A semiconductor device of the disclosure includes a peripheral circuit structure including a peripheral transistor, a semiconductor layer on the peripheral circuit structure, a source structure on the semiconductor layer, a gate stack structure on the source structure, the gate stack structure including a word line, a gate upper line and a staircase structure, a memory channel structure and a dummy channel structure extending through the gate stack structure, a cut structure extending through the gate upper line, and a bit line overlapping with the memory channel structure. The cut structure includes a narrow section, and a wide section nearer to the staircase structure than the narrow section. A width of the narrow section is less than a width of the wide section.

A vertical memory device may include a channel connecting pattern on a substrate, gate electrodes spaced apart from each other in a first direction on the channel connecting pattern, and a channel extending in the first direction through the gate electrodes and the channel connecting pattern. Each of the electrodes may extend in a second direction substantially parallel to an upper surface of the substrate, and the first direction may be substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate. An end portion of the channel connecting pattern in a third direction substantially parallel to the upper surface of the substrate and substantially perpendicular to the second direction may have an upper surface higher than an upper surface of other portions of the channel connecting pattern except for a portion thereof adjacent the channel.

A source-level sacrificial layer and an alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers are formed over a substrate. The spacer material layers are formed as, or are subsequently replaced with, electrically conductive layers. Memory openings are formed through the alternating stack and the source-level sacrificial layer, and memory opening fill structures are formed. A source cavity is formed by removing the source-level sacrificial layer, and exposing an outer sidewall of each vertical semiconductor channel in the memory opening fill structures. A metal-containing layer is deposited on physically exposed surfaces of the vertical semiconductor channel and the vertical semiconductor channel is crystallized using metal-induced lateral crystallization. Alternatively or additionally, cylindrical metal-semiconductor alloy regions can be formed around the vertical semiconductor channels to reduce contact resistance. A source contact layer can be formed in the source cavity.

A three-dimensional (3D) memory device includes a doped semiconductor layer, a stack structure, and a channel structure. The stack structure includes interleaved conductive layers and dielectric layers formed on the doped semiconductor layer. The conductive layers include a plurality of word lines, and a drain select gate line. The channel structure extends through the stack structure along a first direction and is in contact with the doped semiconductor layer. The channel structure includes a semiconductor channel, and a memory film over the semiconductor channel. The drain select gate line is in direct contact with the semiconductor channel, each of the plurality of word lines is in direct contact with the memory film, and the drain select gate line and the plurality of word lines include a same material.

An integrated circuit device includes a substrate, a peripheral wiring circuit that includes a bypass via and is disposed on the substrate, a peripheral circuit that includes an interlayer insulating layer surrounding at least a portion of the peripheral wiring circuit, and a memory cell array disposed on and overlapping the peripheral circuit. The memory cell array includes a base substrate, a plurality of gate lines disposed on the base substrate, and a plurality of channels penetrating the plurality of gate lines. The integrated circuit device further includes a barrier layer interposed between the peripheral circuit and the memory cell array. The barrier layer includes a bypass hole penetrating from a top surface to a lower surface of the barrier layer. The bypass via is disposed in the bypass hole.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a cell region and a connection region, a first stack structure with a plurality of first gate layers and a plurality of first interlayer insulating layers, and a second stack structure with a plurality of second gate layers and a plurality of second interlayer insulating layers . Each of the first gate layers includes a central portion in the cell region of the substrate and an end portion in the connection region of the substrate. Each of the second gate layers includes a central portion in the cell region of the substrate and an end portion in the connection region of the substrate. A thickness difference between the end and central portions of each first gate layer is different from a thickness difference between the end and central portions of each second gate layer.

A three-dimensional semiconductor device may include a substrate including a cell array region and a contact region, a stack structure including interlayer dielectric layers and gate electrodes, a source structure, and a mold structure between the substrate and the stack structure. First vertical channel structures are on the cell array region in vertical channel holes. Each of the first vertical channel structures may include a first barrier pattern, a data storage pattern, and a vertical semiconductor pattern, which are sequentially layered on an inner side surface of one of the vertical channel holes. The mold structure may include a first buffer insulating layer, a first semiconductor layer, a second buffer insulating layer, and a second semiconductor layer sequentially stacked on the substrate. The source structure may be in physical contact with a portion of a side surface of the vertical semiconductor pattern.

According to one embodiment, a source layer includes a semiconductor layer including an impurity. A stacked body includes a plurality of electrode layers stacked with an insulator interposed. A gate layer is provided between the source layer and the stacked body. The gate layer is thicker than a thickness of one layer of the electrode layers. A semiconductor body extends in a stacking direction of the stacked body through the stacked body and the gate layer. The semiconductor body further extends in the semiconductor layer where a side wall portion of the semiconductor body contacts the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor body does not contact the electrode layers and the gate layer.

A three-dimensional (3D) memory device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The method includes the following steps. An alternating dielectric stack is formed on a substrate. A vertical structure is formed penetrating the alternating dielectric stack in a vertical direction. A bottom dielectric layer of the alternating dielectric stack is removed. An epitaxial layer is formed between the substrate and the alternating dielectric stack after removing the bottom dielectric layer. An insulating layer is formed on the epitaxial layer. The insulating layer is located between the epitaxial layer and the alternating dielectric stack. The influence of the step of forming the vertical structure on the epitaxial layer may be avoided, and defects at the interface between the epitaxial layer and the bottom dielectric layer may be avoided accordingly.

Some embodiments include a memory cell having a conductive gate, and having a charge-blocking region adjacent the conductive gate. The charge-blocking region includes silicon oxynitride and silicon dioxide. A charge-storage region is adjacent the charge-blocking region. Tunneling material is adjacent the charge-storage region. Channel material is adjacent the tunneling material. The tunneling material is between the channel material and the charge-storage region. Some embodiments include memory arrays. Some embodiments include methods of forming assemblies (e.g., memory arrays).