Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and composite layers. Each of the composite layers includes a plurality of electrically conductive word line strips laterally extending along a first horizontal direction and a plurality of dielectric isolation strips laterally extending along the first horizontal direction and interlaced with the plurality of electrically conductive word line strips. Rows of memory openings are arranged along the first horizontal direction. Each row of memory openings vertically extends through each insulating layer within the alternating stack and one electrically conductive strip for each of the composite layers. Rows of memory opening fill structures are located within the rows of memory openings. Each of the memory opening fill structures includes a respective vertical stack of memory elements and a respective vertical semiconductor channel.

Abstract: A device structure includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and composite layers located over a source layer, where each of the composite layers includes a combination of a respective dielectric material layer and a respective electrically conductive layer, memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, memory opening fill structures located in the memory openings, where each of the memory opening fill structures includes a respective vertical stack of memory elements and a respective vertical semiconductor channel, and contact via structures vertically extending through a respective subset of the dielectric material layers and the insulating layers in the alternating stack and contacting a horizontal surface of a respective one of the electrically conductive layers in the alternating stack.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes alternating stacks of insulating strips and electrically conductive strips, backside trenches located between neighboring pairs of alternating stacks, memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stacks, and memory opening fill structures located within the memory openings. In some embodiments, dielectric etch stop structures may be located within or outside the backside trenches such that each of the dielectric etch stop structures includes a respective pair of dielectric sidewalls that are located within a pair of lengthwise sidewalls of the respective one of the backside trenches. In some other embodiments, a dielectric isolation structure can laterally contact each of the insulating strips within the alternating stacks. Laterally insulated contact via structures can be provided to provide electrical contact to a respective one of the electrically conductive strips.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes alternating stacks of insulating strips and electrically conductive strips, backside trenches located between neighboring pairs of alternating stacks, memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stacks, and memory opening fill structures located within the memory openings. In some embodiments, dielectric etch stop structures may be located within or outside the backside trenches such that each of the dielectric etch stop structures includes a respective pair of dielectric sidewalls that are located within a pair of lengthwise sidewalls of the respective one of the backside trenches. In some other embodiments, a dielectric isolation structure can laterally contact each of the insulating strips within the alternating stacks. Laterally insulated contact via structures can be provided to provide electrical contact to a respective one of the electrically conductive strips.

Abstract: A memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and composite layers, where each of the composite layers contains an electrically conductive layer and a dielectric material plate, memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, memory opening fill structures located in the memory openings, where each of the memory opening fill structures includes a respective vertical stack of memory elements and a vertical semiconductor channel and a plurality of integrated line-and-via structures. Each of the plurality of integrated line-and-via structures includes a conductive plate portion that contacts the electrically conductive layer of a respective one of the composite layers, and a conductive via portion that is adjoined to a top surface of the conductive plate portion and vertically extends through a respective overlying subset of the insulating layers and a subset of the dielectric material plates of the composite layers.

Abstract: A method includes forming an in-process alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers, forming a meandering dielectric isolation structure through the in-process alternating stack, forming memory stack structures through the alternating stack, where each of the memory stack structures includes a respective vertical stack of memory elements and a vertical semiconductor channel, forming sacrificial via fill structures on the respective sacrificial material layers, replacing first portions of the sacrificial material layers with electrically conductive layers, and forming layer contact via structures contacting a respective one of the electrically conductive layers by replacing at least the sacrificial via fill structures with a conductive material portion.

Abstract: An alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers is formed over a substrate, memory openings are formed through the alternating stack, and memory opening fill structures including a respective vertical stack of memory elements are formed in the memory openings. The sacrificial material layers are replaced with electrically conductive layers. Electrical contacts to the electrically conductive layers may be provided by forming integrated layer-and-via structures that simultaneously forms metallic via portions as an integral portion of a continuous electrically conductive structure that includes a respective electrically conductive layer. Alternatively, electrical contacts to the electrically conductive layers may be provided by forming integrated line-and-via structures that includes a metallic plate portion contacting a respective electrically conductive layer and a metallic via portion.

