A 3D semiconductor memory device includes a peripheral circuit structure including a first row decoder region, a second row decoder region, and a control circuit region between the first and second row decoder regions, a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure on the peripheral circuit structure, spaced apart in a first direction, and each including stacked electrodes, a mold structure on the peripheral circuit structure between the first and second electrode structures and including stacked sacrificial layers, vertical channel structures penetrating the first and second electrode structures, a separation insulating pattern provided between the first electrode structure and the mold structure and penetrating the mold structure, and a separation structure intersecting the first electrode structure in the first direction and extending to the separation insulating pattern, wherein a maximum width of the separation insulating pattern in a second direction is greater than a maximum width of the separation structure in the second direction.

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 semiconductor device includes a peripheral circuit structure, a semiconductor layer, a source conductive layer, a connecting mold layer, a support conductive layer, a buried insulating layer, a gate stack structure, a mold structure, a channel structure and a supporter through the gate stack structure, a THV through the mold structure and the buried insulating layer, a dam structure between the gate stack structure and the mold structure, an upper supporter layer on the dam structure, and a word line separation layer through the gate stack structure and the upper supporter layer. The dam structure includes a first spacer, a second spacer inside the first spacer, a lower supporter layer connected to the upper supporter layer and partially on or covering an inner side wall of the second spacer, and an air gap with a side wall defined by the second spacer and a top end defined by the lower supporter layer.

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 semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes: a semiconductor substrate; a peripheral circuit provided on the semiconductor substrate; and a stacked body provided above the peripheral circuit, which has a memory cell array. The peripheral circuit includes: a metal film including silicon; a silicide film stacked on the metal film; and a barrier metal film stacked on the silicide film.

A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a stack structure disposed on the substrate, a plurality of dielectric isolation segments extending through the stack structure, and a plurality of memory cell structures. The stack structure includes a plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of conductive layers alternatingly stacked in a Z direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate. The memory cell structures are disposed in the stack structure, and are separated from one another by the dielectric isolation segments. Each of the memory cell structures includes a pair of conductive segments each penetrating the stack structure in the Z direction, a dielectric separation segment separating the conductive segments, a conductive channel segment enclosing side surfaces of the conductive segments and the dielectric separation segment, and a memory segment enclosing side surface of the conductive channel segment and being connected between the stack structure and the conductive segment.

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.

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).

A medical observation apparatus including: an arm including a plurality of links connected to each other via a joint, the arm having at least three or more degrees of freedom implemented by a rotation operation about a rotation axis; an imaging device supported by the arm; and an arm controller that controls an operation of the arm. When a posture of the arm is in a predetermined state, and when a predetermined input for moving the arm about a rotation axis orthogonal to a second axis that is a second rotation axis from a side of the arm on which the imaging device is supported and a third axis that is a third rotation axis from the side of the arm on which the imaging device is supported is detected, the arm controller makes one of the links corresponding to the third axis rotate about the third axis.