A memory device includes a memory array, a circuit structure, a bonding structure between the memory array and the circuit structure, and a shielding structure between the memory array and the circuit structure and surrounding the bonding structure. The bonding structure includes a first bonding pattern and a second bonding pattern. The circuit structure is electrically connected with the memory array through the bonding structure. The shielding structure includes a third bonding pattern and a fourth bonding pattern. The first bonding pattern is in contact with the second bonding pattern at a first interface between the first bonding pattern and the second bonding pattern. The third bonding pattern is in contact with the fourth bonding pattern at a second interface between the third bonding pattern and the fourth bonding pattern.

A three-dimensional flash memory is provided, and technique to suppress interference caused by an inter-cell insulation layer in a vertical cell and to form a stable vertical channel layer, a technique to reduce a length of wire than a conventional three-dimensional flash memory for overcoming problems of deterioration of chip characteristics such as operation speed and power consumption and difficulty of wiring technique in the manufacturing process, and a technique to improve horizontal density of channel layers and ONO layers are proposed.

A three-dimensional flash memory is provided, and technique to suppress interference caused by an inter-cell insulation layer in a vertical cell and to form a stable vertical channel layer, a technique to reduce a length of wire than a conventional three-dimensional flash memory for overcoming problems of deterioration of chip characteristics such as operation speed and power consumption and difficulty of wiring technique in the manufacturing process, and a technique to improve horizontal density of channel layers and ONO layers are proposed.

An integrated circuit device includes: a lower memory stack including a plurality of lower word lines located on a substrate, an upper memory stack located on the lower memory stack and including a plurality of upper word lines, at least one first lower interconnection layer extending in a horizontal direction at a first vertical level between the lower memory stack and the upper memory stack, and configured to be electrically connected to at least one lower word line selected from the plurality of lower word lines, a separate insulating film covering at least one first lower interconnection layer, and at least one first upper interconnection layer extending in the horizontal direction at a second vertical level higher than the upper memory stack, and configured to be electrically connected to at least one upper word line selected from the upper word lines.

Embodiments of 3D memory devices and methods for forming the same are disclosed. In an example, a 3D memory device includes a substrate, a memory stack including interleaved conductive layers and dielectric layers above the substrate, and a memory string extending vertically through the memory stack. The memory string includes a single crystalline silicon plug in a lower portion of the memory string, a memory film above the single crystalline silicon plug and along a sidewall of the memory string, and a single crystalline silicon channel over the memory film and along the sidewall of the memory string.

Embodiments of 3D memory devices and methods for forming the same are disclosed. In an example, a 3D memory device includes a substrate, a memory stack including interleaved conductive layers and dielectric layers above the substrate, and a memory string extending vertically through the memory stack. The memory string includes a single crystalline silicon plug in a lower portion of the memory string, a memory film above the single crystalline silicon plug and along a sidewall of the memory string, and a single crystalline silicon channel over the memory film and along the sidewall of the memory string.

Methods of forming multi-tiered semiconductor devices are described, along with apparatus and systems that include them. In one such method, an opening is formed in a tier of semiconductor material and a tier of dielectric. A portion of the tier of semiconductor material exposed by the opening is processed so that the portion is doped differently than the remaining semiconductor material in the tier. At least substantially all of the remaining semiconductor material of the tier is removed, leaving the differently doped portion of the tier of semiconductor material as a charge storage structure. A tunneling dielectric is formed on a first surface of the charge storage structure and an intergate dielectric is formed on a second surface of the charge storage structure. Additional embodiments are also described.

A semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor, a first insulator, a second insulator, a first conductor, a third insulator, a fourth insulator, and a fifth insulator. The first insulator is on the semiconductor. The second insulator is on the first insulator. The third insulator is on the first conductor. The fourth insulator is between the second insulator and the first conductor. The fifth insulator is provided between the second insulator and the third insulator. The fifth insulator is having an oxygen concentration different from an oxygen concentration of the fourth insulator.

A discrete three-dimensional (3-D) processor comprises stacked first and second dice. The first die comprises three-dimensional memory (3D-M) arrays, whereas the second die comprises at least a portion of a logic/processing circuit and an off-die peripheral-circuit component of the 3D-M array(s). The preferred 3-D processor can be used to compute non-arithmetic function/model. In other applications, the preferred 3-D processor may also be a 3-D configurable computing array, a 3-D pattern processor, or a 3-D neuro-processor.

Three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices and methods of fabricating the same. The three-dimensional semiconductor devices include an electrode structure with sequentially-stacked electrodes disposed on a substrate, semiconductor patterns penetrating the electrode structure, and memory elements including a first pattern and a second pattern interposed between the semiconductor patterns and the electrode structure, the first pattern vertically extending to cross the electrodes and the second pattern horizontally extending to cross the semiconductor patterns.