Abstract: A memory opening or a line trench is formed through an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers. A memory opening fill structure or a memory stack assembly is formed, which includes a vertical stack of discrete intermediate metallic electrodes formed on sidewalls of the sacrificial material layers, a gate dielectric layer, and a vertical semiconductor channel. Backside recesses are formed by removing the sacrificial material layers selective to the insulating layers, and a combination of a ferroelectric dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer within each of the backside recesses. The electrically conductive layer is laterally spaced from a respective one of the discrete intermediate metallic electrodes by the ferroelectric dielectric layer. Ferroelectric-metal-insulator memory elements are formed around the vertical semiconductor channel.

Abstract: A fan cover is configured to be mounted on a housing of a fan module. The fan cover includes a frame having an opening formed therein, a central hub positioned within the opening of the frame, and a plurality of spiral-shaped air guidance members that extend from the central hub to the frame. Gaps between the spiral-shaped air guidance members of the plurality of spiral-shaped air guidance members enable air to flow from the fan module through the fan cover. Each spiral-shaped air guidance member is configured to extend perpendicularly from the central hub and curve towards the frame at an angle with respect to the opening of the frame. Each spiral-shaped air guidance member further has a plurality of openings formed therein to facilitate air flow.

Abstract: Apparatuses and techniques are described for increasing channel boosting of NAND string during programming by applying a periodic low word line bias during programming. In one aspect, a low pass voltage, VpassL, is applied to designated word lines to create periodic low points or dips in the channel boosting level. A normal pass voltage, Vpass, is applied to other unselected word lines. The low points create barriers to the movement of electrons in the channel toward the selected word line, to prevent the electrons from pulling down the voltage at the channel region which is adjacent to the selected word line. VpassL can be applied to designated word lines at the source and/or drain sides of the selected word line. A control circuit can be configured with various parameters for implementing the techniques.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes vertically-alternating stacks of insulating strips and electrically conductive strips located over a substrate and laterally spaced apart from each other by line trenches. Laterally-alternating sequences of semiconductor region assemblies and dielectric pillar structures are located within a respective one of the line trenches. Memory films are located between each neighboring pair of the vertically-alternating stacks and the laterally-alternating sequences. Each of the semiconductor region assemblies includes a source pillar structure, a drain pillar structure, and a channel structure including a pair of lateral semiconductor channels that laterally connect the source pillar structure and the drain pillar structure. The memory films may include a charge storage layer or a ferroelectric material layer.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes a source contact layer overlying a substrate, an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located overlying the source contact layer, and a memory opening fill structure located within a memory opening extending through the alternating stack and the source contact layer. The memory opening fill structure includes a composite semiconductor channel and a memory film laterally surrounding the composite semiconductor channel. The composite semiconductor channel includes a pedestal channel portion having controlled distribution of n-type dopants that diffuse from the source contact layer with a lower diffusion rate provided by carbon doping and smaller grain sizes, or has arsenic doping providing limited diffusion into the vertical semiconductor channel.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes a source contact layer overlying a substrate, an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located overlying the source contact layer, and a memory opening fill structure located within a memory opening extending through the alternating stack and the source contact layer. The memory opening fill structure includes a composite semiconductor channel and a memory film laterally surrounding the composite semiconductor channel. The composite semiconductor channel includes a pedestal channel portion having controlled distribution of n-type dopants that diffuse from the source contact layer with a lower diffusion rate provided by carbon doping and smaller grain sizes, or has arsenic doping providing limited diffusion into the vertical semiconductor channel.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes a source contact layer overlying a substrate, an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located overlying the source contact layer, and a memory opening fill structure located within a memory opening extending through the alternating stack and the source contact layer. The memory opening fill structure includes a composite semiconductor channel and a memory film laterally surrounding the composite semiconductor channel. The composite semiconductor channel includes a pedestal channel portion having controlled distribution of n-type dopants that diffuse from the source contact layer with a lower diffusion rate provided by carbon doping and smaller grain sizes, or has arsenic doping providing limited diffusion into the vertical semiconductor channel.

Abstract: A memory device includes a memory die containing memory elements, a support die containing peripheral devices and bonded to the memory die, and an electrically conductive path between two of the peripheral devices which extends at least partially through the memory die. The electrically conductive path is electrically isolated from the memory elements.

Abstract: A memory device disclosed herein. The memory device comprises: a memory string including a first select transistor, a memory cell transistor, and a second select transistor connected in series; a bit line connected to one end of the first select transistor; a source line connected to one end of the second select transistor; a first select line connected to a gate of the first select transistor; a word line connected to a gate of the memory cell transistor; a second select line connected to a gate of the second select transistor; and a control circuit configured to perform, before a program operation, a pre-charge operation comprising: applying a voltage to the second select line connected to the gate of the second select transistor to cause gate-induced drain leakage from the second select transistor.

Abstract: A memory device disclosed herein. The memory device comprises: a memory string including a first select transistor, a memory cell transistor, and a second select transistor connected in series; a bit line connected to one end of the first select transistor; a source line connected to one end of the second select transistor; a first select line connected to a gate of the first select transistor; a word line connected to a gate of the memory cell transistor; a second select line connected to a gate of the second select transistor; and a control circuit configured to perform, before a program operation, a pre-charge operation comprising: applying a voltage to the second select line connected to the gate of the second select transistor to cause gate-induced drain leakage from the second select transistor.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate, memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, memory opening fill structures located within a respective one of the memory openings, and at least one drain-select-level isolation structure vertically extending through at least a topmost electrically conductive layer among the electrically conductive layers. The at least one drain-select-level isolation structure may include wiggles and cut through upper portions of at least some of the memory opening fill structures, or may include a vertically-extending dielectric material portion and laterally-protruding dielectric material portions adjoined to the vertically-extending dielectric material portion and laterally protruding into lateral recesses located adjacent to the at least the topmost electrically conductive layer.

