Abstract: Embodiments of methods for forming contact structures and semiconductor devices thereof are disclosed. In an example, a method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a spacer structure from a first surface of the base structure into the base structure, forming a first contact portion surrounded by the spacer structure, and forming a second contact portion in contact with the first contact portion. The second contact extends from a second surface of the base structure into the base structure.

Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) memory devices and methods for forming the 3D memory devices are provided. For example, a method for forming a 3D memory device is provided. A dielectric stack including interleaved sacrificial layers and dielectric layers is formed on a substrate. A staircase structure is formed on at least one side of the dielectric stack. Dummy channel holes and dummy source holes extending vertically through the staircase structure are formed. A subset of the dummy channel holes is surrounded by the dummy source holes. A dummy channel structure is formed in each dummy channel hole, and interleaved conductive layers and dielectric layers are formed in the staircase structure by replacing, through the dummy source holes, the sacrificial layers in the staircase structure with the conductive layers. A spacer is formed along a sidewall of each dummy source hole to cover the conductive layers in the staircase structure, and a contact is formed within the spacer in each dummy source hole.

Abstract: Embodiments of 3D memory devices and methods for forming the same are disclosed. In an example, a 3D memory device includes a doped region of a substrate. The doped region includes dopants of a first type. The 3D memory device also includes a semiconductor layer on the doped region. The semiconductor layer includes dopants of a second type. The first type and the second type are different from each other. The 3D memory device also includes a memory stack having interleaved conductive layers and dielectric layers on the semiconductor layer. The 3D memory device further includes a channel structure extending vertically through the memory stack and the semiconductor layer into the doped region, a semiconductor plug extending vertically into the doped region, the semiconductor plug comprising dopants of the second type, and a source contact structure extending vertically through the memory stack to be in contact with the semiconductor plug.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a channel structure that extends from a side of a substrate. The channel structure has sidewalls and a bottom region. The channel structure includes a bottom channel contact that is positioned at the bottom region, and a channel layer that is formed along the sidewalls and over the bottom channel contact. The channel structure further includes a high-k layer that is formed over the channel layer along the sidewalls of the channel structure and over the bottom channel contact.

Abstract: In an example of the present disclosure, 3D memory device includes a memory array structure and a staircase structure dividing the memory array structure into a first memory array structure and a second memory array structure along a lateral direction. The staircase structure includes a plurality of stairs, and a bridge structure in contact with the first memory array structure and the second memory array structure. A stair of the plurality of stairs includes a conductor portion on a top surface of the stair and electrically connected to the bridge structure, and a dielectric portion at a same level and in contact with the conductor portion. The stair is electrically connected to at least one of the first memory array structure and the second memory array structure. The conductor portion includes a portion overlapping with an immediately-upper stair and in contact with the dielectric portion and the bridge structure.

Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) NAND memory devices and methods are provided. In one aspect, a 3D NAND memory device includes a substrate, core regions, isolation regions, a layer stack, channel structures, and an isolation structure. Each core region is surrounded by one or more of the isolation regions. The layer stack is formed in each core region and includes first dielectric layers and conductor layers that are alternatingly stacked over each other. The channel structures are formed through the layer stack. The isolation structure is formed in one or more of the isolation regions, and includes second dielectric layers and third dielectric layers that are alternatingly stacked over each other.

Abstract: Methods and structures of a three-dimensional memory device are disclosed. In an example, the memory device comprises a substrate, a stack structure on the substrate, and at least one gate line slit extending along a first direction substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate, and dividing the stack structure into at least two portions. The stack structure includes at least one connection portion that divides the at least one gate line slit, and conductively connects the at least two portions.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure including forming a plurality of mandrel lines on a first dielectric layer and forming one or more groups of discontinuous mandrel line pairs with a first mask. The method further includes disposing a second dielectric layer, and forming dielectric spacers on sidewalls of the mandrel lines and the discontinuous mandrel line pairs. The method further includes removing the mandrel lines and the discontinuous mandrel line pairs to form spacer masks, forming one or more groups of blocked regions using a second mask, and forming openings extended through the first dielectric layer with a conjunction of the spacer masks and the second mask. The method also includes removing the spacer masks and the second mask, disposing an objective material in the openings, and forming objective lines with top surfaces coplanar with the top surfaces of the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: In a method for forming a semiconductor device, a channel structure is formed that extends from a side of a substrate, where the channel structure includes sidewalls and a bottom region. The channel structure further includes a bottom channel contact that is positioned at the bottom region and a channel layer that is formed along the sidewalls and over the bottom channel contact. A high-k layer is formed over the channel layer along the sidewalls of the channel structure and over the bottom channel contact.

Abstract: Embodiments of 3D memory devices and methods for forming the same are disclosed. In an example, a 3D memory device includes a memory stack including interleaved stack conductive layers and stack dielectric layers, a semiconductor layer, a plurality of channel structures each extending vertically through the memory stack into the semiconductor layer, and an insulating structure extending vertically through the memory stack and including a dielectric layer doped with at least one of hydrogen or an isotope of hydrogen.

Abstract: In a method for fabricating a semiconductor device, an initial stack of alternatingly sacrificial word line layers and insulating layers is formed over a substrate of the semiconductor device. A connection region, a first staircase region, and a second staircase region are patterned in the initial stack. The first staircase region is shaped in the initial stack to form a first staircase, and the second staircase region is shaped in the initial stack to form a second staircase. The first staircase is formed in a first block of the initial stack and extends between first array regions of the first block. The second staircase is formed in a second block of the initial stack and extends between second array regions of the second block. The connection region is formed in the initial stack between the first staircase and the second staircase.

