A three-dimensional memory device includes a first three-dimensional memory plane including first alternating stacks of first insulating layers and first word lines, and first bit lines electrically connected first vertical semiconductor channels, and a second three-dimensional memory plane including second alternating stacks of second insulating layers and second word lines and second bit lines electrically connected to second vertical channels. An inter-array backside trench laterally extend between the first three-dimensional memory plane and the second three-dimensional memory plane, and filled with an inter-array backside insulating material portion that provides electrical isolation between the three-dimensional memory planes.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a memory cell region and a connection region, a plurality of gate electrodes stacked on the substrate, a channel structure penetrating the plurality of gate electrodes and including a channel layer extending in a vertical direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate in the memory cell region, a dummy channel structure penetrating the plurality of gate electrodes and including a dummy channel layer extending in the vertical direction in the connection region, a first semiconductor layer disposed between the substrate and a lowermost one of the plurality of gate electrodes and surrounding the channel structure in the memory cell region, and an insulating separation structure disposed between the substrate and the lowermost one of the plurality of gate electrodes and surrounding the dummy channel layer.

A semiconductor device may include a source layer, a stack structure, a channel layer, a slit, and a source pick-up line. The source layer may include at least one groove in an upper surface thereof. The stack structure may be formed over the source layer. The channel layer may pass through the stack structure. The channel layer may be in contact with the source layer. The slit may pass through the stack structure. The slit may expose the groove of the source layer therethrough. The source pick-up line may be formed in the slit and the groove. The source pick-up line may be contacted with the source layer.

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.

A 3D memory device includes a memory stack and a support structure. The memory stack, on a substrate, includes a core region and a non-core region neighboring the core region. The support structure extends in the non-core region and into the substrate. The support structure includes a first support portion and a second support portion over the first support portion. The first support portion has a stiffness higher than the second support portion.

A memory array comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. Intervening material is laterally-between and longitudinally-along immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory blocks. The intervening material in a lowest of the conductive tiers comprises intervenor material. Bridges extend laterally-between the immediately-laterally-adjacent memory blocks. The bridges comprise bridging material that is of different composition from that of the intervenor material. The bridges are longitudinally-spaced-along the immediately-laterally-adjacent memory blocks by the intervenor material and extend laterally into the immediately-laterally-adjacent memory blocks. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.

A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure having tiers each including a conductive structure and an insulating structure, the stack structure comprises a staircase region comprising staircase structures, a select gate contact region, and a memory array region between the staircase region and the select gate contact region; contact structures on steps of the staircase structures; string drivers coupled to the contact structures and comprising transistors underlying and within horizontal boundaries of the staircase region; a triple well structure underlying the memory array region; a select gate structure between the stack structure and the triple well structure; semiconductive pillar structures within horizontal boundaries of the memory array region and extending through the stack structure and the select gate structure to the triple well structure; and a select gate contact structure within horizontal boundaries of the select gate contact region and extending through the stack structure to the select gate structure.

A semiconductor device includes a memory stack on a substrate, the memory stack including gate electrodes, insulating layers and mold layers, the mold layers being disposed at the same levels as the gate electrodes in a through electrode area, a channel structure extending vertically through the gate electrodes in a cell array area, and a dam structure disposed between the isolation insulating layers and surrounding the through electrode area in a top view. The dam structure includes a dam insulating layer having a dam shape, an inner insulating layer inside the dam insulating layer, and an outer insulating layer outside the dam insulating layer. The inner insulating layer includes first protrusions protruding in a horizontal direction, and the outer insulating layer includes second protrusions protruding in the horizontal direction.

A vertical memory device includes a substrate having a peripheral circuit structure, first gate patterns having first gate pad regions stacked vertically from the substrate, vertical channel structures penetrating the first gate patterns, first gate contact structures each extending vertically to a corresponding first gate pad region, mold patterns stacked vertically from the substrate, the mold patterns each being positioned at the same height from the substrate with a corresponding gate pattern, peripheral contact structures penetrating the mold patterns to be connected to the peripheral circuit structure, a first, block separation structure disposed between the first gate contact structures and the peripheral contact structures, and a first peripheral circuit connection wiring extending across the first block separation structure to connect one of the first gate contact structures to one of the peripheral contact structures.

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device includes a non-volatile memory formed in a memory cell area and a ring structure area surrounding the memory cell area. In the method, a protrusion of a substrate is formed in the ring structure area. The protrusion protrudes from an isolation insulating layer. A high-k dielectric film is formed, thereby covering the protrusion and the isolation insulating layer. A poly silicon film is formed over the high-k dielectric film. The poly silicon film and the high-k dielectric film are patterned. Insulating layers are formed over the patterned poly silicon film and high-k dielectric film, thereby sealing the patterned high-k dielectric film.