Patents by Inventor Paolo Fantini

Paolo Fantini 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).

  • Publication number: 20210056382
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for implementing artificial synapses utilizing SSM cells. A leaky-integrate-and-fire circuit can provide a feedback signal to an SSM cell responsive to a threshold quantity of pulses being applied to the gate from the signal line. A resulting state of the SSM cell can be dependent on a time difference between a latest of the threshold quantity of pulses and an initial pulse of the feedback signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventor: Paolo Fantini
  • Patent number: 10930707
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for memory device with a split pillar architecture are described. A memory device may include a substrate arranged with conductive contacts in a pattern and openings through alternative layers of conductive and insulative material that may decrease the spacing between the openings while maintaining a dielectric thickness to sustain the voltage to be applied to the array. After etching material, an insulative material may be deposited in a trench. Portions of the insulative material may be removed to form openings, into which cell material is deposited. Conductive pillars may extend perpendicular to the planes of the conductive material and the substrate, and couple to conductive contacts. The conductive pillars and cell material may be divided to form a first and second storage components and first and second pillars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Lorenzo Fratin, Fabio Pellizzer, Paolo Fantini
  • Publication number: 20210005665
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for split pillar architectures for memory devices are described. A memory device may include a substrate arranged with conductive contacts in a pattern and openings through alternative layers of conductive and insulative material that may decrease the spacing between the openings while maintaining a dielectric thickness to sustain the voltage to be applied to the array. After etching material, an insulative material may be deposited in a trench. Portions of the insulative material may be removed to form openings, into which cell material is deposited. Conductive pillars may extend perpendicular to the planes of the conductive material and the substrate, and couple to conductive contacts. The conductive pillars may be divided to form first and second pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Paolo Fantini, Fabio Pellizzer, Lorenzo Fratin
  • Publication number: 20210005664
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for memory device with a split pillar architecture are described. A memory device may include a substrate arranged with conductive contacts in a pattern and openings through alternative layers of conductive and insulative material that may decrease the spacing between the openings while maintaining a dielectric thickness to sustain the voltage to be applied to the array. After etching material, an insulative material may be deposited in a trench. Portions of the insulative material may be removed to form openings, into which cell material is deposited. Conductive pillars may extend perpendicular to the planes of the conductive material and the substrate, and couple to conductive contacts. The conductive pillars and cell material may be divided to form a first and second storage components and first and second pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Lorenzo Fratin, Fabio Pellizzer, Paolo Fantini
  • Patent number: 10847580
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for a three-dimensional memory array are described. Memory cells may transform when exposed to elevated temperatures, including elevated temperatures associated with a read or write operation of a neighboring cell, corrupting the data stored in them. To prevent this thermal disturb effect, memory cells may be separated from one another by thermally insulating regions that include one or several interfaces. The interfaces may be formed by layering different materials upon one another or adjusting the deposition parameters of a material during formation. The layers may be created with planar thin-film deposition techniques, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Paolo Fantini
  • Publication number: 20200350203
    Abstract: Architectures of 3D memory arrays, systems, and methods regarding the same are described. An array may include a substrate arranged with conductive contacts in a geometric pattern and openings through alternative layers of conductive and insulative material that may decrease the spacing between the openings while maintaining a dielectric thickness to sustain the voltage to be applied to the array. After etching material, a sacrificial layer may be deposited in a trench that forms a serpentine shape. Portions of the sacrificial layer may be removed to form openings, into which cell material is deposited. An insulative material may be formed in contact with the sacrificial layer. The conductive pillars extend substantially perpendicular to the planes of the conductive material and the substrate, and couple to conductive contacts. A chalcogenide material may be formed in the recesses partially around the conductive pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Lorenzo Fratin, Enrico Varesi, Paolo Fantini
  • Publication number: 20200335696
