Patents by Inventor Shyam Surthi

Shyam Surthi 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: 20200321351
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels. The wordline levels have conductive terminal ends within control gate regions. The control gate regions are vertically spaced from one another by first insulative regions which include first insulative material. Charge-storage material is laterally outward of the conductive terminal ends, and is configured as segments. The segments of the charge-storage material are arranged one atop another and are vertically spaced from one another by second insulative regions which include second insulative material. The second insulative material has a different dielectric constant than the first insulative material. Charge-tunneling material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the segments of the charge-trapping material. Channel material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the charge-tunneling material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Byeung Chul Kim, Francois H. Fabreguette, Richard J. Hill, Purnima Narayanan, Shyam Surthi
  • Patent number: 10777576
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels. The wordline levels have conductive terminal ends within control gate regions. The control gate regions are vertically spaced from one another by first insulative regions which include first insulative material. Charge-storage material is laterally outward of the conductive terminal ends, and is configured as segments. The segments of the charge-storage material are arranged one atop another and are vertically spaced from one another by second insulative regions which include second insulative material. The second insulative material has a different dielectric constant than the first insulative material. Charge-tunneling material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the segments of the charge-trapping material. Channel material extends vertically along the stack, and is adjacent to the charge-tunneling material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Byeung Chul Kim, Francois H. Fabreguette, Richard J. Hill, Purnima Narayanan, Shyam Surthi
  • Publication number: 20190273080
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor device structures include forming trenches in an array region and in a buried digit line end region, forming a metal material in the trenches, filling the trenches with a mask material, removing the mask material in the trenches to expose a portion of the metal material, and removing the exposed portion of the metal material. A plurality of conductive contacts is formed in direct contact with the metal material in the buried digit line end region. Methods of forming a buried digit line contact include forming conductive contacts physically contacting metal material in trenches in a buried digit line end region. Vertical memory devices and apparatuses include metallic connections disposed between a buried digit line and a conductive contact in a buried digit line end region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Shyam Surthi, Suraj Mathew
  • Patent number: 10347634
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor device structures include forming trenches in an array region and in a buried digit line end region, forming a metal material in the trenches, filling the trenches with a mask material, removing the mask material in the trenches to expose a portion of the metal material, and removing the exposed portion of the metal material. A plurality of conductive contacts is formed in direct contact with the metal material in the buried digit line end region. Methods of forming a buried digit line contact include forming conductive contacts physically contacting metal material in trenches in a buried digit line end region. Vertical memory devices and apparatuses include metallic connections disposed between a buried digit line and a conductive contact in a buried digit line end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shyam Surthi, Suraj Mathew
  • Publication number: 20180294272
    Abstract: 3D NAND memory structures and related method are provided. In some embodiments such structures can include a control gate material and a floating gate material disposed between a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer, an interpoly dielectric (IPD) layer disposed between the floating gate material and control gate material such that the IPD layer electrically isolates the control gate material from the floating gate material, and a tunnel dielectric material deposited on the floating gate material opposite the control gate material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Darwin Fan, Sateesh Koka, Gordon Haller, John Hopkins, Shyam Surthi, Anish Khandekar
  • Publication number: 20180226406
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor device structures include forming trenches in an array region and in a buried digit line end region, forming a metal material in the trenches, filling the trenches with a mask material, removing mask the mask material in the trenches to expose a portion of the metal material, and removing the exposed portion of the metal material. A plurality of conductive contacts is formed in direct contact with the metal material in the buried digit line end region. Methods of forming a buried digit line contact include forming conductive contacts physically contacting metal material in trenches in a buried digit line end region. Vertical memory devices and apparatuses include metallic connections disposed between a buried digit line and a conductive contact in a buried digit line end region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Shyam Surthi, Suraj Mathew
  • Patent number: 9947666
