Patents by Inventor Lifang Xu

Lifang Xu has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11756596
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for transition structures for three-dimensional memory arrays are described. A memory device may include a staircase region which includes a set of vias. The set of vias may include a first subset of vias which couple respective word line plates of the memory region with associated word line decoders, and a second subset of vias which are electrically isolated from the word line plates. The second subset of vias may be arranged in one or more rows positioned between the first subset of vias and the memory region. In some cases, the second subset of vias may be positioned above respective conductive contacts. Additionally or alternatively, the second subset of vias may be positioned above a common conductor shared with pillars of the memory region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Indra V. Chary, Lifang Xu
  • Publication number: 20230275190
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventors: Martin F. Schubert, Vladimir Odnoblyudov, Lifang Xu
  • Patent number: 11742458
    Abstract: Textured optoelectronic devices and associated methods of manufacture are disclosed herein. In several embodiments, a method of manufacturing a solid state optoelectronic device can include forming a conductive transparent texturing material on a substrate. The method can further include forming a transparent conductive material on the texturing material. Upon heating the device, the texturing material causes the conductive material to grow a plurality of protuberances. The protuberances can improve current spreading and light extraction from the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Lifang Xu, Scott D. Schellhammer, Shan Ming Mou, Michael J. Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 11744076
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinayak Shamanna, Lifang Xu, Aaron R. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20230255023
    Abstract: Memory circuitry comprising strings of memory cells comprising memory blocks individually comprises 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 in a memory-array region. The insulative tiers and the conductive tiers of the memory blocks extend from the memory-array region into a stair-step region. Individual of the memory blocks in the stair-step region comprise a flight of operative stairs. Individual of the operative stairs comprise one of the conductive tiers. At least some immediately-laterally-adjacent of the individual memory blocks in the stair-step region have their flights of operative stairs laterally-separated by a stack comprising two vertically-alternating different-composition insulative materials. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Lifang Xu, Richard J. Hill, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Paolo Tessariol
  • Patent number: 11716841
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a first memory region, a second memory region, and an intermediate region between the memory regions. A stack extends across the memory regions and the intermediate region. The stack includes alternating conductive levels and insulative levels. Channel-material-pillars are arranged within the memory regions. Memory-block-regions extend longitudinally across the memory regions and the intermediate region. Staircase regions are within the intermediate region. Each of the staircase regions laterally overlaps two of the memory-block-regions. First panel regions extend longitudinally across at least portions of the staircase regions. Second panel regions extend longitudinally and provide lateral separation between adjacent memory-block-regions. The second panel regions are of laterally different dimensions than the first panel regions and/or are compositionally different than the first panel regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Lifang Xu, Indra V. Chary
  • Patent number: 11710710
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventors: Jivaan Kishore Jhothiraman, John M. Meldrim, Lifang Xu
  • Patent number: 11690234
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a microelectronic device structure having a memory array region and a staircase region. The microelectronic device structure comprises a stack structure having tiers each comprising a conductive structure and an insulative structure; staircase structures confined within the staircase region and having steps comprising edges of the tiers of the stack structure within the deck and the additional deck; and semiconductive pillar structures confined within the memory array region and extending through the stack structures. The stack structure comprises a deck comprising a group of the tiers; an additional deck overlying the deck and comprising an additional group of the tiers; and an interdeck section between the deck and the additional deck and comprising a dielectric structure confined within the memory array region, and another group of the tiers within vertical boundaries of the dielectric structure and confined within the staircase region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Zhao, Nancy M. Lomeli, Lifang Xu, Adam L. Olson
  • Publication number: 20230178488
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises stack structure comprising an alternating sequence of conductive material and insulative material arranged in tiers, and having blocks separated by dielectric slot structures. Each of the blocks comprises a stadium structure, a filled trench overlying the stadium structure, support structures extending through the filled trench and tiers of the stack structure, and dielectric liner structures covering sidewalls of the support structures. The stadium structure comprises staircase structures each having steps comprising edges of the tiers of the stack structure. The filled trench comprises a dielectric material interposed between at least two additional dielectric materials. The dielectric liner structures comprise first protrusions at vertical positions of the dielectric material, and second protrusions at vertical positions of the conductive material of the tiers of the stack structure. The second protrusions have greater horizontal dimensions than the first protrusions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Lifang Xu, Xiao Li, Jivaan Kishore Jhothiraman, Mohadeseh Asadolahi Baboli
  • Patent number: 11670738
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin F. Schubert, Vladimir Odnoblyudov, Lifang Xu
  • Patent number: 11665894
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising blocks separated from one another by dielectric slot structures. At least one of the blocks comprises two crest regions, a stadium structure interposed between the two crest regions in a first horizontal direction, and two bridge regions neighboring opposing sides of the stadium structure in a second horizontal direction. A filled trench vertically overlies and is within horizontal boundaries of the stadium structure of the at least one of the blocks. The filled trench comprises a dielectric liner material on the opposing staircase structures of the stadium structure and on inner sidewalls of the two bridge regions, and dielectric structures on and having a different material composition than the dielectric liner material. The dielectric structures are substantially confined within horizontal areas of the steps of the stadium structure. Memory devices, electronic systems, and methods of forming microelectronic devices are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Larsen, Lifang Xu
