A method of forming a semiconductor device structure comprises forming a stack structure over a substrate, the stack structure comprising tiers each independently comprising a sacrificial structure and an insulating structure and longitudinally adjacent the sacrificial structure. A masking structure is formed over a portion of the stack structure. A photoresist is formed over the masking structure and over additional portions of the stack structure not covered by the masking structure. The photoresist and the stack structure are subjected to a series of material removal processes to selectively remove portions of the photoresist and portions of the stack structure not covered by one or more of the masking structure and remaining portions of the photoresist to form a stair step structure. Semiconductor devices and additional methods of forming a semiconductor device structure are also described.

Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatus includes a first conductive contact; a second conductive contact; levels of conductive materials stacked over one another and located over the first and second conductive contacts; levels of dielectric materials interleaved with the levels of the conductive materials, the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials formed a stack of materials; a first conductive structure located on a first side of the stack of materials and contacting the first conductive contact and a first level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials; and a second conductive structure located on a second side of the stack of materials and contacting the second conductive contact and a second level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials.

Methods, systems and apparatus for memory devices with multiple string select line (SSL) cuts are provided. In one aspect, a semiconductor device includes: a three-dimensional (3D) array of memory cells and a plurality of common source lines (CSLs) configured to separate the 3D array of memory cells into a plurality of portions. Each portion of the plurality of portions is between two adjacent CSLs and includes a plurality of conductive layers separated from each other by insulating layers and a plurality of vertical channels arranged orthogonally through the plurality of conductive layers and the insulating layers, each of the plurality of vertical channels including a string of memory cells. A top part of each portion of one or more portions includes at least two SSL cuts configured to separate the portion into multiple independent units, and each of the independent units is selectable by a corresponding SSL of multiple SSLs.

A semiconductor memory device includes a mold structure including a plurality of wordlines on a front side of a first substrate, and a string selection line and a stopper line on the plurality of wordlines. A channel structure extends in a vertical direction to penetrate the mold structure. A block separation area extends in a first direction to cut the mold structure. A protective structure is interposed between the block separation area and the stopper line and not between the block separation area and the string selection line and not between the block separation area and the plurality of wordlines. A string separation structure extends in the first direction to cut the string selection line and the stopper line. A bitline extends in a second direction on the mold structure. A bitline contact connects the channel structure and the bitline.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first stacked body in which a plurality of first conductive layers are stacked at intervals in a first direction above a semiconductor substrate; a second stacked body in which a plurality of second conductive layers are stacked at intervals in the first direction above the semiconductor substrate; and a first slit extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first slit isolating the first stacked body and the second stacked body in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions.

Memory device and formation method are provided. The memory device includes a substrate; a staircase structure on the substrate; a string driver structure over the staircase structure on a side opposite to the substrate; and a metal routing structure, between the string driver structure and the staircase structure along a vertical direction with respect to a lateral surface of the substrate. The staircase structure includes a plurality of word line tiers. The string driver structure includes a plurality of transistors to individually address the plurality of word line tiers. The string driver structure and the metal routing structure are vertically aligned with the staircase structure based on a lateral central region of the staircase structure.

A microelectronic device may include a source structure and a stack structure. The stack structure may include a vertically alternating sequence of insulative structures and conductive structures. Filled slits may extend through the stack structure and into the source structure, the slits dividing the stack structure into multiple blocks. Memory cell pillars may extend through the stack structure and into the source structure, the memory cell pillars and the filled slits terminated at substantially the same depth within the source structure as one another.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first conductive layer, a first semiconductor body, a second semiconductor body, a first memory layer, and a second memory layer. The first conductive layer includes first to fourth extension regions, and a first connection region. The first extension region extends in a first direction. The second extension region extends in the first direction and is arranged with the first extension region in the first direction. The third extension region extends in the first direction and is arranged with the first extension region in a second direction crossing the first direction. The fourth extension region extends in the first direction, is arranged with the third extension region in the first direction, and is arranged with the second extension region in the second direction.

A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a first conductor layer, and a first insulator layer. The substrate includes a first region on which memory cells are provided, a second region on which a control circuit of the memory cells is provided, and a third region separating the first region and the second region. The first conductor layer is above the second region of the substrate. The first insulator layer is above the second and third regions of the substrate. The first insulator layer includes a first portion that is above the first conductor layer and extends along a surface direction of the substrate, and a second portion that is continuous with the first portion and extends along a thickness direction of the substrate from the first portion toward a surface of the substrate in the third region.

A semiconductor device including vertical structures on a substrate; and interlayer insulating layers and gate layers on the substrate, wherein the gate layers are sequentially stacked in a memory cell array area and extend into an extension area, the gate layers have pad regions having a staircase structure in the extension area, the first vertical structure has a surface facing the gate layers, the second vertical structure has a surface facing at least one of the gate layers, the first vertical structure includes a first core pattern, a first semiconductor layer, and a pad pattern, the second vertical structure includes a second core pattern and a second semiconductor layer, each of the core patterns includes an insulating material, and an upper surface of the second semiconductor layer and an upper surface of the second core pattern are farther from the substrate than the upper surface of the first core pattern.