Abstract: A etch stop semiconductor rail is formed within a source semiconductor layer. A laterally alternating stack of dielectric rails and sacrificial semiconductor rails is formed over the source semiconductor layer and the etch stop semiconductor rail. After formation of a vertically alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers, memory stack structures are formed through the vertically alternating stack and through interfaces between the sacrificial semiconductor rails and the dielectric rails. A backside trench is formed through the vertically alternating stack employing the etch stop semiconductor rail as an etch stop structure. Source strap rails providing lateral electrical contact to semiconductor channels of the memory stack structures are formed by replacement of sacrificial semiconductor rails with source strap rails.

Abstract: A three dimensional NAND memory device includes word line driver devices located on or over a substrate, an alternating stack of word lines and insulating layers located over the word line driver devices, a plurality of memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack, each memory stack structure including a memory film and a vertical semiconductor channel, and through-memory-level via structures which electrically couple the word lines in a first memory block to the word line driver devices. The through-memory-level via structures extend through a through-memory-level via region located between a staircase region of the first memory block and a staircase region of another memory block.

Abstract: Sacrificial semiconductor material portions are connected by a sacrificial semiconductor line extending along a different horizontal direction and protruding into an underlying source conductive layer. After formation of a vertically alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers, memory stack structures are formed through the vertically alternating stack and through the sacrificial semiconductor material portions. A backside trench can be formed through the vertically alternating stack employing the sacrificial semiconductor line as an etch stop structure. Source strap material portions providing lateral electrical contact to semiconductor channels of the memory stack structures can be formed by replacement of sacrificial semiconductor material portions and the sacrificial semiconductor line with source strap material portions. Structural-reinforcement portions may be employed to provide structural stability during the replacement process.

Abstract: The contact area between a source strap structure of a buried source layer and semiconductor channels within memory structures can be increased by laterally expanding a source-level volume in which the memory stack structures are formed. In one embodiment, sacrificial semiconductor pedestals can be formed in source-level memory openings prior to formation of a vertically alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers. Memory openings can include bulging portions formed by removal of the sacrificial semiconductor pedestals. Memory stack structures can be formed with a greater sidewall surface area in the bulging portions to provide a greater contact area with the source strap structure. Alternatively, bottom portions of memory openings can be expanded selective to upper portions during, or after, formation of the memory openings to provide bulging portions and to increase the contact area with the source strap structure.

Abstract: A three-dimensional semiconductor device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate, memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack and arranged in at least five rows that extend along a first horizontal direction, contact via structures arranged in a same number of rows as the memory stack structures and overlying the memory stack structures, each of the contact via structures being electrically connected to a semiconductor channel of a respective memory stack structure, bit lines contacting a respective contact via structure and extending along a second horizontal direction that is different from the first horizontal direction, and a pair of wall-shaped via structures extending through the alternating stack and laterally extending along the first horizontal direction.

Abstract: A layer stack including a lower semiconductor layer, a lower dielectric layer, and a spacer material layer is formed over a semiconductor substrate, and the spacer material layer is patterned to form spacer line structures. An upper dielectric layer and an upper semiconductor layer are formed, followed by formation of an alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers. Memory stack structures are formed through the alternating stack, the upper semiconductor layer, and the dielectric material layer. The upper semiconductor layer, the upper dielectric layer, and the lower semiconductor layer can be patterned to form a buried source layer and at least one passive device. Each passive device can include a lower semiconductor plate, a dielectric material plate, and an upper semiconductor plate. Each passive device can be a resistor or a capacitor.

Abstract: An annular dielectric spacer can be formed at a level of a joint-level dielectric material layer between vertically neighboring pairs of alternating stacks of insulating layers and spacer material layers. After formation of a memory opening through multiple alternating stacks and formation of a memory film therein, an anisotropic etch can be performed to remove a horizontal bottom portion of the memory film. The annular dielectric spacer can protect underlying portions of the memory film during the anisotropic etch. In addition, a silicon nitride barrier may be employed to suppress hydrogen diffusion at an edge region of peripheral devices.

Abstract: A layer stack including a lower semiconductor layer, a lower dielectric layer, and a spacer material layer is formed over a semiconductor substrate, and the spacer material layer is patterned to form spacer line structures. An upper dielectric layer and an upper semiconductor layer are formed, followed by formation of an alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers. Memory stack structures are formed through the alternating stack, the upper semiconductor layer, and the dielectric material layer. The upper semiconductor layer, the upper dielectric layer, and the lower semiconductor layer can be patterned to form a buried source layer and at least one passive device. Each passive device can include a lower semiconductor plate, a dielectric material plate, and an upper semiconductor plate. Each passive device can be a resistor or a capacitor.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing apparatus which includes: a process container configured to accommodate a substrate; a partition member disposed between plasma generated inside the process container and the substrate, the partition member configured to selectively transmit radicals in the plasma toward the substrate; and a heat shield plate disposed between the partition member and the substrate. The heat shield plate is disposed so as to face the substrate. The heat shield plate is made of metal or silicon and is connected to the process container.

Abstract: A etch stop semiconductor rail is formed within a source semiconductor layer. A laterally alternating stack of dielectric rails and sacrificial semiconductor rails is formed over the source semiconductor layer and the etch stop semiconductor rail. After formation of a vertically alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers, memory stack structures are formed through the vertically alternating stack and through interfaces between the sacrificial semiconductor rails and the dielectric rails. A backside trench is formed through the vertically alternating stack employing the etch stop semiconductor rail as an etch stop structure. Source strap rails providing lateral electrical contact to semiconductor channels of the memory stack structures are formed by replacement of sacrificial semiconductor rails with source strap rails.

