a first encapsulant. Second memory dies are disposed above the first memory dies, stacked one upon another and electrically connected one to another with second bond wires, and covered with a second encapsulant. A control die may be mounted on the top die in the second die stack. Vertical bond wires extend between the stacked die modules. A redistribution layer is formed over the top die stack and the control die to allow for electrical communication with the memory device. The memory device allows for stacking memory dies in a manner that allows for increased memory capacity without increasing the package form factor.

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 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 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.

According to the one embodiment, a memory system includes a semiconductor memory device and a memory controller. The semiconductor memory device includes: first and second memory cells stacked above a substrate; a first word line coupled to the first and second memory cells; a first bit line coupled to the first memory cell; and a second bit line coupled to the second memory cell. A first state read operation includes a first read operation for reading data from the first memory cell and a second read operation for reading data from the second memory cell. A first read voltage is applied to the first word line during a first period for executing the first read operation, and a second read voltage is applied to the first word line during a second period for executing the second read operation.

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.