公开(公告)号：US11380705B2

公开(公告)日：2022-07-05

申请号：US16784435

申请日：2020-02-07

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Vinayak Shamanna ,  Lifang Xu ,  Aaron R. Wilson

IPC: H01L27/11582 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L23/528 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01L27/11565 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L27/11519

Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a memory array region, a staircase region, and an intervening region between the staircase region and the memory array region. The intervening region includes first and second slabs of insulative material extending through a stack of alternating insulative and conductive levels. Bridging regions are adjacent to the slabs. First slits are along the bridging regions, and second slits extend through the slabs. First panels are within the first slits, and second panels are within the second slits. The second panels are compositionally different from the first panels. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.

公开(公告)号：US20220199637A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-23

申请号：US17125200

申请日：2020-12-17

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Shuangqiang Luo ,  John D. Hopkins ,  Lifang Xu ,  Nancy M. Lomeli ,  Indra V. Chary ,  Kar Wui Thong ,  Shicong Wang

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

Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising a vertically alternating sequence of conductive material and insulative material arranged in tiers. The stack structure has blocks separated from one another by first dielectric slot structures. Each of the blocks comprises two crest regions, a stadium structure interposed between the two crest regions in a first horizontal direction and comprising opposing staircase structures each having steps comprising edges of the tiers of the stack structure, and two bridge regions neighboring opposing sides of the stadium structure in a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction and having upper surfaces substantially coplanar with upper surfaces of the two crest regions. At least one second dielectric slot structure is within horizontal boundaries of the stadium structure in the first horizontal direction and partially vertically extends through and segmenting each of the two bridge regions. Memory devices, electronic systems, and methods of forming microelectronic devices are also described.

公开(公告)号：US11302634B2

公开(公告)日：2022-04-12

申请号：US16790148

申请日：2020-02-13

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Lifang Xu ,  Jian Li ,  Graham R. Wolstenholme ,  Paolo Tessariol ,  George Matamis ,  Nancy M. Lomeli

IPC: H01L23/528 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L27/11582 ,  H01L27/11556

Abstract: Microelectronic devices include stadium structures within a stack structure and substantially symmetrically distributed between a first pillar structure and a second pillar structure, each of which vertically extends through the stack structure. The stack structure includes a vertically alternating sequence of insulative materials and conductive materials arranged in tiers. Each of the stadium structures includes staircase structures having steps including lateral ends of some of the tiers. The substantially symmetrical distribution of the stadium structures, and fill material adjacent such structures, may substantially balance material stresses to avoid or minimize bending of the adjacent pillars. Related methods and systems are also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US20220068317A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-03

申请号：US17243937

申请日：2021-04-29

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Yoshiaki Fukuzumi ,  Paolo Tessariol ,  David H. Wells ,  Lars P. Heineck ,  Richard J. Hill ,  Lifang Xu ,  Indra V. Chary ,  Emilio Camerlenghi

IPC: G11C5/06 ,  H01L21/50 ,  H01L25/065 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/11582

Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a pair of adjacent memory-block-regions, and having a separator structure between the adjacent memory-block-regions. The memory-block-regions include a first stack of alternating conductive levels and first insulative levels. The separator structure includes a second stack of alternating second and third insulative levels. The second insulative levels are substantially horizontally aligned with the conductive levels, and the third insulative levels are substantially horizontally aligned with the first insulative levels. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.

公开(公告)号：US20220020768A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-20

申请号：US17491752

申请日：2021-10-01

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： John D. Hopkins ,  Lifang Xu

IPC: H01L27/11582 ,  H01L27/11556

Abstract: A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings of memory cells are in the stack. The channel-material strings project upwardly from material of an uppermost of the tiers. A first insulator material is above the material of the uppermost tier directly against sides of channel material of the upwardly-projecting channel-material strings. The first insulator material comprises at least one of (a) and (b), where (a): silicon, nitrogen, and one or more of carbon, oxygen, boron, and phosphorus, and (b): silicon carbide. Second insulator material is above the first insulator material. The first and second insulator materials comprise different compositions relative one another. Conductive vias in the second insulator material are individually directly electrically coupled to individual of the channel-material strings. Other embodiments, including methods, are disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US20210358868A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-18

申请号：US17443616

申请日：2021-07-27

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Jivaan Kishore Jhothiraman ,  John M. Meldrim ,  Lifang Xu

IPC: H01L23/00 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/11529 ,  H01L27/1157 ,  H01L27/11582 ,  H01L27/11573 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/528 ,  H01L23/535 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L27/11524

Abstract: Microelectronic devices include a stack structure of insulative structures vertically alternating with conductive structures and arranged in tiers forming opposing staircase structures. A polysilicon fill material substantially fills an opening (e.g., a high-aspect-ratio opening) between the opposing staircase structures. The polysilicon fill material may have non-compressive stress such that the stack structure may be partitioned into blocks without the blocks bending and without contacts—formed in at least one of the polysilicon fill material and the stack structure—deforming, misaligning, or forming electrical shorts with neighboring contacts.

