Some embodiments include a memory device and methods of forming the memory device. One such memory device includes a first group of memory cells, each of the memory cells of the first group being formed in a cavity of a first control gate located in one device level of the memory device. The memory device also includes a second group of memory cells, each of the memory cells of the second group being formed in a cavity of a second control gate located in another device level of the memory device. Additional apparatus and methods are described.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming, on a lower structure, a mold structure having interlayer insulating layers and gate layers alternately and repeatedly stacked. Each of the gate layers is formed of a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer sequentially stacked. The first and third layers include a first material, and the second layer includes a second material having an etch selectivity different from an etch selectivity of the first material. A hole formed to pass through the mold structure exposes side surfaces of the interlayer insulating layers and side surfaces of the gate layers. Gate layers exposed by the hole are etched, with an etching speed of the second material differing from an etching speed of the first material, to create recessed regions.

A method of manufacturing a vertical memory device includes forming a first sacrificial layer on a substrate, the first sacrificial layer including a first insulating material, forming a mold including an insulation layer and a second sacrificial layer alternately and repeatedly stacked on the first sacrificial layer, the insulation layer and the second sacrificial layer including second and third insulating materials, respectively, different from the first insulating material, forming a channel through the mold and the first sacrificial layer, forming an opening through the mold and the first sacrificial layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate, removing the first sacrificial layer through the opening to form a first gap, forming a channel connecting pattern to fill the first gap, and replacing the second sacrificial layer with a gate electrode.

Memory device includes a bottom-select-gate (BSG) structure formed on a substrate. Cut slits are formed vertically through the BSG structure. A cell-layers structure is formed on the BSG structure. Gate-line slits are formed vertically through the cell-layers structure and the BSG structure, into the substrate and arranged along a first lateral direction to distinguish finger regions. The gate-line slits include a first gate-line slit between first and second finger regions, the first gate-line slit including gate-line sub-slits. The cut slits include a first cut-slit, formed in the second finger region and connecting to a gate-line sub-slit to define a BSG in a first portion of the second finger region. The BSG in the first portion of the second finger region is electrically connected to cell strings in the first finger region through an inter portion between the one gate-line sub-slit and an adjacent gate-line sub-slit.

According to at least one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a plurality of insulating films adjacent to each other. A conductive film is provided between the plurality of insulating films. The conductive film includes molybdenum having a grain diameter substantially the same as a distance from an upper surface to a lower surface of the conductive film.

In an embodiment, a device includes: a first word line over a substrate, the first word line including a first conductive material; a first bit line intersecting the first word line; a first memory film between the first bit line and the first word line; and a first conductive spacer between the first memory film and the first word line, the first conductive spacer including a second conductive material, the second conductive material having a different work function than the first conductive material, the first conductive material having a lower resistivity than the second conductive material.

A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating first tiers and second tiers comprising laterally-spaced memory-block regions having horizontally-elongated trenches there-between. Two of the first tiers have different vertical thicknesses relative one another. Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the first tiers and the second tiers. Through the horizontally-elongated trenches, first conductive material is formed in void space in the two first tiers. The first conductive material fills the first tier of the two first tiers that has a smaller of the different vertical thicknesses in individual of the memory-block regions. The first conductive material less-than-fills the first tier of the two first tiers that has a larger of the different vertical thicknesses in the individual memory-block regions. Through the horizontally-elongated trenches, the first conductive material is isotropically etched from the first tier having the larger vertical thickness in the individual memory-block regions to leave the first conductive material in the first tier having the smaller vertical thickness in the individual memory-block regions. After the isotropically etching of the first conductive material and through the horizontally-elongated trenches, second conductive material is formed in the first tier having the larger vertical thickness in the individual memory-block regions. Other embodiments, including structure independent of method, are disclosed.

Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a vertical stack of alternating first and second levels. A panel extends through the stack. The first levels have proximal regions adjacent the panel, and have distal regions further from the panel than the proximal regions. The distal regions include conductive structures. The conductive structures have a first thickness. The proximal regions include insulative structures. The insulative structures have a second thickness at least about as large as the first thickness. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.

A semiconductor device includes a lower structure; a stack structure including gate layers and interlayer insulating layers and having an opening; a vertical structure in the opening; a contact structure on the vertical structure; and a conductive line on the contact structure. The vertical structure includes an insulating core region, a channel semiconductor layer covering side and lower surfaces of the insulating core region, data storage patterns between the channel semiconductor layer and the gate layers and spaced apart from each other, a first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer. At least a portion of the first dielectric layer is between the data storage patterns and the gate layers, at least a portion of the second dielectric layer is between the data storage patterns and the channel semiconductor layer, and the insulating core region includes first convex portions having increased widths in regions facing the gate layers.

Aspects of the disclosure provide a semiconductor device and a method to manufacture the semiconductor device. A semiconductor device includes one or more units of strings of cells, and dielectric structures extending in a vertical direction and a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and separating adjacent units of strings of cells. Each unit of strings of cells includes a first string of cells each including first cells, and a second string of cells each including second cells.