Some embodiments include a memory device and methods of forming the memory device. One such memory device includes a first group of memory cells, each of the memory cells of the first group being formed in a cavity of a first control gate located in one device level of the memory device. The memory device also includes a second group of memory cells, each of the memory cells of the second group being formed in a cavity of a second control gate located in another device level of the memory device. Additional apparatus and methods are described.

A memory device includes a first semiconductor layer, a stack structure comprising conductive layers and dielectric layers stacked alternatively over the first semiconductor layer, a semiconductor channel layer extending through the stack structure and the first semiconductor layer, and a functional layer extending through the stack structure and surrounding the semiconductor channel layer. The at least one of the functional layer and the semiconductor channel layer comprises deuterium elements.

A 3-dimensional array of NOR memory strings being organized by planes of NOR memory strings, in which (i) the storage transistors in the NOR memory strings situated in a first group of planes are configured to be programmed, erased, program-inhibited or read in parallel, and (ii) the storage transistors in NOR memory strings situated within a second group of planes are configured for storing resource management data relating to data stored in the storage transistors of the NOR memory strings situated within the first group of planes, wherein the storage transistors in NOR memory strings in the second group of planes are configured into sets.

Structures and methods that facilitate the formation of gate contacts for vertical transistors constructed with semiconductor pillars and spacer-like gates are disclosed. In a first embodiment, a gate contact rests on an extended gate region, a piece of a gate film, patterned at a side of a vertical transistor at the bottom of the gate. In a second embodiment, an extended gate region is patterned on top of one or more vertical transistors, resulting in a modified transistor structure. In a third embodiment, a gate contact rests on a top surface of a gate merged between two closely spaced vertical transistors. Optional methods and the resultant intermediate structures are included in the first two embodiments in order to overcome the related topography and ease the photolithography. The third embodiment includes alternatives for isolating the gate contact from the semiconductor pillars or for isolating the affected semiconductor pillars from the substrate.

There are provided a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: a gate stack structure including interlayer insulating layers and conductive layers, which are alternately stacked; a channel structure extending in a vertical direction in the gate stack structure; and memory structures interposed between the conductive layers and the channel structure. Each of the memory structures includes a blocking insulating layer and a charge trap layer, which are sequentially formed on a sidewall of each of the conductive layers. Sidewalls of the interlayer insulating layers, which are in contact with the channel structure, are located on the same line as a sidewall of the charge trap layer, which is in contact with the channel structure, or side portions of the interlayer insulating layers, which are in contact with the channel structure, further protrude as compared with the sidewall of the charge trap layer.

A method of producing a semiconductor memory device includes, when three directions crossing each other are set to first, second, and third directions, respectively, laminating a plurality of first laminates and a plurality of second laminates on a semiconductor substrate in the third direction. The method further includes forming ends of the plurality of first laminates in shapes of steps extending in the first direction, and forming ends of the plurality of second laminates in shapes of steps extending in both directions of the first direction and the second direction.

Techniques for fabricating a memory device which has reduced neighboring word line interference, and a corresponding memory device. The memory device comprises a stack of alternating conductive and dielectric layers, where the conductive layers form word lines or control gates of memory cells. In one aspect, rounding off of the control gate layers due to inadvertent oxidation during fabrication is avoided. An amorphous silicon layer is deposited along the sidewall of the memory holes, adjacent to the control gate layers. Si.sub.3N.sub.4 is deposited along the amorphous silicon layer and oxidized in the memory hole to form SiO.sub.2. The amorphous silicon layer acts as an oxidation barrier for the sacrificial material of the control gate layers. The amorphous silicon layer is subsequently oxidized to also form SiO.sub.2. The two SiO.sub.2 layers together form a blocking oxide layer.

A semiconductor memory device includes a stacked structure including conductive layers and insulating layers alternately stacked, a strained channel layer passing through the stacked structure, a stressor layer contacting the strained channel layer and applying stress to the strained channel layer, and a core layer formed in the stressor layer.

A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device, includes forming a lower stack structure of insulating and first sacrificial material layers over a substrate, forming first memory openings through the lower stack structure and filling the first memory openings with a sacrificial fill material, replacing the first sacrificial material layers with first electrically conductive layers, forming an upper stack structure of insulating and second sacrificial material layers over the lower stack structure after replacing the first sacrificial material layers, forming second memory openings through the upper stack structure in areas overlying the first memory openings, replacing the second sacrificial material layers with second electrically conductive layers, removing the sacrificial fill material from the first memory openings underneath the second memory openings to form inter-stack memory openings after replacing the second sacrificial material layers, and forming memory stack structures within the inter-stack memory openings.

Methods of forming multi-tiered semiconductor devices are described, along with apparatus and systems that include them. In one such method, an opening is formed in a tier of semiconductor material and a tier of dielectric. A portion of the tier of semiconductor material exposed by the opening is processed so that the portion is doped differently than the remaining semiconductor material in the tier. At least substantially all of the remaining semiconductor material of the tier is removed, leaving the differently doped portion of the tier of semiconductor material as a charge storage structure. A tunneling dielectric is formed on a first surface of the charge storage structure and an intergate dielectric is formed on a second surface of the charge storage structure. Additional embodiments are also described.