公开(公告)号：US20210287989A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-16

申请号：US16817267

申请日：2020-03-12

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Jordan D. Greenlee ,  John D. Hopkins ,  Rita J. Klein ,  Everett A. McTeer ,  Lifang Xu ,  Daniel Billingsley ,  Collin Howder

IPC: H01L23/535 ,  H01L27/11524 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/1157 ,  H01L27/11582 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/528 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01L21/768

Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure, a staircase structure, conductive pad structures, and conductive contact structures. The stack structure comprises vertically alternating conductive structures and insulating structures arranged in tiers. Each of the tiers individually comprises one of the conductive structures and one of the insulating structures. The staircase structure has steps comprising edges of at least some of the tiers of the stack structure. The conductive pad structures are on the steps of the staircase structure and comprise beta phase tungsten. The conductive contact structures are on the conductive pad structures. Memory devices, electronic systems, and methods of forming microelectronic devices are also described.

公开(公告)号：US20210043644A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-11

申请号：US16532019

申请日：2019-08-05

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Yi Hu ,  Merri L. Carlson ,  Anilkumar Chandolu ,  Indra V. Chary ,  David Daycock ,  Harsh Narendrakumar Jain ,  Matthew J. King ,  Jian Li ,  Brett D. Lowe ,  Prakash Rau Mokhna Rau ,  Lifang Xu

IPC: H01L27/11582 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L27/11526 ,  H01L27/11519 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/11565 ,  H01L27/11573 ,  H01L21/3213

Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells and operative through-array-vias (TAVs) comprises forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. The stack comprises a TAV region and an operative memory-cell-string region. The TAV region comprises spaced operative TAV areas. Operative channel-material strings are formed in the stack in the operative memory-cell-string region and dummy channel-material strings are formed in the stack in the TAV region laterally outside of and not within the operative TAV areas. Operative TAVs are formed in individual of the spaced operative TAV areas in the TAV region. Other methods and structure independent of method are disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US10600682B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-24

申请号：US16172218

申请日：2018-10-26

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： John B. Matovu ,  David S. Meyaard ,  Gowrisankar Damarla ,  Sri Sai Sivakumar Vegunta ,  Kunal Shrotri ,  Shashank Saraf ,  Kevin R. Gast ,  Jivaan Kishore Jhothiraman ,  Suresh Ramarajan ,  Lifang Xu ,  Rithu K. Bhonsle ,  Rutuparna Narulkar ,  Matthew J. King

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/528 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L27/11582 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L27/11575 ,  H01L27/11548

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a sacrificial material over a stack comprising alternating levels of a dielectric material and another material, forming an opening through the sacrificial material and at least some of the alternating levels of the dielectric material and the another material, forming at least one oxide material in the opening and overlying surfaces of the sacrificial material, an uppermost surface of the at least one oxide material extending more distal from a surface of a substrate than an uppermost level of the dielectric material and the another material, planarizing at least a portion of the at least one oxide material to expose a portion of the sacrificial material, and removing the sacrificial material while the uppermost surface of the at least one oxide material remains more distal from the surface of the substrate than the uppermost level of the alternating levels of the dielectric material and the another material. Related methods of forming semiconductor structures and related semiconductor devices are disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US10559719B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-11

申请号：US15594392

申请日：2017-05-12

Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Martin F. Schubert ,  Vladimir Odnoblyudov ,  Lifang Xu

IPC: H01L33/60 ,  H01L33/38 ,  H01L33/00 ,  H01L33/42 ,  H01L33/40 ,  H01L33/06 ,  H01L33/32 ,  H01L33/50 ,  H01L33/56 ,  H01L33/30

Abstract: Solid-state radiation transducer (SSRT) devices having buried contacts that are at least partially transparent and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. An SSRT device configured in accordance with a particular embodiment can include a radiation transducer including a first semiconductor material, a second semiconductor material, and an active region between the first semiconductor material and the second semiconductor material. The SSRT device can further include first and second contacts electrically coupled to the first and second semiconductor materials, respectively. The second contact can include a plurality of buried-contact elements electrically coupled to the second semiconductor material. Individual buried-contact elements can have a transparent portion directly adjacent to the second semiconductor material. The second contact can further include a base portion extending between the buried-contact elements, such as a base portion that is least partially planar and reflective.