  • Patent number: 11658132
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a semiconductor die with memory array regions and one or more regions peripheral to the memory array regions. A stack of alternating insulative and conductive levels extends across the memory array regions and passes into at least one of the peripheral regions. The stack generates bending stresses on the die. At least one stress-moderating region extends through the stack and is configured to alleviate the bending stresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rohit Kothari, Lifang Xu, Jian Li
  • Publication number: 20230143406
    Abstract: A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Operative channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The operative channel-material strings in the laterally-spaced memory blocks comprise part of a memory plane. An elevationally-extending wall is in the memory plane laterally-between immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory blocks and that completely encircles an island that is laterally-between immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory blocks in the memory plane. Other embodiments, including method are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Lifang Xu, Indra V. Chary, Justin B. Dorhout, Jian Li, Haitao Liu, Paolo Tessariol
  • Publication number: 20230065142
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Paolo Tessariol, David H. Wells, Lars P. Heineck, Richard J. Hill, Lifang Xu, Indra V. Chary, Emilio Camerlenghi
  • Publication number: 20230063178
    Abstract: A microelectronic device includes a stack structure including a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulating structures arranged in tiers, a dielectric-filled opening vertically extending into the stack structure and defined between two internal sidewalls of the stack structure, a stadium structure within the stack structure and comprising steps defined by horizontal ends of at least some of the tiers, a first ledge extending upward from a first uppermost step of the steps of the stadium structure and interfacing with a first internal sidewall of the two internal sidewalls of the stack structure, and a second ledge extending upward from a second, opposite uppermost step of the steps of the stadium structure and interfacing with a second, opposite internal sidewall of the two internal sidewalls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Bo Zhao, Matthew J. King, Jason Reece, Michael J. Gossman, Shruthi Kumara Vadivel, Martin J. Barclay, Lifang Xu, Joel D. Peterson, Matthew Park, Adam L. Olson, David A. Kewley, Xiaosong Zhang, Justin B. Dorhout, Zhen Feng Yow, Kah Sing Chooi, Tien Minh Quan Tran, Biow Hiem Ong
  • Publication number: 20230063111
    Abstract: Microelectronic devices include a stack structure having a vertically alternating sequence of insulative structures and conductive structures arranged in tiers. At least one stadium, of stadiums within the stack structure, comprise staircase(s) having steps provided by a group of the conductive structures. Step contacts extend to the steps of the staircase(s) of the at least one of the stadiums. Each conductive structure of the group of conductive structures has more than one of the step contacts in contact therewith at at least one of the steps of the staircase(s). Additional microelectronic devices are also disclosed, as are methods of fabrication and electronic systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Lifang Xu
  • Patent number: 11563022
    Abstract: A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Operative channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The operative channel-material strings in the laterally-spaced memory blocks comprise part of a memory plane. An elevationally-extending wall is in the memory plane laterally-between immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory blocks and that completely encircles an island that is laterally-between immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory blocks in the memory plane. Other embodiments, including method are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Lifang Xu, Indra V. Chary, Justin B. Dorhout, Jian Li, Haitao Liu, Paolo Tessariol
  • Publication number: 20230010799
    Abstract: Microelectronic devices include a tiered stack having vertically alternating insulative and conductive structures. A first series of stadiums is defined in the tiered stack within a first block of a dual-block structure. A second series of stadiums is defined in the tiered stack within a second block of the dual-block structure. The first and second series of stadiums are substantially symmetrically structured about a trench at a center of the dual-block structure. The trench extends a width of the first and second series of stadiums. The stadiums of the first and second series of stadiums have opposing staircase structures comprising steps at ends of the conductive structures of the tiered stack. Conductive source/drain contact structures are in the stack and extend substantially vertically from a source/drain region at a floor of the trench. Additional microelectronic devices are also disclosed, as are methods of fabrication and electronic systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Lifang Xu, Richard J. Hill, Indra V. Chary, Lars P. Heineck
  • Publication number: 20230009880
    Abstract: Integrated circuitry comprises two three-dimensional (3D) array regions individually comprising tiers of electronic components. A stair-step region is between the two 3D-array regions. First stair-step structures alternate with second stair-step structures along a first direction within the stair-step region. The first stair-step structures individually comprise two opposing first flights of stairs in a first vertical cross-section along the first direction. The stairs in the first flights each have multiple different-depth treads in a second vertical cross-section that is along a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. The second stair-step structures individually comprise two opposing second flights of stairs in the first vertical cross-section. The stairs in the second flights each have only a single one tread along the second direction. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Lifang Xu, Indra V. Chary, David H. Wells, Harsh Narendrakumar Jain, Umberto Maria Meotto, Paolo Tessariol
  • Publication number: 20220406712
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure, contact structures, and additional contact structures. The stack structure comprises a vertically alternating sequence of conductive material and insulative material arranged in tiers. The stack structure is divided into blocks each comprising a stadium structure including steps comprising horizontal ends of the tiers. The contact structures are within a horizontal area of the stadium structure and vertically extend through the stack structure. The additional contact structures are on at least some of the steps of the stadium structure and are coupled to the contact structures. Memory devices and electronic devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Indra V. Chary, Shuangqiang Luo, Lifang Xu