Three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor memory devices are provided. A 3D semiconductor memory device includes an electrode structure on a substrate. The electrode structure includes gate electrodes stacked on the substrate. The gate electrodes include electrode pad regions. The 3D semiconductor memory device includes a dummy vertical structure penetrating one of the electrode pad regions. The dummy vertical structure includes a dummy vertical semiconductor pattern and a contact pattern extending from a portion of the dummy vertical semiconductor pattern toward the substrate.

A 3D semiconductor device, the device including: a first level including a plurality of first metal layers; a second level, where the second level overlays the first level, where the second level includes at least one single crystal silicon layer, where the second level includes a plurality of transistors, where each of the plurality of transistors includes a single crystal channel, where the second level includes a plurality of second metal layers, where the plurality of second metal layers include interconnections between the plurality of transistors, and where the second level is overlaid by a first isolation layer; and a connective path between the plurality of transistors and the plurality of first metal layers, where the connective path includes a via disposed through at least the single crystal silicon layer, and where the via has a diameter of less than 400 nm and greater than 5 nm.

According to one embodiment, a memory device includes: first and second stacks each including a first semiconductor layers arranged in a first direction perpendicular to a surface of a substrate, the first and second stacks arranged in a second direction parallel to the surface of the substrate; a second semiconductor layer above the first stack in the first direction; a third semiconductor layer above the second stack in the first direction; memory cells between the first semiconductor layers and the word lines; a first transistor on the second semiconductor layer; and a second transistor on the third semiconductor layer. The first and second stacks are arranged at a first pitch, the first and second semiconductor layers are arranged at a second pitch equal to the first pitch.

A 3D semiconductor device including: a first single-crystal layer including a plurality of first transistors; at least one first metal layer disposed atop the plurality of first transistors; a second metal layer disposed atop the at least one first metal layer; a plurality of second transistors disposed atop the second metal layer; a plurality of third transistors disposed atop the plurality of second transistors; a plurality of fourth transistors disposed atop the plurality of third transistors; a third metal layer disposed atop the plurality of fourth transistors; a fourth metal layer disposed atop the third metal layer; a plurality of connecting metal paths from the fourth metal layer or the third metal layer to the second metal layer, where at least one of the plurality of third transistors is aligned to at least one of the plurality of first transistors with less than 40 nm alignment error.

A method for producing a 3D semiconductor device including: providing a first level including a first single crystal layer; forming first alignment marks and control circuits in and/or on the first level, where the control circuits include first single crystal transistors and at least two interconnection metal layers; forming at least one second level disposed on top of the control circuits; performing a first etch step including etching first holes within the second level; and performing additional processing steps (including Atomic Layer Deposition) to form a plurality of memory cells within the second level, where each memory cell includes at least one second transistor, where making the second level includes forming lithography holes atop of the first alignment marks which enables performing lithography steps aligned to the first alignment marks, including at least the first etch step above.

A method for producing a 3D semiconductor device, the method comprising: providing a first level, said first level comprising a first single crystal layer; forming first alignment marks and control circuits in and/or on said first level, wherein said control circuits comprise first single crystal transistors, and wherein said control circuits comprise at least two interconnection metal layers; forming at least one second level disposed on top of said control circuits; performing a first etch step into said second level; and performing additional processing steps to form a plurality of first memory cells within said second level, wherein each of said memory cells comprise at least one second transistors, and wherein said additional processing steps comprise depositing a gate electrode for said second transistors.

A method for producing a 3D semiconductor device including: providing a first level, the first level including a first single crystal layer; forming first alignment marks and control circuits in and/or on the first level, where the control circuits include first single crystal transistors and at least two interconnection metal layers; forming at least one second level disposed above the control circuits; performing a first etch step into the second level; forming at least one third level disposed on top of the second level; performing additional processing steps to form first memory cells within the second level and second memory cells within the third level, where each of the first memory cells include at least one second transistor, where each of the second memory cells include at least one third transistor, and where the additional processing steps include depositing a gate electrode simultaneously for the second and third transistors.

A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes: a first stacked body in which a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers are alternately stacked one by one, the first stacked body including a stair portion processed into a stair shape extending in a first direction such that the plurality of conductive layers forms terrace surfaces; an insulating film covering an upper portion of the first stacked body including the stair portion; and a first plate-like portion that extends in the first direction in the stair portion and penetrates the first stacked body, the first plate-like portion including a plurality of bridge portions that are arranged locally on an upper end portion side and intermittently in the first direction to couple parts of the insulating film arranged on both sides of the first plate-like portion to each other.

A 3D semiconductor device including: a first single crystal layer including a plurality of first transistors and a first metal layer, where a second metal layer is disposed atop the first metal layer; a plurality of logic gates including the first metal layer and first transistors; a plurality of second transistors disposed atop the second metal layer; a plurality of third transistors disposed atop the second transistors; a top metal layer disposed atop the third transistors; and a memory array including word-lines, where the memory array includes at least four memory mini arrays, where each of the mini arrays includes at least two rows by two columns of memory cells, where each memory cell includes one of the second transistors or one of the third transistors, and where one of the second transistors is self-aligned to one of the third transistors, being processed following a same lithography step.

A silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory cell for FinFET includes a fin, a control gate and a selective metal gate. The fin is on a top surface of a substrate, wherein the fin has two sidewalls and a top surface, and the fin includes a memory region and a logic region. The control gate is disposed over the fin of the memory region and covers the two sidewalls and the top surface of the fin, wherein the control gate includes a charge trapping layer and a control electrode, wherein the charge trapping layer is sandwiched by the fin and the control electrode. The selective metal gate is disposed over the fin adjacent to the control gate and covers the two sidewalls and the top surface of the fin. The present invention also provides a method of forming said silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory cell.