Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatuses includes tiers of respective memory cells and control gates, the tier located one over another over a substrate, the control gates including a control gate closest to the substrate, the control gates including respective portions forming a staircase structure; conductive contacts contacting the control gates at a location of the staircase structure, the conductive contacts including a conductive contact contacting the control gate; a dielectric structure located on sidewalls of the control gates; and support structures adjacent the conductive contacts and having lengths extending vertically from the substrate, the support structures including a support structure closest to the conductive contact, the support structure located at a distance from an edge of the dielectric structure, wherein a ratio of a width of the support structure over the distance is ranging from 1.6 to 2.0.