Abstract: Memory device includes a bottom-select-gate (BSG) structure. Cut slits are formed vertically through the BSG structure, on a substrate. A cell-layers structure is formed on the BSG structure. Gate-line slits are formed vertically through the cell-layers structure and the BSG structure, into the substrate and arranged along a first lateral direction to distinguish finger regions. The gate-line slits include a first gate-line slit between first and second finger regions, the first gate-line slit including gate-line sub-slits. The cut slits include a first cut-slit, formed in the second finger region and connecting to a gate-line sub-slit to define a BSG in a first portion of the second finger region. The BSG in the first portion of the second finger region is electrically connected to cell strings in the first finger region through an inter portion between the one gate-line sub-slit and an adjacent gate-line sub-slit.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods for forming contact structures and semiconductor devices thereof are disclosed. In an example, a semiconductor device includes an insulating layer, a conductive layer over the insulating layer, and a spacer structure in the conductive layer and in contact with the insulating layer. The semiconductor device also includes a first contact structure in the spacer structure and extending vertically through the insulating layer. The first contact structure includes a first contact portion and a second contact portion in contact with each other. An upper surface of the second contact portion is coplanar with an upper surface of the conductive layer.

Abstract: Memory device includes a bottom-select-gate (BSG) structure including cut slits vertically through the BSG structure, on a substrate. A cell-layers structure is formed on the BSG structure. Gate-line slits are formed vertically through the cell-layers structure and the BSG structure, into the substrate and arranged along a first lateral direction to distinguish finger regions. A first gate-line slit is between first and second finger regions and includes gate-line sub-slits. The first finger region is divided into a first string region and a second string region by a first cut-slit, formed in the first finger region along a second lateral direction and further extended into at least the second finger region along the first lateral direction. At least one BSG defined by the first cut-slit is located in at least the second finger region to connect to cell strings in the first string region through an inter-portion between adjacent gate-line sub-slits.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a stack of alternating gate layers and insulating layers is formed over a substrate. Channel structures are formed in an array region of the stack. A first staircase is formed at a first section of the stack. A second staircase is formed at a second section of the stack. The first staircase is positioned over the second staircase. The first staircase includes first group stair steps descending in a second direction parallel to the substrate and first division stair steps descending in a third direction and a fourth direction that are parallel to the substrate and perpendicular to the second direction. The third direction and the fourth direction are opposite to each other. The second staircase includes second group stair steps descending in the second direction and second division stair steps descending in the third direction and the fourth direction.

Abstract: Embodiments of staircase structures of a three-dimensional memory device and fabrication method thereof are disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a first and a second film stacks, wherein the first film stack is disposed over the second film stack and has M1 number of layers. The second film stack has M2 number of layers. M1 and M2 are whole numbers. The semiconductor structure also includes an upper staircase structure and a lower staircase structure, wherein the upper staircase structure is formed in the first film stack and the lower staircase structure is formed in the second film stack. The upper and lower staircase structures are next to each other with an offset.

Abstract: Embodiments of 3D memory devices having staircase structures and methods for forming the same are disclosed. In an example, the 3D memory device includes a memory array structure and a staircase structure. The staircase structure is located in an intermediate of the memory array structure and divides the memory array structure into a first memory array structure and a second memory array structure along a lateral direction. The staircase structure includes a plurality of stairs extending along the lateral direction, and a bridge structure in contact with the memory array structure. The stairs include a stair above one or more dielectric pairs. The stair includes a conductor portion electrically connected to the bridge structure and is electrically connected to the memory array structure through the bridge structure. Along a second lateral direction perpendicular to the lateral direction and away from the bridge structure, a width of the conductor portion decreases.

Abstract: Embodiments of semiconductor devices and fabrication methods thereof are disclosed. In an example, a method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes the following operations. In a first semiconductor structure, a first bonding layer is formed having a first dielectric layer and a plurality of protruding contact structures. In a second semiconductor structure, a second bonding layer is formed having a second dielectric layer and a plurality of recess contact structures. The plurality of protruding contact structures are bonded with the plurality of recess contact structures such that each of the plurality of protruding contacts is in contact with a respective recess contact structure.

Abstract: Embodiments of 3D memory devices and methods for forming the same are disclosed. In an example, a 3D memory device includes a P-type doped region of a substrate, an N-type doped semiconductor layer on the P-type doped region, a memory stack including interleaved conductive layers and dielectric layers on the N-type doped semiconductor layer, a channel structure extending vertically through the memory stack and the N-type doped semiconductor layer into the P-type doped region, an N-type doped semiconductor plug extending vertically into the P-type doped region, and a source contact structure extending vertically through the memory stack to be in contact with the N-type doped semiconductor plug.

Abstract: In a method for fabricating a semiconductor device, an initial stack of sacrificial word line layers and insulating layers is formed over a substrate of the semiconductor device. The sacrificial word line layers and the insulating layers are disposed over the substrate alternately. A first staircase is formed in a first staircase region of a connection region of the initial stack. A second staircase is formed in a second staircase region of the connection region of the initial stack. The connection region of the initial stack includes a separation region between the first and second staircases, and the connection region is positioned between array regions of the initial stack at opposing sides of the initial stack.