A semiconductor memory device includes a memory chip. The memory chip includes a first region including a plurality of first memory cells and second memory cells, a second region different from the first region, a plurality of first word lines stacked apart from each other in a first direction in the first and second regions, a first pillar including a first semiconductor layer extending through the first word lines, and a first insulator layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the first word lines, in the first region, the first memory cells being located at intersections of the first pillar with the first word lines, a first bonding pad in the second region, and a first transistor between the first word lines and the first bonding pad, and connected between one of the first word lines and the first bonding pad, in the second region.

A semiconductor storage device includes a stack, a columnar body, and a second conductive layer. The stack includes a plurality of first conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers. In the stack, the plurality of first conductive layers and the plurality of insulating layers are alternately stacked one by one in a first direction. The second conductive layer is connected to the columnar body. The columnar body includes an insulating core, a memory film, and a semiconductor channel. The memory film is provided between the plurality of first conductive layers and the insulating core. The semiconductor channel is provided between the insulating core and the memory film. An upper surface of the insulating core is located lower than an upper end of the columnar body. The second conductive layer has a main body portion and a protrusion. The protrusion protrudes from the main body portion toward the upper surface of the insulating core, and extends in the first direction within the columnar body. The protrusion is in contact with the semiconductor channel on a bottom surface or a side surface of the protrusion.

In one embodiment, a semiconductor wafer includes a first substrate, a first insulator provided on the first substrate, and a plurality of first pads provided in the first insulator. The wafer further includes a second insulator provided on the first insulator, a plurality of second pads provided on the first pads in the second insulator, a stacked film alternately including a plurality of first insulating layers and a plurality of second insulating layers provided in the second insulator, and a second substrate provided on the second insulator. Furthermore, the first insulator and the second insulator are connected to each other between an edge face of the first insulator and an edge face of the second insulator, and the second insulator intervenes between the first insulator and the stacked film at the edge faces of the first and second insulators.

A semiconductor device includes a first structure including a first bonding structure, and a second structure on the first structure and including a second bonding structure connected to the first bonding structure. The first bonding structure includes a first insulating layer, a first bonding insulating layer on the first insulating layer, first bonding pads penetrating at least a portion of the first insulating layer and the first bonding insulating layer, and first metal patterns in the first insulating layer and in contact with the first bonding insulating layer, and having an upper surface at a lower level than upper surfaces of the first bonding pads. The second bonding structure includes a second bonding insulating layer bonded to the first bonding insulating layer, a second insulating layer on the second bonding insulating layer, and second bonding pads penetrating the second bonding insulating layer and connected to the first bonding pads.

A non-volatile memory device for performing compute in memory operations for a neural network uses a three dimensional NOR architecture in which vertical NOR strings are formed of multiple memory cells connected in parallel between a source line and a bit line. Weights of the neural network are encoded as threshold voltages of the memory cells and activations are encoded as word line voltages applied to the memory cells of the NOR strings. The memory cells are operated in the subthreshold region, where the word line voltages are below the threshold voltages. The NOR structure naturally sums the resultant subthreshold currents of the individual memory cells to generate the product of the activations and the weights of the neural network by concurrently applying input voltages to multiple memory cells of a NOR string.

A vertical layer stack including a bit-line-level dielectric layer and an etch stop dielectric layer can be formed over an array region. Bit-line trenches are formed through the vertical layer stack. Bit-line-trench fill structures are formed in the bit-line trenches. Each of the bit-line-trench fill structures includes a stack of a bit line and a capping dielectric strip. At least one via-level dielectric layer can be formed over the vertical layer stack. A bit-line-contact via cavity can be formed through the at least one via-level dielectric layer and one of the capping dielectric strips. A bit-line-contact via structure formed in the bit-line-contact via cavity includes a stepped bottom surface including a top surface of one of the bit lines, a sidewall segment of the etch stop dielectric layer, and a segment of a top surface of the etch stop dielectric layer.

A three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor memory device includes a peripheral logic structure disposed on a first substrate, a horizontal semiconductor layer disposed on a second substrate, a plurality of stack structures on the horizontal semiconductor layer in a first direction, wherein the plurality of stack structures include a memory cell region and a capacitor region, a plurality of electrode isolation regions extending in the first direction and a second direction and configured to separate the plurality of stack structures to be connected to the horizontal semiconductor layer and a plurality of through-via structures having a first side connected to a through channel contact through at least one metal pad, wherein a capacitor is formed between each of electrode pads and at least one of electrode isolation regions in the plurality of stack structures or at least one of the plurality of through-via structures.

A semiconductor device includes an insulating structure; a plurality of horizontal layers vertically stacked and spaced apart from each other in the insulating structure; a conductive material pattern contacting the insulating structure; and a vertical structure penetrating through the plurality of horizontal layers and extending into the conductive material pattern in the insulating structure. Each of the plurality of horizontal layers comprises a conductive material, the vertical structure comprises a vertical portion and a protruding portion, the vertical portion of the vertical structure penetrates through the plurality of horizontal layers, the protruding portion of the vertical structure extends from the vertical portion into the conductive material pattern, a width of the vertical portion is greater than a width of the protruding portion, and a side surface of the protruding portion is in contact with the conductive material pattern.

Three-dimensional (3D) memory devices and methods for forming the same are disclosed. In certain aspects, a 3D memory device includes a first semiconductor structure, a second semiconductor structure opposite to the first semiconductor structure, and an interface layer between the first semiconductor structure and the second semiconductor structure. The first semiconductor structure includes a memory stack having a plurality of interleaved stack conductive layers and stack dielectric layers. The second semiconductor structure includes a plurality of peripheral circuits electrically connected to the memory stack. The interface layer includes single crystalline silicon and a plurality of interconnects between the memory stack and the peripheral circuits.

A connector may include: a first substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite to the top surface of the top substrate and a side surface joining an edge of the top surface of the first substrate and joining an edge of the bottom surface of the first substrate; a second substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite to the top surface of the second substrate and a side surface joining an edge of the top surface of the second substrate and joining an edge of the bottom surface of the second substrate, wherein the side surface of the second substrate faces the side surface of the first substrate, wherein the top surfaces of the first and second substrates are coplanar with each other at a top of the connector and the bottom surfaces of the first and second substrates are coplanar with each other at a bottom of the connector; and a plurality of metal traces between, in a first horizontal direction, the side surfaces of the first and second substrates, wherein each of the plurality of metal traces has a top end at the top of the connector and a bottom end at the bottom of the connector.