A method of forming a semiconductor device structure comprises forming a stack structure over a substrate, the stack structure comprising tiers each independently comprising a sacrificial structure and an insulating structure and longitudinally adjacent the sacrificial structure. A masking structure is formed over a portion of the stack structure. A photoresist is formed over the masking structure and over additional portions of the stack structure not covered by the masking structure. The photoresist and the stack structure are subjected to a series of material removal processes to selectively remove portions of the photoresist and portions of the stack structure not covered by one or more of the masking structure and remaining portions of the photoresist to form a stair step structure. Semiconductor devices and additional methods of forming a semiconductor device structure are also described.

Embodiments of structure and methods for forming a three-dimensional (3D) memory device are provided. In an example, a 3D memory device includes a substrate and a stack structure in an insulating structure on the substrate. The stack structure includes alternating a plurality of conductor layers and a plurality of insulating layers. The 3D memory device further includes a source structure extending vertically through the alternating stack structure. The source structure includes at least one staggered portion along a respective sidewall. The 3D memory device further includes a channel structure and a support pillar each extending vertically through the alternating stack structure and a plurality of contact structures extending vertically through the insulating structure.

A memory device may include a substrate; a first stack structure comprising a plurality of first gate layers and a plurality of first interlayer insulating layers alternately stacked on the substrate; a second stack structure comprising a plurality of second gate layers and a plurality of second interlayer insulating layers alternately stacked on the first stack structure; and a channel structure penetrating the first stack structure and the second stack structure, wherein the channel structure comprises a first portion in a first channel hole penetrating the first stack structure, a second portion in a second channel hole penetrating the second stack structure, and a first protrusion located in a first recess recessed into one layer of the plurality of first interlayer insulating layers from a side portion of the first channel hole.

A memory die includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack, and each of the memory stack structures includes a respective vertical semiconductor channel and a respective memory film, drain regions located at a first end of a respective one of the vertical semiconductor channels, and a source layer having a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is located at a second end of each of the vertical semiconductor channels, and a semiconductor wafer is not located over the second surface of the source layer.

Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatus includes a first conductive contact; a second conductive contact; levels of conductive materials stacked over one another and located over the first and second conductive contacts; levels of dielectric materials interleaved with the levels of the conductive materials, the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials formed a stack of materials; a first conductive structure located on a first side of the stack of materials and contacting the first conductive contact and a first level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials; and a second conductive structure located on a second side of the stack of materials and contacting the second conductive contact and a second level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials.

A semiconductor memory device includes: a stacked structure including first and second select patterns spaced apart from each other in a first direction; a gate isolation layer extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction between the first and second select patterns; channel structures penetrating the stack structure; and first and second bit lines extending in the first direction, the first and second bit lines being adjacent to each other. The channel structures include: a first channel structure which penetrates the first select pattern and is spaced apart by a first distance from the gate isolation layer in the first direction; and a second channel structure which penetrates the second select pattern and is spaced apart by substantially the first distance from the gate isolation layer in the first direction. The first and second channel structures are respectively connected to the second and first bit lines.

A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, and a memory stack structure vertically extending through the alternating stack. The memory stack structure includes a vertical semiconductor channel and a memory film. The vertical semiconductor channel can include a III-V compound semiconductor channel material. A III-V compound substrate semiconductor layer or a III-V compound semiconductor source region can be used to provide low-resistance electrical connection to a bottom end of the vertical semiconductor channel, and a drain region including a graded III-V compound semiconductor material can be used to provide low-resistance electrical connection to a top end of the vertical semiconductor channel.

The present disclosure provides a method for forming a three-dimensional (3D) memory device. The method includes sequentially forming a first and a second dielectric stacks on a substrate. The first dielectric stack includes a first and a second dielectric layers alternatingly stacked in a first direction perpendicular to the substrate. The second dielectric stack comprises a third and a fourth dielectric layers stacked in the first direction. The method further includes forming an etch-stop layer on the second dielectric stack and forming a gate line slit (GLS) trench spacer to cover a sidewall of the etch-stop layer. The method further includes replacing the fourth and the second dielectric layers with conductive layers through a GLS opening to form a top select gate (TSG) film stack and a film stack of alternating conductive and dielectric layers, respectively.

A three-dimensional semiconductor memory device may include a source structure on a substrate, a stack structure including electrode layers and inter-electrode insulating layers, which are on the source structure and are alternately stacked, a vertical structure penetrating the stack structure and the source structure and being adjacent to the substrate, and a separation insulation pattern penetrating the stack structure and the source structure and being spaced apart from the vertical structure. The uppermost one of the inter-electrode insulating layers may include a first impurity injection region located at a first height from a top surface of the substrate. The stack structure may define a groove, in which the separation insulation pattern is located. An inner sidewall of the groove may define a recess region, which is located at the first height from the top surface of the substrate and is recessed toward the vertical structure.

A semiconductor device includes a first structure including a substrate, circuit devices, a lower interconnection structure electrically connected to the circuit devices, and a second structure on the first structure. The second structure includes a conductive plate layer; gate electrodes on the conductive plate layer and extending in a first direction; separation regions penetrating through the gate electrodes and extending in the first direction; channel structures penetrating through the gate electrodes and respectively including a channel layer; through-contact plugs spaced apart from the gate electrodes and extending in the vertical direction to be electrically connected to the lower interconnection structure of the first structure; first and second contacts electrically connected to the channel layer and the through-contact plugs, respectively; bitlines electrically connecting at least one of each of the first and second contacts to each other; and dummy contacts connected to the bitlines and spaced apart from the through-contact plugs.