Semiconductor device and method forming the same

A method forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate, and forming a conductive layer on the substrate;
• forming a patterned dielectric layer on the conductive layer, the patterned dielectric layer comprises:
• a predetermined word line region extending in a first direction, wherein the predetermined word line region has a connecting portion and a linear portion;
• a pair of predetermined select gate regions, wherein the predetermined word line region is disposed between the pair of predetermined select gate regions in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• a predetermined pick-up neck region surrounding the pair of predetermined select gate regions, wherein the predetermined word line region and the predetermined pick-up neck region are separated by a first distance in the first direction, and neighboring segments within the predetermined pick-up neck region are separated by a second distance in the first direction, wherein the first distance is smaller than or equal to the second distance;
• forming a spacer on sidewalls of the patterned dielectric layer, and removing the patterned dielectric layer after forming the spacer;
• cutting off the spacer in a section of the linear portion to separate the spacer in the connecting portion of the predetermined word line region from the spacer in a remaining linear portion of the predetermined word line region;
• forming a mask pattern on the spacer, wherein the mask pattern comprises a first portion, the first portion laterally spans across the spacer in the connecting portion and the spacer in a portion of the predetermined pick-up neck region, wherein the spacer of the remaining portion of the predetermined word line region and the first portion of the mask pattern are laterally separated by a spacing;
• and
• performing an etching process on the conductive layer to form a dummy structure, a plurality of word lines, a pair of select gates, and a plurality of pick-up neck pairs using the mask pattern and the spacer as etching masks, wherein the dummy structure is laterally located between the plurality of word lines and the plurality of pick-up neck pairs.