Abstract: A vertical layer stack including a bit-line-level dielectric layer and an etch stop dielectric layer can be formed over an array region. Bit-line trenches are formed through the vertical layer stack. Bit-line-trench fill structures are formed in the bit-line trenches. Each of the bit-line-trench fill structures includes a stack of a bit line and a capping dielectric strip. At least one via-level dielectric layer can be formed over the vertical layer stack. A bit-line-contact via cavity can be formed through the at least one via-level dielectric layer and one of the capping dielectric strips. A bit-line-contact via structure formed in the bit-line-contact via cavity includes a stepped bottom surface including a top surface of one of the bit lines, a sidewall segment of the etch stop dielectric layer, and a segment of a top surface of the etch stop dielectric layer.

Abstract: A three dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate; memory stack structures vertically extending through the alternating stack; and a backside trench fill structure. The backside trench fill structure includes a backside trench insulating spacer and a backside contact via structure. The backside contact via structure may include a tapered metallic nitride liner and at least one core fill conductive material portion. Alternatively, the backside contact via structure may include a tungsten nitride liner, a metallic nitride liner other than tungsten nitride, and at least one core fill conductive material portion.

Abstract: A three dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate; memory stack structures vertically extending through the alternating stack; and a backside trench fill structure. The backside trench fill structure includes a backside trench insulating spacer and a backside contact via structure. The backside contact via structure may include a tapered metallic nitride liner and at least one core fill conductive material portion. Alternatively, the backside contact via structure may include a tungsten nitride liner, a metallic nitride liner other than tungsten nitride, and at least one core fill conductive material portion.

Abstract: Bonding strength and yield can be enhanced by providing a mating pair of a convex bonding surface and a concave bonding surface. The convex bonding surface can be provided by employing a conductive barrier layer having a higher electrochemical potential than copper. The concave bonding surface can be provided by employing a conductive barrier layer having a lower electrochemical potential than copper. Alternatively additionally, a copper material portion in a bonding pad may include at least 10% volume fraction of (200) copper grains to provide high volume expansion toward a mating copper material portion. The mating copper material portion may be formed with at least 95% volume fraction of (111) copper grains to provide high surface diffusivity, or may be formed with at least 10% volume fraction of (200) copper grains to provide high volume expansion.

Abstract: A bonded assembly includes a first semiconductor die containing first semiconductor devices and a first bonding pad embedded within a first silicon oxide layer, where the first bonding pad includes a first copper containing portion, a second semiconductor die containing second semiconductor devices and a second bonding pad that is embedded within a second silicon oxide layer and is bonded to the first bonding pad via metal-to-metal bonding, where the second bonding pad includes a second copper containing portion, and at least one metal silicon oxide layer interposed between the first bonding pad and the second silicon oxide layer. In one embodiment, the at least one metal silicon oxide layer is a manganese silicon oxide layer.

Abstract: A method includes forming a semiconductor device, forming a combination of a connection-level dielectric layer and a connection-level metal interconnect structure over the semiconductor device, forming a line-and-via-level dielectric layer over the connection-level dielectric layer, forming an integrated line-and-via cavity through the line-and-via-level dielectric layer over the connection-level metal interconnect structure, selectively growing a conductive via structure consisting essentially of an elemental metal that is not copper from a physically exposed conductive surface located at a bottom of the via portion of the integrated line-and-via cavity without filling a line portion of the integrated line-and-via cavity, and forming a copper-based conductive line structure that includes copper at an atomic percentage that is greater than 90% in the line portion of the integrated line-and-via cavity.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first dielectric material layer, a first metal interconnect structure embedded within the first dielectric material layer and including a first metallic material portion including a first metal, a second dielectric material layer located over the first dielectric material layer, and a second metal interconnect structure embedded within the second dielectric material layer and including an integrated line-and-via structure that includes a second metallic material portion including a second metal. A metal-semiconductor alloy portion including a first metal-semiconductor alloy of the first metal and a semiconductor material is located underneath the second metallic material portion, and contacts a top surface of the first metal interconnect structure.

Abstract: A metal interconnect assembly includes a first metal interconnect structure, and a second metal interconnect structure embedded in a second dielectric material layer and containing a metal line portion having a top surface located within a first horizontal plane and having a bottom surface located within a second horizontal plane, and further containing a metal via portion adjoined to a bottom of the metal line portion and contacting a top surface of the first metal interconnect structure. The second metal interconnect structure contains a metallic liner including a first metallic material that includes an entire volume of the metal via portion and an outer part of the metal line portion, and a metallic fill material portion contains a second metallic material that includes an inner part of the metal line portion, does not contact and is spaced from the second dielectric material layer by the metallic liner.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a semiconductor device over a substrate, forming a combination of a connection-level dielectric layer and a connection-level metal interconnect structure over the semiconductor device, where the connection-level metal interconnect structure is electrically connected to a node of the semiconductor device and is embedded in the connection-level dielectric layer, forming a line-and-via-level dielectric layer over the connection-level dielectric layer, forming an integrated line-and-via cavity through the line-and-via-level dielectric layer over the connection-level metal interconnect structure, selectively growing a conductive via structure containing cobalt from a bottom of the via portion of the integrated line-and-via cavity without completely filling a line portion of the integrated line-and-via cavity, and forming a copper-based conductive line structure that contains copper at an atomic percentage that is greater than 90% in the line portion of

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers having stepped surfaces, memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack, a retro-stepped dielectric material portion overlying the stepped surfaces, and pillar-shaped contact-opening assemblies located within a respective pillar-shaped volume vertically extending through the retro-stepped dielectric material portion and a region of the alternating stack that underlies the retro-stepped dielectric material portion. Some of the pillar-shaped contact-opening assemblies can include a first conductive plug that laterally contacts a cylindrical sidewall of a respective one of the electrically conductive layers and a conductive via structure that contacts a top surface of the first conductive plug.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers. The electrically conductive layers include an intermetallic alloy of aluminum and at least one metal other than aluminum. Memory openings vertically extend through the alternating stack. Memory opening fill structures are located in a respective one of the memory openings and include a respective vertical semiconductor channel and a respective vertical stack of memory elements.