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor device structures include forming trenches in an array region and in a buried digit line end region, forming a metal material in the trenches, filling the trenches with a mask material, removing mask material in the trenches to expose a portion of the metal material, and removing the exposed portion of the metal material. A plurality of conductive contacts is formed in direct contact with the metal material in the buried digit line end region. Methods of forming a buried digit line contact include forming conductive contacts physically contacting metal material in trenches in a buried digit line end region. Vertical memory devices and apparatuses include metallic connections disposed between a buried digit line and a conductive contact in a buried digit line end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shyam Surthi, Suraj Mathew
  • Patent number: 9847340
    Abstract: 3D NAND memory structures and related method are provided. In some embodiments such structures can include a control gate material and a floating gate material disposed between a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer, an interpoly dielectric (IPD) layer disposed between the floating gate material and control gate material such that the IPD layer electrically isolates the control gate material from the floating gate material, and a tunnel dielectric material deposited on the floating gate material opposite the control gate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Darwin Fan, Sateesh Koka, Gordon Haller, John Hopkins, Shyam Surthi, Anish Khandekar
  • Patent number: 9773677
    Abstract: Methods of forming doped elements of semiconductor device structures include forming trenches having undercut portions separating stem portions of a substrate. The stem portions extend between a base portion of the substrate and overlying broader portions of the substrate material. A carrier material including a dopant is formed at least on the sides of the stems in the undercut portions of the trenches. The dopant is diffused from the carrier material into the stems. As such, the narrow stem portions of the substrate become doped with a targeted dopant-delivery method. The doped stems may form or be incorporated within buried, doped, conductive elements of semiconductor device structures, such as digit lines of memory arrays. Also disclosed are related semiconductor device structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shyam Surthi
  • Patent number: 9691773
    Abstract: An access device includes a plurality of first digit lines (DL) trenches extending along a first direction, buried digit lines between each DL trench, second and third trenches separating the digit lines, a filling material filling the digit line trenches comprising airgaps in each second trench, a plurality of word line (WL) trenches extending along a second direction, metal word lines deposited on the walls of the word line trenches, a filling material filling the word line trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Shyam Surthi, Lars Heineck
  • Patent number: 9559201
    Abstract: Vertical memory devices comprise vertical transistors in an array region and digit lines extending in a first direction and comprising a source region or a drain region of at least some of the vertical transistors. The vertical memory devices further include word lines extending in a second direction along sidewalls of the vertical transistors and along sidewalls of columns of an oxide material in a word line end region. The wordlines extend closer to an upper surface of the vertical memory device on the sidewalls of the oxide material than on the sidewalls of the vertical transistors. Memory arrays comprising vertical transistors in an array region, digit line, and word lines are disclosed, as are memory devices comprising transistors in an array region, digit lines, and word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shyam Surthi
  • Patent number: 9478550
    Abstract: An array includes vertically-oriented transistors. The array includes rows of access lines and columns of data/sense lines. Individual of the rows include an access line interconnecting transistors in that row. Individual of the columns include a data/sense line interconnecting transistors in that column. The array includes a plurality of conductive lines which individually extend longitudinally parallel and laterally between immediately adjacent of the data/sense lines. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Shyam Surthi, Wolfgang Mueller, Sanh D. Tang
  • Patent number: 9318493
    Abstract: Some embodiments include memory arrays. The memory arrays may have digit lines under vertically-oriented transistors, with the digit lines interconnecting transistors along columns of the array. Each individual transistor may be directly over only a single digit line, with the single digit line being entirely composed of one or more metal-containing materials. The digit lines can be over a deck, and electrically insulative regions can be directly between the digit lines and the deck. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory arrays. A plurality of linear segments of silicon-containing material may be formed to extend upwardly from a base of the silicon-containing material. The base may be etched to form silicon-containing footings under the linear segments, and the footings may be converted into metal silicide. The linear segments may be patterned into a plurality of vertically-oriented transistor pedestals that extend upwardly from the metal silicide footings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Lars P. Heineck, Shyam Surthi, Jaydip Guha
  • Patent number: 9230968
