A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate, an array of memory opening fill structures located within an array of memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, and a drain-select-level isolation structure vertically extending through drain-select-level electrically conductive layers between two rows of memory opening fill structures. The drain-select-level isolation structure may comprise a low-k dielectric material or an air gap.

In certain aspects, a memory device includes an array of memory cells, a plurality of word lines coupled to the array of memory cells, and a plurality of peripheral circuits coupled to the array of memory cells and configured to control the array of memory cells. A first peripheral circuit of the plurality of peripheral circuits includes a first three-dimensional (3D) transistor coupled to the array of memory cells through at least one of the plurality of word lines. The first 3D transistor includes a 3D semiconductor body, and a gate structure in contact with a plurality of sides of the 3D semiconductor body. The gate structure includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode.

A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate, an array of memory opening fill structures located within an array of memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, and a drain-select-level isolation structure vertically extending through drain-select-level electrically conductive layers between two rows of memory opening fill structures. The drain-select-level isolation structure may comprise a low-k dielectric material or an air gap.

In certain aspects, a memory device includes an array of memory cells and a plurality of peripheral circuits coupled to the array of memory cells and configured to control the array of memory cells. A first peripheral circuit of the plurality of peripheral circuits includes a first three-dimensional (3D) transistor. The first 3D transistor includes a 3D semiconductor body, and a gate structure in contact with a plurality of sides of the 3D semiconductor body. The gate structure includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode. The gate electrode includes a metal, and the gate dielectric has a thickness between 1.8 nm and 10 nm.

A semiconductor memory device, and a method of manufacturing the same, includes a first stack and a second stack stacked on a semiconductor substrate in a cell region of the semiconductor memory device and a slit region of the semiconductor memory device adjacent to the cell region. The semiconductor memory device also includes a plurality of cell plugs at least partially passing through the second stack and the first stack of the cell region and extending in a vertical direction, a slit at least partially passing through the second stack and the first stack of the slit region, and a protective pattern disposed between the slit and dummy cell plugs adjacent to the slit among the plurality of cell plugs.

A semiconductor device includes a string of transistors stacked along a vertical direction above a substrate of the semiconductor device. The string can include a first substring, a channel connector disposed above the first substring, and a second substring. The first substring includes a first channel structure having a first channel layer and a first gate dielectric structure that extend along the vertical direction. The second substring is stacked above the channel connector, and has a second channel structure that includes a second channel layer and a second gate dielectric structure that extend along the vertical direction. The channel connector, electrically coupling the first and the second channel layer, is disposed below the second gate dielectric structure to enable formation of a conductive path in a bottom region of the second channel layer. The bottom region is associated with a lowermost transistor in the second substring.

A 3D device, the device including: at least a first level including logic circuits; at least a second level including an array of memory cells; at least a third level including special circuits; and at least a fourth level including special connectivity structures, where the special connectivity structures include one of the following: a. waveguides, or b. differential signaling, or c. radio frequency transmission lines, or d. Surface Waves Interconnect (SWI) lines, and where the third level includes Radio Frequency (“RF”) circuits to drive the special connectivity structures, where the second level overlays the first level, where the third level overlays the second level, and where the fourth level overlays the third level.

Embodiments of a method for forming a three-dimensional (3D) memory device includes the following operations. First, a channel hole is formed in a stack structure of a plurality first layers and a plurality of second layers alternatingly arranged over a substrate. A semiconductor channel is formed by filling the channel hole with a channel-forming structure. The plurality of first layers is removed. A plurality of conductor layers is formed from the plurality of second layers. Further, a gate-to-gate dielectric layer is formed between the adjacent conductor layers, the gate-to-gate dielectric layer including at least one sub-layer of silicon oxynitride.

An integrated circuit device includes a channel layer in a channel hole penetrating a conductive line and an insulating layer, a charge trap pattern inside the channel hole between the conductive line and the channel layer, and a dummy charge trap pattern inside the channel hole between the insulating layer and the channel layer. In order to manufacture the integrated circuit device, a channel hole penetrating an insulating layer and a mold layer is formed. A mold indent connected to the channel hole is formed. A preliminary dielectric pattern is formed in the mold indent. The preliminary dielectric pattern is oxidized to form a first blocking dielectric pattern. A charge trap layer is formed in the channel hole. The mold layer is removed to form a conductive space. A portion of the charge trap layer is removed to form charge trap patterns and dummy charge trap patterns.

A semiconductor memory device includes a stack structure including a plurality of first dielectric layers alternately stacked with a plurality of second dielectric layers over a first substrate in a coupling region, and including a plurality of electrode layers alternately stacked with the plurality of first dielectric layers over the first substrate outside the coupling region; and a plurality of vias passing through the stack structure in a first direction that is perpendicular to a top surface of the first substrate and disposed at edges of the coupling region to define an etch barrier. Each of the plurality of vias comprising: a pillar portion extending in the first direction; and a plurality of extended portions, extending radially from an outer circumference of the pillar portion and parallel to the top surface of the first substrate, that are coextensive in the first direction with the plurality of second dielectric layers.