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating memory cell(s) using transition metal doped GST are described. As discussed herein, a composition including germanium (Ge), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), and at least one of yttrium (Y) and scandium (Sc) may be used as a memory element in a memory cell. For example, a memory element may include a composition having Ge in an amount ranging from 15 to 35 atomic percent (at. %) of the composition, Sb in an amount less than or equal to 50 at. % of the composition, Te in an amount greater than or equal to 40 at. % of the composition, and at least one of Y and Sc in an amount ranging from 0.15 to 10 at. % of the composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Paolo Fantini, Marco Bernasconi, Silvia Gabardi
  • Publication number: 20200327940
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to techniques to access a self-selecting memory device are described. A self-selecting memory cell may store one or more bits of data represented by different threshold voltages of the self-selecting memory cell. A programming pulse may be varied to establish the different threshold voltages by modifying one or more time durations during which a fixed level of voltage or current is maintained across the self-selecting memory cell. The self-selecting memory cell may include a chalcogenide alloy. A non-uniform distribution of an element in the chalcogenide alloy may determine a particular threshold voltage of the self-selecting memory cell. The shape of the programming pulse may be configured to modify a distribution of the element in the chalcogenide alloy based on a desired logic state of the self-selecting memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Innocenzo Tortorelli, Andrea Redaelli, Agostino Pirovano, Fabio Pellizzer, Mario Allegra, Paolo Fantini
  • Patent number: 10803938
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein may relate to adjusting an aspect of a programming pulse for one or more memory cells, such as based at least in part on one or more detected programmed resistance values for the one or more memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alessio Spessot, Paolo Fantini, Massimo Ferro
  • Publication number: 20200321523
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods related to or that employ chalcogenide memory components and compositions are described. A component of a memory cell, such as a selector device, storage device, or self-selecting memory device, may be made of a chalcogenide material composition. A chalcogenide material may have a composition that includes one or more elements from the boron group, such as boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium. The chalcogenide material, for instance, may have a composition of selenium, germanium, and at least one of boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium. The chalcogenide material may in some cases also include arsenic, but may in some cases lack arsenic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Enrico Varesi, Paolo Fantini, Lorenzo Fratin, Swapnil A. Lengade
  • Publication number: 20200303464
    Abstract: An example three-dimensional (3-D) memory array includes a substrate material including a plurality of conductive contacts arranged in a staggered pattern and a plurality of planes of a conductive material separated from one another by a first insulation material formed on the substrate material. Each of the plurality of planes of the conductive material includes a plurality of recesses formed therein. A second insulation material is formed in a serpentine shape through the insulation material and the conductive material. A plurality of conductive pillars are arranged to extend substantially perpendicular to the plurality of planes of the conductive material and the substrate and each respective conductive pillar is coupled to a different respective one of the conductive contacts. A chalcogenide material is formed in the plurality of recesses such that the chalcogenide material in each respective recess is formed partially around one of the plurality of conductive pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Paolo Fantini, Lorenzo Fratin
  • Patent number: 10727405
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods related to or that employ chalcogenide memory components and compositions are described. A component of a memory cell, such as a selector device, storage device, or self-selecting memory device, may be made of a chalcogenide material composition. A chalcogenide material may have a composition that includes one or more elements from the boron group, such as boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium. The chalcogenide material, for instance, may have a composition of selenium, germanium, and at least one of boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium. The chalcogenide material may in some cases also include arsenic, but may in some cases lack arsenic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Enrico Varesi, Paolo Fantini, Lorenzo Fratin, Swapnil A. Lengade
  • Publication number: 20200227094
    Abstract: An apparatus has an array of memory cells and a controller coupled to the array. The controller is configured to track a sub-threshold leakage current through a number of memory cells of the array and determine a threshold voltage based on the sub-threshold leakage current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Paolo Fantini, Paolo Amato, Marco Sforzin
  • Patent number: 10700128
