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 three-dimensional semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are provided. The three-dimensional semiconductor device comprises a substrate including first and second areas; first and second main separation patterns, disposed on the substrate and intersecting the first and second areas; gate electrodes disposed between the first and second main separation patterns and forming a stacked gate group, the gate electrodes sequentially stacked on the first area and extending in a direction from the first area to the second area; and at least one secondary separation pattern disposed on the second area, disposed between the first and second main separation patterns, and penetrating through the gate electrodes disposed on the second area. The gate electrodes include pad portions on the second area, and the pad portions are thicker than the gate electrodes disposed on the first area and in contact with the at least one secondary separation pattern.

Embodiments of a semiconductor memory device include a substrate having a first region with peripheral devices, a second region with one or more memory arrays, and a third region between the first and the second regions. The semiconductor memory device also includes a protective structure for peripheral devices. The protective structure for peripheral devices of the semiconductor memory device includes a first dielectric layer and a barrier layer disposed on the first dielectric layer. The protective structure for peripheral devices of the semiconductor memory device further includes a dielectric spacer formed on a sidewall of the barrier layer and a sidewall of the first dielectric layer, wherein the protective structure is disposed over the first region and at least a portion of the third region.

Devices are formed on a substrate. A first-tier alternating stack of first insulating layers and first spacer material layers having first stepped surfaces and a first retro-stepped dielectric material portion are formed over the substrate. A sacrificial contact via structure is formed through the first retro-stepped dielectric material portion. A second-tier alternating stack of second insulating layers and second spacer material layers is formed with second stepped surfaces. A second retro-stepped dielectric material portion including a doped silicate glass liner and a silicate glass material portion is formed over the second stepped surfaces. Memory stack structures are formed through the second-tier alternating stack and the first-tier alternating stack. A contact via cavity is formed down to the sacrificial contact via structure. The doped silicate glass liner is recessed and the sacrificial contact via structure is removed, to form a contact via structure in the contact via cavity.

A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising a stack structure comprising alternating conductive structures and insulating structures arranged in tiers, each of the tiers individually comprising one of the conductive structures and one of the insulating structures, staircase structures within the stack structure and having steps comprising edges of the tiers, and a doped dielectric material adjacent the steps of the staircase structures and comprising silicon dioxide doped with one or more of boron, phosphorus, carbon, and fluorine, the doped dielectric material having a greater ratio of Si—O—Si bonds to water than borophosphosilicate glass. Related methods of forming a microelectronic device and related electronic systems are also disclosed.

There are provided a semiconductor memory device and a manufacturing method thereof. The semiconductor memory device includes a first select group and a second select group isolated from each other by an isolation insulating layer; an upper gate stack structure extending to overlap with the first select group, the isolation insulating layer, and the second select group; channel structures extending to penetrate the first select group, the second select group, and the upper gate stack structure; and a vertical connection structure spaced apart from the first select group, the second select group, and the upper gate stack structure, the vertical connection structure extending in parallel to the channel structures.

Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatuses includes levels of conductive materials interleaved with levels of dielectric materials; memory cell strings including respective pillars extending through the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials; a first dielectric structure formed in a first slit through the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials; a second dielectric structure formed in a second slit through the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials; the first dielectric structure and the second dielectric structure separating the levels of conductive materials, the levels of dielectric materials, and the pillars into separate portions, and the first and second dielectric structures including different widths.

At least one vertically alternating sequence of continuous insulating layers and continuous sacrificial material layers is formed over a substrate. Rows of backside support pillar structures are formed through the at least one vertically alternating sequence. Memory stack structures are formed through the at least one vertically alternating sequence. A two-dimensional array of discrete backside trenches is formed through the at least one vertically alternating sequence. Contiguous combinations of a subset of the backside trenches and a subset of the backside support pillar structures divide the at least one vertically alternating sequence into alternating stacks of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers. The sacrificial material layers are replaced with electrically conductive layers while the backside support pillar structures provide structural support to the insulating layers.

A semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate comprising a first region, a second region, and a third region provided therebetween. The first region comprises: first conductive layers; a first semiconductor layer facing the first conductive layers; and a second semiconductor layer connected to the first semiconductor layer. The second region comprises: a third semiconductor layer and fourth semiconductor layer; and a second conductive layer electrically connected to the third semiconductor layer, the fourth semiconductor layer, and the semiconductor substrate. The third region comprises a fifth semiconductor layer and sixth semiconductor layer that are formed continuously with the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer or fourth semiconductor layer, and extend in a second direction. The third region comprises first and second portions aligned alternately in the second direction. In the second portions, the fifth and the sixth semiconductor layers are electrically connected.