Stairless three-dimensional memory device containing meandering dielectric isolation structure and methods of forming the same

A semiconductor structure, comprising:

• an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers;
• memory openings vertically extending through the alternating stack;
• memory opening fill structures located in the memory openings and comprising a respective vertical stack of memory elements and a respective vertical semiconductor channel;
• a vertical stack of dielectric material plates located at levels of a subset of the electrically conductive layers;
• a dielectric barrier structure vertically extending through the alternating stack and laterally separating the dielectric material plates from the electrically conductive layers;
• and
• a first vertically-extending conductive via portion that is in electrical contact with a first electrically conductive layer of the electrically conductive layers, and that vertically extends through each of the dielectric material plates that overlie the first electrically conductive layer;
• wherein:
• the dielectric barrier structure comprises a meandering dielectric isolation structure contacting the alternating stack and laterally extending generally along a first horizontal direction with lateral meandering along a second horizontal direction different from the first horizontal direction;
• lateral protrusions in the alternating stack are partially surrounded on at least three sides by the meandering dielectric isolation structure;
• and
• layer contact via structures are located within the lateral protrusions of the alternating stack and contact the respective electrically conductive layers.