Abstract: A vertical layer stack including a bit-line-level dielectric layer and an etch stop dielectric layer can be formed over an array region. Bit-line trenches are formed through the vertical layer stack. Bit-line-trench fill structures are formed in the bit-line trenches. Each of the bit-line-trench fill structures includes a stack of a bit line and a capping dielectric strip. At least one via-level dielectric layer can be formed over the vertical layer stack. A bit-line-contact via cavity can be formed through the at least one via-level dielectric layer and one of the capping dielectric strips. A bit-line-contact via structure formed in the bit-line-contact via cavity includes a stepped bottom surface including a top surface of one of the bit lines, a sidewall segment of the etch stop dielectric layer, and a segment of a top surface of the etch stop dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first alternating stack of first insulating layers and first electrically conductive layers having first stepped surfaces and located over a substrate, a second alternating stack of second insulating layers and second electrically conductive layers having second stepped surfaces, and memory opening fill structures extending through the alternating stacks. A contact via assembly is provided, which includes a first conductive via structure vertically extending from a top surface of one of the first electrically conductive layers through a subset of layers within the second alternating stack and through the second retro-stepped dielectric material portion, an insulating spacer located within an opening through the subset of layers, and a second conductive via structure laterally surrounding the insulating spacer and contacting a second electrically conductive layer.

Abstract: A bonded assembly includes a first semiconductor die that includes first metallic bonding structures embedded within a first bonding-level dielectric layer, and a second semiconductor die that includes second metallic bonding structures embedded within a second bonding-level dielectric layer and bonded to the first metallic bonding structures by metal-to-metal bonding. One of the first metallic bonding structures a pad portion, and a via portion located between the pad portion and the first semiconductor device, the via portion having second tapered sidewalls.

Abstract: A method of forming a memory device includes forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers over a substrate forming memory stack structures through the alternating stack, forming a first backside trench and a second backside trench through the alternating stack, forming backside recesses by removing the sacrificial material layers, depositing a backside blocking dielectric layer after formation of the backside recesses, forming a liner that a lesser lateral extent than a lateral distance between the first backside trench and the second backside trench; and selectively growing a metal from surfaces of the liners while either not growing or growing at a lower rate the metal from surfaces of the backside recesses that are not covered by the liners.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers having stepped surfaces, memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack, a retro-stepped dielectric material portion overlying the stepped surfaces, and pillar-shaped contact-opening assemblies located within a respective pillar-shaped volume vertically extending through the retro-stepped dielectric material portion and a region of the alternating stack that underlies the retro-stepped dielectric material portion. Some of the pillar-shaped contact-opening assemblies can include a first conductive plug that laterally contacts a cylindrical sidewall of a respective one of the electrically conductive layers and a conductive via structure that contacts a top surface of the first conductive plug.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first alternating stack of first insulating layers and first electrically conductive layers having first stepped surfaces and located over a substrate, a second alternating stack of second insulating layers and second electrically conductive layers having second stepped surfaces, and memory opening fill structures extending through the alternating stacks. A contact via assembly is provided, which includes a first conductive via structure vertically extending from a top surface of one of the first electrically conductive layers through a subset of layers within the second alternating stack and through the second retro-stepped dielectric material portion, an insulating spacer located within an opening through the subset of layers, and a second conductive via structure laterally surrounding the insulating spacer and contacting a second electrically conductive layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor channel of a first conductivity type located between a first and second active regions having a doping of a second conductivity type that is opposite of the first conductivity type, a gate stack structure that overlies the semiconductor channel, and includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode, a first metal-semiconductor alloy portion embedded in the first active region, and a first composite contact via structure in contact with the first active region and the first metal-semiconductor alloy portion, and contains a first tubular liner spacer including a first annular bottom surface, a first metallic nitride liner contacting an inner sidewall of the first tubular liner spacer and having a bottom surface that is located above a horizontal plane including bottom surface of the first tubular liner spacer, and a first metallic fill material portion embedded in the first metallic nitride liner.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a doped semiconductor material portion, a metal-semiconductor alloy portion contacting the doped semiconductor material portion, a device contact via structure in direct contact with the metal-semiconductor alloy portion, and at least one dielectric material layer laterally surrounding the device contact via structure. The device contact via structure includes a barrier stack and a conductive fill material portion. The barrier stack includes at least two metal nitride layers and at least one nitrogen-containing material layer containing nitrogen and an element selected from silicon or boron.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor channel of a first conductivity type located between a first and second active regions having a doping of a second conductivity type that is opposite of the first conductivity type, a gate stack structure that overlies the semiconductor channel, and includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode, a first metal-semiconductor alloy portion embedded in the first active region, and a first composite contact via structure in contact with the first active region and the first metal-semiconductor alloy portion, and contains a first tubular liner spacer including a first annular bottom surface, a first metallic nitride liner contacting an inner sidewall of the first tubular liner spacer and having a bottom surface that is located above a horizontal plane including bottom surface of the first tubular liner spacer, and a first metallic fill material portion embedded in the first metallic nitride liner.