    Abstract: An example three-dimensional (3-D) memory array includes a substrate material including a plurality of conductive contacts arranged in a staggered pattern and a plurality of planes of a conductive material separated from one another by a first insulation material formed on the substrate material. Each of the plurality of planes of the conductive material includes a plurality of recesses formed therein. A second insulation material is formed in a serpentine shape through the insulation material and the conductive material. A plurality of conductive pillars are arranged to extend substantially perpendicular to the plurality of planes of the conductive material and the substrate and each respective conductive pillar is coupled to a different respective one of the conductive contacts. A chalcogenide material is formed in the plurality of recesses such that the chalcogenide material in each respective recess is formed partially around one of the plurality of conductive pillars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paolo Fantini, Lorenzo Fratin
  • Publication number: 20200203429
    Abstract: An example three-dimensional (3-D) memory array includes a substrate material including a plurality of conductive contacts arranged in a staggered pattern and a plurality of planes of a conductive material separated from one another by a first insulation material formed on the substrate material. Each of the plurality of planes of the conductive material includes a plurality of recesses formed therein. A second insulation material is formed in a serpentine shape through the insulation material and the conductive material. A plurality of conductive pillars are arranged to extend substantially perpendicular to the plurality of planes of the conductive material and the substrate and each respective conductive pillar is coupled to a different respective one of the conductive contacts. A chalcogenide material is formed in the plurality of recesses such that the chalcogenide material in each respective recess is formed partially around one of the plurality of conductive pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Paolo Fantini, Lorenzo Fratin
  • Patent number: 10686131
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating memory cell(s) using transition metal doped GST are described. As discussed herein, a composition including germanium (Ge), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), and at least one of yttrium (Y) and scandium (Sc) may be used as a memory element in a memory cell. For example, a memory element may include a composition having Ge in an amount ranging from 15 to 35 atomic percent (at. %) of the composition, Sb in an amount less than or equal to 50 at. % of the composition, Te in an amount greater than or equal to 40 at. % of the composition, and at least one of Y and Sc in an amount ranging from 0.15 to 10 at. % of the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paolo Fantini, Marco Bernasconi, Silvia Gabardi
  • Patent number: 10680037
    Abstract: A cross-point memory array includes a plurality of variable resistance memory cell pillars. Adjacent memory cell pillars are separated by a partially filled gap that includes a buried void. In addition, adjacent memory cell pillars include storage material elements that are at least partially interposed by the buried void.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paolo Fantini, Cristina Casellato, Fabio Pellizzer
  • Publication number: 20200176675
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes stack structures. Each of the stack structures comprises a first conductive material, a chalcogenide material over the first conductive material, a second conductive material over the chalcogenide material, and a first dielectric material between the chalcogenide material and the first conductive material and between the chalcogenide material and the second conductive material. The semiconductor structure further comprises a second dielectric material on at least sidewalls of the chalcogenide material. The chalcogenide material may be substantially encapsulated by one or more dielectric materials. Related semiconductor structures and related methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Paolo Fantini, Agostino Pirovano
  • Patent number: 10672835
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for a three-dimensional memory array are described. Memory cells may transform when exposed to elevated temperatures, including elevated temperatures associated with a read or write operation of a neighboring cell, corrupting the data stored in them. To prevent this thermal disturb effect, memory cells may be separated from one another by thermally insulating regions that include one or several interfaces. The interfaces may be formed by layering different materials upon one another or adjusting the deposition parameters of a material during formation. The layers may be created with planar thin-film deposition techniques, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Paolo Fantini
  • Patent number: 10665298
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to techniques to access a self-selecting memory device are described. A self-selecting memory cell may store one or more bits of data represented by different threshold voltages of the self-selecting memory cell. A programming pulse may be varied to establish the different threshold voltages by modifying one or more time durations during which a fixed level of voltage or current is maintained across the self-selecting memory cell. The self-selecting memory cell may include a chalcogenide alloy. A non-uniform distribution of an element in the chalcogenide alloy may determine a particular threshold voltage of the self-selecting memory cell. The shape of the programming pulse may be configured to modify a distribution of the element in the chalcogenide alloy based on a desired logic state of the self-selecting memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Innocenzo Tortorelli, Andrea Redaelli, Agostino Pirovano, Fabio Pellizzer, Mario Allegra, Paolo Fantini