A memory device and method of fabricating the same are provided. The memory device includes a substrate, a stacked structure, a channel layer, and a charge storage structure. The stacked structure is located on the substrate and includes a plurality of insulating layers and a plurality of conductive layers stacked alternately, and the stacked structure has holes. The channel layer is located in the hole and includes a first part and a second part. The number of grain boundaries in the second part is less than the number of grain boundaries in the first part. The charge storage structure is located between the first part and the plurality of conductive layers, and the charge storage structure and the second part sandwich the first part therebetween.

A three-dimensional memory device includes alternating stacks of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, and memory stack structures vertically extending through a respective one of the alternating stacks and located within the first memory array region and the second memory array region. An inter-array region containing lower and upper staircases is located between the first and the second memory array regions. The first memory array region may have a greater length than the second memory array region, or the lower staircase may generally ascend in an opposite direction from the upper staircase.

A semiconductor device includes insulation patterns spaced apart from each other on a substrate in a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate, gate electrodes spaced apart from each other in the first direction, and a channel extending in the first direction through the insulation patterns and the gate electrodes on the substrate. Each insulation pattern may extend in a second direction that is parallel to the upper surface of the substrate. Each insulation pattern may include boron nitride (BN). Each gate electrode may extend in the second direction between neighboring insulation patterns.

Integrated circuitry comprises vertical conductive vias individually having a lower portion thereof that is directly against conductor material of islands. The islands comprise multiple different composition materials directly above the conductor material. Apart from the conductive vias, the islands individually comprise at least one of (a), (b), or (c), where: (a): a top material that is of different composition from all material that is vertically between the top material and the conductor material; (b): the top material having its top surface in a vertical cross-section extending laterally-outward beyond two opposing laterally-outermost edges of a top surface of the material that is immediately directly below the top material; and (c): is of different composition from that of an upper portion of the conductor material and including a portion thereof that is elevationally coincident with the conductor material or that is directly against the conductor material. Other embodiments, including methods, are disclosed.

A vertically alternating sequence of unit layer stacks is formed over a substrate. Each unit layer stacks includes an insulating layer and a spacer material layer that is formed as, or is subsequently replaced with, a first electrically conductive layer. A 2×N array of stepped surfaces is formed. Each column of two stepped surfaces other than one column is vertically extended by performing a set of processing sequences at least once. The set of processing sequences includes forming a patterned etch mask layer and etching an unmasked subset of the 2×N array. One or more patterned etch mask layer has a respective continuous opening including an entire area of a respective 2×M array of stepped surfaces that is a subset of the 2×N array of stepped surfaces. Vertical stacks of memory elements are formed through the vertically alternating sequence.

A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, memory openings located in a memory array region and vertically extending through the alternating stack, memory opening fill structures located in the memory openings, and laterally-isolated contact via assemblies located in a contact region that is located adjacent to the memory array region. Each of the laterally-isolated contact via assemblies includes a contact via structure contacting a top surface of a respective one of the electrically conductive layers and a dielectric spacer laterally surrounding the contact via structure. Each contact via structure other than a contact via structure contacting a topmost one of the electrically conductive layers extends through and is laterally surrounded by each electrically conductive layer that overlies the respective electrically conductive layer.

A three-dimensional (3D) NAND memory device is provided. The device comprises an alternating stack including a plurality of dielectric/conductive layer pairs each comprising a dielectric layer and a conductive layer. The device further comprises a conductive wall vertically penetrating through the alternating stack and extending in a horizontal direction, and a spacer layer on sidewalls of the conductive wall configured to insulate the conductive wall from the conductive layers of the alternating stack. The spacer layer comprises a first spacer sublayer having a first dielectric material, a second spacer sublayer having a second dielectric material, and a third spacer sublayer having a third dielectric material. The second spacer is sandwiched between the first spacer sublayer and the third spacer sublayer. A second k-value of the second dielectric material is higher than a first k-value of the first dielectric material and higher than a third k-value of the third dielectric material.

A semiconductor device includes a stack structure, a channel layer passing through the stack structure, a memory layer enclosing the channel layer and including first and second openings which expose the channel layer, a well plate coupled to the channel layer through the first opening, and a source plate coupled to the channel layer through the second opening.

A method of forming a semiconductor device comprises forming sacrificial structures and support pillars on a material. Tiers are formed over the sacrificial structures and support pillars and tier pillars and tier openings are formed to expose the sacrificial structures. One or more of the tier openings comprises a greater critical dimension than the other tier openings. The sacrificial structures are removed to form a cavity. A cell film is formed over sidewalls of the tier pillars, the cavity, and the one or more tier openings. A fill material is formed in the tier openings and adjacent to the cell film and a portion removed from the other tier openings to form recesses adjacent to an uppermost tier. Substantially all of the fill material is removed from the one or more tier openings. A doped polysilicon material is formed in the recesses and the one or more tier openings. A conductive material is formed in the recesses and in the one or more tier openings. An opening is formed in a slit region and a dielectric material is formed in the opening. Additional methods, semiconductor devices, and systems are disclosed.

Memory devices are implemented within a vertical memory structure, comprising a stack of alternating layers of insulator material and word line material, with a series of alternating conductive pillars and insulating pillars disposed through stack. Data storage structures are disposed on inside surfaces of the layers of word line material at cross-points of the insulating pillars and the layers of word line material. Semiconductor channel material is disposed between the insulating pillars and the data storage structures at cross-points of the insulating pillars with the layers of word line material. The semiconductor channel material extends around an outside surface of the insulating pillars, contacting the adjacent conductive pillars on both sides to provide source/drain terminals.