Abstract: A memory opening or a line trench is formed through an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers. A memory opening fill structure or a memory stack assembly is formed, which includes a vertical stack of discrete intermediate metallic electrodes formed on sidewalls of the sacrificial material layers, a gate dielectric layer, and a vertical semiconductor channel. Backside recesses are formed by removing the sacrificial material layers selective to the insulating layers, and a combination of a ferroelectric dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer within each of the backside recesses. The electrically conductive layer is laterally spaced from a respective one of the discrete intermediate metallic electrodes by the ferroelectric dielectric layer. Ferroelectric-metal-insulator memory elements are formed around the vertical semiconductor channel.

Abstract: A memory opening or a line trench is formed through an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers. A memory opening fill structure or a memory stack assembly is formed, which includes a vertical stack of discrete intermediate metallic electrodes formed on sidewalls of the sacrificial material layers, a gate dielectric layer, and a vertical semiconductor channel. Backside recesses are formed by removing the sacrificial material layers selective to the insulating layers, and a combination of a ferroelectric dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer within each of the backside recesses. The electrically conductive layer is laterally spaced from a respective one of the discrete intermediate metallic electrodes by the ferroelectric dielectric layer. Ferroelectric-metal-insulator memory elements are formed around the vertical semiconductor channel.

Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device includes forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers over a substrate, forming a memory opening through the alternating stack, forming lateral recesses at levels of the sacrificial material layers around the memory opening, forming a vertical stack of discrete clam-shaped semiconductor liners in the lateral recesses, replacing the vertical stack of discrete clam-shaped semiconductor liners with a vertical stack of inner clam-shaped metallic liners, forming a vertical stack of discrete charge storage elements on the vertical sack of inner clam-shaped metallic liners, forming a tunneling dielectric layer and a vertical semiconductor channel over the vertical stack of discrete charge storage elements and the vertical stack of inner clam-shaped metallic liners, and replacing each of the sacrificial material layers with an electrically conductive layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device includes forming an alternating stack of insulating layers and sacrificial material layers over a substrate, forming a memory opening through the alternating stack, forming lateral recesses at levels of the sacrificial material layers around the memory opening, forming a vertical stack of discrete clam-shaped semiconductor liners in the lateral recesses, replacing the vertical stack of discrete clam-shaped semiconductor liners with a vertical stack of inner clam-shaped metallic liners, forming a vertical stack of discrete charge storage elements on the vertical sack of inner clam-shaped metallic liners, forming a tunneling dielectric layer and a vertical semiconductor channel over the vertical stack of discrete charge storage elements and the vertical stack of inner clam-shaped metallic liners, and replacing each of the sacrificial material layers with an electrically conductive layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes layer stack structures laterally extending along a first horizontal direction and spaced apart from each other along a second horizontal direction by line trenches. Each of the layer stack structures includes at least one instance of a unit layer sequence that includes, from bottom to top or top to bottom, a doped semiconductor source strip, a channel-level insulating strip, and a doped semiconductor drain strip. Line trench fill structures are located within a respective one of the line trenches. Each of the line trench fill structures includes a laterally-alternating sequence of memory pillar structures and dielectric pillar structures. Each of the memory pillar structures includes a gate electrode, at least one pair of ferroelectric dielectric layers, and at least one pair of vertical semiconductor channels located at each level of the channel-level insulating strips.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of source layers and drain layers located over a substrate, memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, vertical word lines located in each one of the memory openings and vertically extending through each of the source layers and the drain layers of the alternating stack, vertical stacks of discrete semiconductor channels located in each one of the memory openings and contacting horizontal surfaces of a respective vertically neighboring pair of a source layer of the source layers and a drain layer of the drain layers, and vertical stacks of discrete memory material portions located in each one of the memory openings and laterally surrounding a respective one of the vertical word lines. Each memory material portion is laterally spaced from a respective one of the semiconductor channels by a respective gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers located over a substrate, memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack, and memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack. Each of the memory stack structures contains a memory film and a vertical semiconductor channel. At least one of the electrically conductive layers contains a first conductive material portion having a respective inner sidewall that contacts a respective one of the memory films at a vertical interface, and a second conductive material portion that has a different composition from the first conductive material portion, and contacting the first electrically conductive material portion. The first conductive material portion has a lower work function than the second conductive material portion.

Abstract: A method of forming a device structure includes forming a memory-level structure including a three-dimensional memory device over a front side surface of a semiconductor substrate, forming memory-side dielectric material layers over the memory-level structure, bonding a handle substrate to the memory-side dielectric material layers, thinning the semiconductor substrate while the handle substrate is attached to the memory-side dielectric material layers, forming a driver circuit including field effect transistors on a backside semiconductor surface of the semiconductor substrate after thinning the semiconductor substrate, and removing the handle substrate from the memory-side dielectric material layers.

Abstract: A ferroelectric field effect transistor (FeFET) includes a semiconductor channel, a source region contacting one end of the semiconductor channel, a drain region contacting a second end of the semiconductor channel, a gate electrode, a ferroelectric gate dielectric layer located between the semiconductor channel and the gate electrode, and a bidirectional selector material layer located between the gate electrode and the ferroelectric gate dielectric layer.