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming semiconductor constructions. A heavily-doped region is formed within a first semiconductor material, and a second semiconductor material is epitaxially grown over the first semiconductor material. The second semiconductor material is patterned to form circuit components, and the heavily-doped region is patterned to form spaced-apart buried lines electrically coupling pluralities of the circuit components to one another. At least some of the patterning of the heavily-doped region occurs simultaneously with at least some of the patterning of the second semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaydip Guha, Shyam Surthi
  • Publication number: 20150348785
    Abstract: Methods of forming doped elements of semiconductor device structures include forming trenches having undercut portions separating stem portions of a substrate. The stem portions extend between a base portion of the substrate and overlying broader portions of the substrate material. A carrier material including a dopant is formed at least on the sides of the stems in the undercut portions of the trenches. The dopant is diffused from the carrier material into the stems. As such, the narrow stem portions of the substrate become doped with a targeted dopant-delivery method. The doped stems may form or be incorporated within buried, doped, conductive elements of semiconductor device structures, such as digit lines of memory arrays. Also disclosed are related semiconductor device structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventor: Shyam Surthi
  • Publication number: 20150332913
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods for semiconductor processing. A semiconductor substrate may be placed within a reaction chamber. The semiconductor substrate may have an inner region and an outer region laterally outward of said inner region, and may have a deposition surface that extends across the inner and outer regions. The semiconductor substrate may be heated by radiating thermal energy from the outer region to the inner region. The heating may eventually achieve thermal equilibrium. However, before thermal equilibrium of the outer and inner regions is reached, and while the outer region is warmer than the inner region, at least two reactants are sequentially introduced into the reaction chamber. The reactants may together form a single composition on the deposition surface through a quasi-ALD process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shyam Surthi
  • Publication number: 20150279851
    Abstract: 3D NAND memory structures and related method are provided. In some embodiments such structures can include a control gate material and a floating gate material disposed between a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer, an interpoly dielectric (IPD) layer disposed between the floating gate material and control gate material such that the IPD layer electrically isolates the control gate material from the floating gate material, and a tunnel dielectric material deposited on the floating gate material opposite the control gate material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Darwin Fan, Sateesh Koka, Gordon Haller, John Hopkins, Shyam Surthi, Anish Khandekar
  • Publication number: 20150255599
    Abstract: Vertical memory devices comprise vertical transistors, buried digit lines extending in a first direction in an array region, and word lines extending in a second direction different from the first direction. Portions of the word lines in a word line end region have a first vertical length greater than a second vertical length of portions of the word lines in the array region. Apparatuses including vertical transistors in an array region, buried digit lines extending in a first direction, and word lines are also disclosed. Each of the word lines extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, is formed over at least a portion of a sidewall of at least some of the vertical transistors, and vertically has a depth in a word line end region about equal to or greater than a depth thereof in the array region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventor: Shyam Surthi
  • Patent number: 9111879
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods for semiconductor processing. A semiconductor substrate may be placed within a reaction chamber. The semiconductor substrate may have an inner region and an outer region laterally outward of said inner region, and may have a deposition surface that extends across the inner and outer regions. The semiconductor substrate may be heated by radiating thermal energy from the outer region to the inner region. The heating may eventually achieve thermal equilibrium. However, before thermal equilibrium of the outer and inner regions is reached, and while the outer region is warmer than the inner region, at least two reactants are sequentially introduced into the reaction chamber. The reactants may together form a single composition on the deposition surface through a quasi-ALD process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shyam Surthi
  • Patent number: 9111853
    Abstract: Methods of forming doped elements of semiconductor device structures include forming trenches having undercut portions separating stem portions of a substrate. The stem portions extend between a base portion of the substrate and overlying broader portions of the substrate material. A carrier material including a dopant is formed at least on the sides of the stems in the undercut portions of the trenches. The dopant is diffused from the carrier material into the stems. As such, the narrow stem portions of the substrate become doped with a targeted dopant-delivery method. The doped stems may form or be incorporated within buried, doped, conductive elements of semiconductor device structures, such as digit lines of memory arrays. Also disclosed are related semiconductor device structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shyam Surthi