Abstract: An alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers is formed over a substrate, memory openings are formed through the alternating stack, and memory opening fill structures including a respective vertical stack of memory elements are formed in the memory openings. The sacrificial material layers are replaced with electrically conductive layers. Electrical contacts to the electrically conductive layers may be provided by forming integrated layer-and-via structures that simultaneously forms metallic via portions as an integral portion of a continuous electrically conductive structure that includes a respective electrically conductive layer. Alternatively, electrical contacts to the electrically conductive layers may be provided by forming integrated line-and-via structures that includes a metallic plate portion contacting a respective electrically conductive layer and a metallic via portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, and memory opening fill structures located in the memory openings and including a respective vertical semiconductor channel and a respective vertical stack of memory cells. An integrated line-and-via structure is provided, which is a unitary structure including a metallic plate portion that is a portion of or laterally contacts an electrically conductive layer, and a metallic via portion that vertically extends through dielectric material plates that overlie the metallic plate portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, and memory opening fill structures located in the memory openings and including a respective vertical semiconductor channel and a respective vertical stack of memory cells. An integrated line-and-via structure is provided, which is a unitary structure including a metallic plate portion that is a portion of or laterally contacts an electrically conductive layer, and a metallic via portion that vertically extends through dielectric material plates that overlie the metallic plate portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and composite layers. Each of the composite layers includes a plurality of electrically conductive word line strips laterally extending along a first horizontal direction and a plurality of dielectric isolation strips laterally extending along the first horizontal direction and interlaced with the plurality of electrically conductive word line strips. Rows of memory openings are arranged along the first horizontal direction. Each row of memory openings vertically extends through each insulating layer within the alternating stack and one electrically conductive strip for each of the composite layers. Rows of memory opening fill structures are located within the rows of memory openings. Each of the memory opening fill structures includes a respective vertical stack of memory elements and a respective vertical semiconductor channel.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes a first-tier alternating stack of first insulating layers and first electrically conductive layers, a second-tier alternating stack of second insulating layers and second electrically conductive layers, a vertically alternating sequence of insulating plates and dielectric material plates laterally surrounded by the second-tier alternating stack, memory openings vertically extending through each layer within the first-tier alternating stack and the second-tier alternating stack, memory opening fill structures located in the memory openings, first contact via structures vertically extending through the vertically alternating sequence and contacting a respective one of the first electrically conductive layers, and second contact via structures contacting a respective one of the second electrically conductive layers.

Abstract: A first-tier structure includes a first vertically alternating sequence of first continuous insulating layers and first continuous sacrificial material layers and a first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion overlying first stepped surfaces of the first vertically alternating sequence. A second vertically alternating sequence of second continuous insulating layers and second continuous sacrificial material layers is formed over the first-tier structure. A vertically alternating stack of insulating plates and dielectric material is formed over the first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion. Alternatively, dielectric pillar structures may be formed in lieu of the vertically alternating stack. After formation of memory stack structures, electrically conductive layers replace portions of the first and second continuous sacrificial material layers.

Abstract: A first-tier structure includes a first vertically alternating sequence of first continuous insulating layers and first continuous sacrificial material layers and a first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion overlying first stepped surfaces of the first vertically alternating sequence. A second vertically alternating sequence of second continuous insulating layers and second continuous sacrificial material layers is formed over the first-tier structure. A vertically alternating stack of insulating plates and dielectric material is formed over the first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion. Alternatively, dielectric pillar structures may be formed in lieu of the vertically alternating stack. After formation of memory stack structures, electrically conductive layers replace portions of the first and second continuous sacrificial material layers.

Abstract: A first-tier structure includes a first vertically alternating sequence of first continuous insulating layers and first continuous sacrificial material layers and a first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion overlying first stepped surfaces of the first vertically alternating sequence. A second vertically alternating sequence of second continuous insulating layers and second continuous sacrificial material layers is formed over the first-tier structure. A vertically alternating stack of insulating plates and dielectric material is formed over the first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion. Alternatively, dielectric pillar structures may be formed in lieu of the vertically alternating stack. After formation of memory stack structures, electrically conductive layers replace portions of the first and second continuous sacrificial material layers.

Abstract: A first-tier structure includes a first vertically alternating sequence of first continuous insulating layers and first continuous sacrificial material layers and a first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion overlying first stepped surfaces of the first vertically alternating sequence. A second vertically alternating sequence of second continuous insulating layers and second continuous sacrificial material layers is formed over the first-tier structure. A vertically alternating stack of insulating plates and dielectric material is formed over the first-tier retro-stepped dielectric material portion. Alternatively, dielectric pillar structures may be formed in lieu of the vertically alternating stack. After formation of memory stack structures, electrically conductive layers replace portions of the first and second continuous sacrificial material layers.