公开(公告)号：US11600630B2

公开(公告)日：2023-03-07

申请号：US16988156

申请日：2020-08-07

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Jordan D. Greenlee ,  Nancy M. Lomeli ,  John D. Hopkins ,  Jiewei Chen ,  Indra V. Chary ,  Jun Fang ,  Vladimir Samara ,  Kaiming Luo ,  Rita J. Klein ,  Xiao Li ,  Vinayak Shamanna

IPC: H01L27/11568 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/11582 ,  G11C5/06 ,  H01L21/306 ,  G11C16/04 ,  G11C5/02

Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a source structure, and having a stack of alternating conductive levels and insulative levels over the source structure. Cell-material-pillars pass through the stack. The cell-material-pillars are arranged within a configuration which includes a first memory-block-region and a second memory-block-region. The cell-material-pillars include channel material which is electrically coupled with the source structure. Memory cells are along the conductive levels and include regions of the cell-material-pillars. A panel is between the first and second memory-block-regions. The panel has a first material configured as a container shape. The container shape defines opposing sides and a bottom of a cavity. The panel has a second material within the cavity. The second material is compositionally different from the first material. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.

公开(公告)号：US20220359539A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-10

申请号：US17814765

申请日：2022-07-25

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： John D. Hopkins ,  Nancy M. Lomeli

IPC: H01L27/115

Abstract: Microelectronic devices include a stack structure of vertically alternating insulative and conductive structures arranged in tiers. The insulative structures of a lower portion of the stack structure are thicker than the insulative structures of an upper portion. The conductive structures of the lower portion are as thick, or thicker, than the conductive structures of the upper portion. At least one feature may taper in width and extend vertically through the stack structure. The thicker insulative structures of the lower portion extend a greater lateral distance from the at least one feature than the lateral distance, from the at least one feature, extended by the thinner insulative structures of the upper portion. During methods of forming such devices, sacrificial structures are removed from an initial stack of alternating insulative and sacrificial structures, leaving gaps between neighboring insulative structures. Conductive structures are then formed in the gaps. Systems are also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US11476266B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-18

申请号：US16799543

申请日：2020-02-24

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Shuangqiang Luo ,  Nancy M. Lomeli ,  Lifang Xu

IPC: H01L27/11582 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  G11C5/06 ,  G11C5/02

Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising vertically alternating conductive structures and insulating structures arranged in tiers, the tiers individually comprising one of the conductive structures and one of the insulating structures, a staircase structure within the stack structure and having steps comprising edges of at least some of the tiers, conductive contact structures on the steps of the staircase structure, support pillar structures laterally offset in at least a first direction from the conductive contact structures and extending through the stack structure, and bridge structures comprising an electrically insulating material extending vertically through at least a portion of the stack structure and between at least some adjacent support pillar structures of the support pillar structures. Related memory devices, electronic systems, and methods are also described.

公开(公告)号：US20220231031A1

公开(公告)日：2022-07-21

申请号：US17153740

申请日：2021-01-20

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Lifang Xu ,  Shuangqiang Luo ,  Harsh Narendrakumar Jain ,  Nancy M. Lomeli ,  Christopher J. Larsen

IPC: H01L27/1157 ,  H01L27/11524 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/11529 ,  H01L27/11582 ,  H01L27/11573 ,  H01L23/00 ,  H01L23/528 ,  H01L23/522

Abstract: A method of forming a microelectronic device includes forming a microelectronic device structure. The microelectronic device structure includes a stack structure having an alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures, an upper stadium structure, a lower stadium structure, and a crest region defined between a first stair step structure of the upper stadium structure and a second stair step structure of the lower stadium structure. The stack structure further includes pillar structures extending through the stack structure and dielectric structures interposed between neighboring pillar structures within the upper stadium structure. The method further includes forming a trench in the crest region of the stack structure between two dielectric structures of the dielectric structures on opposing sides of another dielectric structure and filling the trench with a dielectric material. The trench partially overlaps with the dielectric structures.

