A semiconductor device includes: a plurality of vertical conductive structures, wherein each of the plurality of vertical conductive structures extends through an isolation layer; and an insulated extension disposed horizontally between a first one and a second one of the plurality of vertical conductive structures.

An integrated circuit structure comprises a first and second conductive structures formed in an interlayer dielectric (ILD) of a metallization stack over a substrate. The first conductive structure comprises a first conductive line, and first dummy structures located adjacent to one or more sides of the first conductive line, wherein the first dummy structures comprise respective arrays of dielectric core segments having a Young's modulus larger than the Young's modulus of the ILD, the dielectric core segments being approximately 1-3 microns in width and spaced apart by approximately 1-3 microns. The second conductive structure formed in the ILD comprises a conductive surface and second dummy structures formed in the conductive surface, where the second dummy structures comprising an array of conductive pillars.

A method of forming a microelectronic device comprises forming line structures comprising conductive material and insulative material overlying the conductive material, the line structures separated from one another by trenches. An isolation material is formed on surfaces of the line structures inside and outside of the trenches, the isolation material only partially filling the trenches to form air gaps interposed between the line structures. Openings are formed to extend through the isolation material and expose portions of the insulative material of the line structures. The exposed portions of the insulative material of the line structures are removed to form extended openings extending to the conductive material of the line structures. Conductive contact structures are formed within the extended openings. Conductive pad structures are formed on the conductive contact structures. Additional methods, microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.

Semiconductor devices including continuous-core connectors and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. The continuous-core connectors each include a peripheral wall that surrounds an inner-core configured to provide an electrical path using uniform material.

A method for forming a bonded semiconductor structure is disclosed. A first device wafer having a first bonding layer and a first bonding pad exposed from the first bonding layer and a second device wafer having a second bonding layer and a second bonding pad exposed from the second bonding layer are provided. Following, a portion of the first bonding pad is removed until a sidewall of the first bonding layer is exposed, and a portion of the second bonding layer is removed to expose a sidewall of the second bonding pad. The first device wafer and the second device wafer are then bonded to form a dielectric bonding interface between the first bonding layer and the second bonding layer and a conductive bonding interface between the first bonding pad and the second bonding pad. The conductive bonding interface and the dielectric bonding interface comprise a step-height.

An electrodeposition composition comprising: (a) a source of copper ions; (b) an acid; (c) a suppressor; and (d) a leveler, wherein the leveler comprises a quaternized dipyridyl compound prepared by reacting a dipyridyl compound with a difunctional alkylating agent or a quaternized poly(epihalohydrin). The electrodeposition composition can be used in a process for forming a copper feature over a semiconductor substrate in wafer level packaging to electrodeposit a copper bump or pillar on an underbump structure of a semiconductor assembly.

Embodiments of source structure of a three-dimensional (3D) memory device and method for forming the source structure of the 3D memory device are disclosed. In an example, a NAND memory device includes a substrate, an alternating conductor/dielectric stack, a NAND string, a source conductor layer, and a source contact. The alternating conductor/dielectric stack includes a plurality of conductor/dielectric pairs above the substrate. The NAND string extends vertically through the alternating conductor/dielectric stack. The source conductor layer is above the alternating conductor/dielectric stack and is in contact with an end of the NAND string. The source contact includes an end in contact with the source conductor layer. The NAND string is electrically connected to the source contact by the source conductor layer. In some embodiments, the source conductor layer includes one or more conduction regions each including one or more of a metal, a metal alloy, and a metal silicide.

A bonded semiconductor structure includes a first device wafer and a second device wafer. The first device includes a first dielectric layer, a first bonding pad disposed in the first dielectric layer, and a first bonding layer on the first dielectric layer. The second device wafer includes a second dielectric layer, a second bonding layer on the second dielectric layer, and a second bonding pad disposed in the second dielectric layer and extending through the second bonding layer and at least a portion of the first bonding layer. A conductive bonding interface between the first bonding pad and the second bonding pad and a dielectric bonding interface between the first bonding layer and the second bonding layer include a step-height.

A semiconductor device includes a lower structure including a substrate, a first interconnection layer extending in a first direction on the lower structure, and including a first metal, a first via contacting a portion of an upper surface of the first interconnection layer and including a second metal, a second via contacting at least a portion of an upper surface of the first via and having a maximum width narrower than a maximum width of the first via, and a second interconnection layer connected to the second via and extending in a second direction. The first interconnection layer has inclined side surfaces in which a width of the first interconnection layer becomes narrower towards an upper region of the first interconnection layer, and the first via has inclined side surfaces in which a width of the first via becomes narrower towards an upper region of the first via.

Structures and methods for reducing thermal expansion mismatch during chip scale packaging are disclosed. In one example, a semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a first metal layer over a substrate, a dielectric region, and a polymer region. The first metal layer comprises a first device metal structure. The dielectric region is formed over the first metal layer. The polymer region is formed over the dielectric region. The dielectric region comprises a plurality of metal layers and an inter-metal dielectric layer comprising dielectric material between each pair of two adjacent metal layers in the plurality of metal layers. Each of the plurality of metal layers comprises a dummy metal structure over the first device metal structure. The dummy metal structures in each pair of two adjacent metal layers in the plurality of metal layers shield respectively two non-overlapping portions of the first device metal structure from a top view of the semiconductor structure.