Abstract: A touch panel pattern TPP includes detection electrodes 38, driving electrodes 39, floating electrodes 45, and reference width floating electrode 48, a smallest width floating electrode 49, and an intermediate width floating electrode 50 that are included in the floating electrodes 45. The smallest width floating electrode 49 is disposed at an end-side one of the floating electrodes 45 with respect to a second direction and has a smallest width. The intermediate width floating electrode 50 is disposed closer to the end-side one than the reference width floating electrode 48 is and closer to a middle than the smallest width floating electrode 49 is and has a width FW2 smaller than that of the reference width floating electrode 48 and larger than that of the smallest width floating electrode 49.

Abstract: Provided is a touch-sensor-equipped liquid crystal display device in which touch sensors have an improved response speed, with the degradation of image quality being suppressed.

Abstract: Sacrificial semiconductor material portions are connected by a sacrificial semiconductor line extending along a different horizontal direction and protruding into an underlying source conductive layer. After formation of a vertically alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers, memory stack structures are formed through the vertically alternating stack and through the sacrificial semiconductor material portions. A backside trench can be formed through the vertically alternating stack employing the sacrificial semiconductor line as an etch stop structure. Source strap material portions providing lateral electrical contact to semiconductor channels of the memory stack structures can be formed by replacement of sacrificial semiconductor material portions and the sacrificial semiconductor line with source strap material portions. Structural-reinforcement portions may be employed to provide structural stability during the replacement process.

Abstract: A etch stop semiconductor rail is formed within a source semiconductor layer. A laterally alternating stack of dielectric rails and sacrificial semiconductor rails is formed over the source semiconductor layer and the etch stop semiconductor rail. After formation of a vertically alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers, memory stack structures are formed through the vertically alternating stack and through interfaces between the sacrificial semiconductor rails and the dielectric rails. A backside trench is formed through the vertically alternating stack employing the etch stop semiconductor rail as an etch stop structure. Source strap rails providing lateral electrical contact to semiconductor channels of the memory stack structures are formed by replacement of sacrificial semiconductor rails with source strap rails.

Abstract: The contact area between a source strap structure of a buried source layer and semiconductor channels within memory structures can be increased by laterally expanding a source-level volume in which the memory stack structures are formed. In one embodiment, sacrificial semiconductor pedestals can be formed in source-level memory openings prior to formation of a vertically alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers. Memory openings can include bulging portions formed by removal of the sacrificial semiconductor pedestals. Memory stack structures can be formed with a greater sidewall surface area in the bulging portions to provide a greater contact area with the source strap structure. Alternatively, bottom portions of memory openings can be expanded selective to upper portions during, or after, formation of the memory openings to provide bulging portions and to increase the contact area with the source strap structure.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory array device can include mid-plane terrace regions between a pair of memory array regions. The electrically conductive layers of the three-dimensional memory array device continuously extend between the pair of memory array regions through a connection region, which is provided adjacent to the mid-plane terrace regions. Contact via structures contacting the electrically conductive layers can be provided in the mid-plane terrace regions, and through-memory-level via structures that extend through the alternating stack and connected to underlying lower metal interconnect structures and semiconductor devices can be provided through the mid-plane terrace region and/or through the connection region. Upper metal interconnect structures can connect the contact via structures and the through-memory-level via structures.

Abstract: A vertical, columnar resistor in a semiconductor device is provided, along with techniques for fabricating such a resistor. The resistor may be provided in a peripheral area of a 3D memory device which has a two-tier or other multi-tier stack of memory cells. The structure and fabrication of the resistor can be integrated with the structure and fabrication of the stack of memory cells. The resistor may comprise doped polysilicon. In an example implementation, a polysilicon pillar extends a height of a first tier of the stack and a metal pillar above the polysilicon pillar extends a height of a second tier of the stack.

Abstract: Split memory cells can be provided within an alternating stack of insulating layers and word lines. At least one lower-select-gate-level electrically conductive layers and/or at least one upper-select-level electrically conductive layers without a split memory cell configuration can be provided by limiting the levels of separator insulator structures within the levels of the word lines. At least one etch stop layer can be formed above at least one lower-select-gate-level spacer material layer. An alternating stack of insulating layers and spacer material layers is formed over the at least one etch stop layer. Separator insulator structures are formed through the alternating stack employing the etch stop layer as a stopping structure. Upper-select-level spacer material layers can be subsequently formed. The spacer material layers and the select level material layers are formed as, or replaced with, electrically conductive layers.

Abstract: An alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers is formed over a substrate. Memory stack structures including a memory film and a vertical semiconductor channel are formed through the alternating stack in an array configuration. Backside trenches extending along a lengthwise direction are formed through the alternating stack. Backside recesses are formed by removing the sacrificial material layers. Filling of the backside recesses with electrically conductive layers can be performed without voids or with minimal voids by arranging the memory stack structures with a non-uniform pitch. The non-uniform pitch may be along the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction such that the nearest neighbor distance among the memory stack structures is at a minimum between the backside trenches. Alternatively or additionally, the pitch may be modulated along the lengthwise direction to provide wider spacing regions that extend perpendicular to the lengthwise direction.

Abstract: An alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers are formed over a substrate. Memory stack structures are formed through the alternating stack. A backside trench is formed and the sacrificial material layers are replaced with electrically conductive layers. After formation of an insulating spacer in the trench, an epitaxial pedestal structure is grown from a semiconductor portion underlying the backside trench. A source region is formed by introducing dopants into the epitaxial pedestal structure and an underlying semiconductor portion during and/or after epitaxial growth. Alternatively, the backside trench can be formed concurrently with formation of memory openings. An epitaxial pedestal structure can be formed concurrently with formation of epitaxial channel portions at the bottom of each memory opening.