公开(公告)号：US20220149061A1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-12

申请号：US17091420

申请日：2020-11-06

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： John D. Hopkins ,  Nancy M. Lomeli

IPC: H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/11582 ,  H01L27/1157 ,  H01L27/11519 ,  H01L27/11524 ,  H01L27/11565

Abstract: A memory array comprises a conductor tier comprising upper conductor material directly above and directly electrically coupled to lower conductor material. The upper and lower conductor materials comprise different compositions relative one another. Laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprise alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers, Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers and through the upper conductor material into the lower conductor material. The channel material of the channel-material strings is directly electrically coupled to the upper and lower conductor materials of the conductor tier. Intervening material is laterally-between and longitudinally-along immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory blocks. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US20220139779A1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-05

申请号：US17577031

申请日：2022-01-17

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： John D. Hopkins ,  Lifang Xu ,  Nancy M. Lomeli

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/11529 ,  H01L27/1157 ,  H01L27/11582 ,  H01L27/11573 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/528 ,  H01L23/535 ,  H01L27/11524

Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a stack of alternating first and second levels. The first levels contain conductive material and the second levels contain insulative material. At least some of the first and second levels are configured as steps. Each of the steps has one of the second levels over an associated one of the first levels. A layer is over the steps and is spaced from the stack by an intervening insulative region. Insulative material is over the layer. Conductive interconnects extend through the insulative material, through the layer, through the intervening insulative region and to the conductive material within the first levels of the steps. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.

公开(公告)号：US20220077168A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-10

申请号：US17012741

申请日：2020-09-04

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： John D. Hopkins ,  Jordan D. Greenlee ,  Nancy M. Lomeli

IPC: H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/11582 ,  G11C5/02 ,  G11C5/06 ,  H01L23/538

Abstract: A method of forming a microelectronic device comprises forming a sacrificial material over a base structure. Portions of the sacrificial material are replaced with an etch-resistant material. A stack structure is formed over the etch-resistant material and remaining portions of the sacrificial material. The stack structure comprises a vertically alternating sequence of insulative material and additional sacrificial material arranged in tiers, and at least one staircase structure horizontally overlapping the etch-resistant material and having steps comprising horizontal ends of the tiers. Slots are formed to vertically extend through the stack structure and the remaining portions of the sacrificial material. The sacrificial material and the additional sacrificial material are selectively replaced with conductive material after forming the slots to respectively form lateral contact structures and conductive structures. Microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.

公开(公告)号：US20220037358A1

公开(公告)日：2022-02-03

申请号：US17502501

申请日：2021-10-15

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Nancy M. Lomeli ,  Tom George ,  Jordan D. Greenlee ,  Scott M. Pook ,  John Mark Meldrim

IPC: H01L27/11582 ,  H01L29/10 ,  H01L23/535 ,  G11C16/04 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/1157 ,  H01L27/11578 ,  G11C16/08 ,  H01L27/11565

Abstract: Some embodiments include a conductive structure of an integrated circuit. The conductive structure includes an upper primary portion, with the upper primary portion having a first conductive constituent configured as a container. The container has a bottom, and a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly from the bottom. An interior region of the container is over the bottom and between the sidewalls. The upper primary portion includes a second conductive constituent configured as a mass filling the interior region of the container. The second conductive constituent is a different composition than the first conductive constituent. One or more conductive projections join to the upper primary portion and extend downwardly from the upper primary portion. Some embodiments include assemblies comprising memory cells over conductive structures. Some embodiments include methods of forming conductive structures.

公开(公告)号：US20210280595A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-09

申请号：US16807573

申请日：2020-03-03

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： John D. Hopkins ,  Nancy M. Lomeli

IPC: H01L27/11556 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L27/11582 ,  G11C5/06 ,  G11C5/02

Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The conductive tiers comprise metal along sides of the memory blocks. Silicon is formed between the memory blocks over the metal of the conductive tiers. The silicon and the metal react to form metal silicide therefrom that is directly against and longitudinally-along the metal of individual of the conductive tiers. After the reacting, unreacted of the silicon is removed from between the memory blocks and intervening material is formed between and longitudinally-along the memory blocks. Other embodiments, including structure independent of method, are disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US11107831B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-31

申请号：US16700877

申请日：2019-12-02

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： John D. Hopkins ,  Justin B. Dorhout ,  Nirup Bandaru ,  Damir Fazil ,  Nancy M. Lomeli ,  Jivaan Kishore Jhothiraman ,  Purnima Narayanan

IPC: H01L21/8229 ,  H01L27/11582 ,  H01L27/11524 ,  H01L27/1157 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/11565 ,  H01L27/11519

Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a first deck which has first memory cells, and having a second deck which has second memory cells. The first memory cells have first control gate regions which include a first conductive material vertically between horizontally-extending bars of a second conductive material. The second memory cells have second control gate regions which include a fourth conductive material along an outer surface of a third conductive material. A pillar passes through the first and second decks. The pillar includes a dielectric-barrier material laterally surrounding a channel material. The first and fourth materials are directly against the dielectric-barrier material. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.