A semiconductor device includes a first stacked structure having first conductive layers and first insulating layers formed alternately with each other, first semiconductor patterns passing through the first stacked structure, a coupling pattern coupled to the first semiconductor patterns, and a slit passing through the first stacked structure and the coupling pattern.

A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate including a peripheral circuit; an interconnection array disposed on the peripheral circuit; a cell stack structure disposed on the interconnection array, the cell stack structure including gate electrodes stacked in a vertical direction to form a cell step structure; and a dummy stack structure disposed on the interconnection array, the dummy stack structure including sacrificial layers stacked in the vertical direction to form a dummy step structure parallel to the cell step structure. The interconnection array includes a first lower conductive pattern including a center region overlapping with a slit between the cell step structure and the dummy step structure, a first region extending to overlap with the dummy step structure from the center region, and a second region extending to overlap with the cell step structure from the center region.

Embodiments of a method for forming a three-dimensional (3D) memory device includes the following operations. First, an initial channel hole is formed in a stack structure of a plurality first layers and a plurality of second layers alternatingly arranged over a substrate. An offset is formed between a side surface of each one of the plurality of first layers and a side surface of each one of the plurality of second layers on a sidewall of the initial channel hole to form a channel hole. A semiconductor channel is formed by filling the channel hole with a channel-forming structure, the semiconductor channel having a memory layer including a plurality of first memory portions each surrounding a bottom of a respective second layer and a plurality of second memory portions each connecting adjacent first memory portions.

A semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor die containing a recesses, and a second semiconductor die which is embedded in the recess in the first semiconductor die and is bonded to the first semiconductor die.

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes first and second chips, and a first conductor. The first chip includes a first substrate, a first circuit and a first joint metal. The first circuit is provided on the first substrate. The first joint metal is connected to the first circuit. The second chip includes a second substrate, a second circuit, and a second joint metal. The second substrate includes P-type and N-type well regions. The second circuit is provided on the second substrate and includes a first transistor. The second joint metal is connected to the second circuit and the first joint metal. The first conductor is connected to the N-type well region from a top region of the second chip. The P-type well region is arranged between a gate electrode of the first transistor and the N-type well region.

According to an embodiment, a memory device comprises a conductive layer containing a metal, a semiconductor layer on the conductive layer, electrode layers stacked on the semiconductor layer in a stacking direction, a semiconductor pillar penetrating the electrode layers in the stacking direction and electrically connected to the semiconductor layer, and a charge trap layer between the electrode layers and the semiconductor pillar. The conductive layer has a recess or a through-hole below the semiconductor pillar.

Embodiments of a three-dimensional (3D) memory device are disclosed. The 3D memory device has an architecture with an increased number of bit lines. In an example, the 3D memory device includes a substrate, a plurality of memory strings each extending vertically above the substrate in a memory region, and a plurality of bit lines over the plurality of memory strings. At least one of the plurality of bit lines is electrically connected to a single one of the plurality of memory strings.

In a MONOS memory of the split-gate type formed by a field effect transistor formed on a fin, it is prevented that the rewrite lifetime of the MONOS memory is reduced due to charges being locally transferred into and out of an ONO film in the vicinity of the top of the fin by repeating the write operation and the erase operation. By forming a source region at a position spaced downward from a first upper surface of the fin in a region directly below a memory gate electrode, the current is prevented from flowing concentratedly at the upper end of the fin.

A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, conductive layers, dielectric layers, an isolation structure, a first memory structure, and a second memory structure. The conductive layers and the dielectric layers are interlaced and stacked on the substrate. The isolation structure is disposed on the substrate and through the conductive layers and the dielectric layers. Each of the first and second memory structures has a radius of curvature. The first and second memory structures penetrate through the conductive layers and the dielectric layers and are disposed on opposite sidewalls of the isolation structure. Each of the first and second memory structures includes protecting structures and a memory structure layer including a memory storage layer. The protecting structures are disposed at two ends of the memory storage layer, and an etching selectivity to the protecting structures is different from an etching selectivity to the memory storage layer.

A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, conductive layers, dielectric layers, an isolation structure, a first memory structure, and a second memory structure. The conductive layers and the dielectric layers are interlaced and stacked on the substrate. The isolation structure is disposed on the substrate and through the conductive layers and the dielectric layers. Each of the first and second memory structures has a radius of curvature. The first and second memory structures penetrate through the conductive layers and the dielectric layers and are disposed on opposite sidewalls of the isolation structure. Each of the first and second memory structures includes protecting structures and a memory structure layer including a memory storage layer. The protecting structures are disposed at two ends of the memory storage layer, and an etching selectivity to the protecting structures is different from an etching selectivity to the memory storage layer.