Patents Represented by Attorney Wells St. John P.S.
  • Patent number: 8288832
    Abstract: A method for controlling the morphology of deposited silicon on a layer of silicon dioxide and semiconductor devices incorporating such deposited silicon are provided. The method comprises the steps of: providing a layer of silicon dioxide; implanting hydrogen ions into the layer of silicon dioxide by plasma source ion implantation; and forming a layer of polycrystalline silicon on the layer of silicon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David L. Chapek
  • Patent number: 8288719
    Abstract: Analytical instruments configured to perform atmospheric pressure ionization are provided that are less than 50 kgs in total weight and/or less than 1 m3 in total volume. Mass analysis instruments are provided that can include an interface vacuum structure operatively coupled between an ionization source and a vacuum region housing a detector. Mass analysis instruments are also provided that can include an ionization source coupled to an analysis region via an interface vacuum structure, with at least two independent vacuum components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Griffin Analytical Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Mitchell Wells, Mike Roth
  • Patent number: 8288867
    Abstract: Some embodiments include semiconductor processing methods in which a copper barrier is formed to be laterally offset from a copper component, and in which nickel is formed to extend across both the barrier and the component. The barrier may extend around an entire lateral periphery of the component, and may be spaced from the component by an intervening ring of electrically insulative material. The copper component may be a bond pad or an interconnect between two levels of metal layers. Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions in which nickel extends across a copper component, a copper barrier is laterally offset from the copper component, and an insulative material is between the copper barrier and the copper component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tianhong Zhang, Akram Ditall
  • Patent number: 8288817
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming charge storage transistor gates and standard FET gates in which common processing is utilized for fabrication of at least some portions of the different types of gates. FET and charge storage transistor gate stacks may be formed. The gate stacks may each include a gate material, an insulative material, and a sacrificial material. The sacrificial material is removed from the FET and charge storage transistor gate stacks. The insulative material of the FET gate stacks is etched through. A conductive material is formed over the FET gate stacks and over the charge storage transistor gate stacks. The conductive material physically contacts the gate material of the FET gate stacks, and is separated from the gate material of the charge storage transistor gate stacks by the insulative material remaining in the charge storage transistor gate stacks. Some embodiments include gate structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yongjun Jeff Hu
  • Patent number: 8289763
    Abstract: Some embodiments include memory arrays. The memory arrays can have global bitlines extending along a first horizontal direction, vertical local bitlines extending perpendicularly from the global bitlines, and wordlines extending along a second horizontal direction which is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction. The global bitlines may be subdivided into a first series at a first elevational level, and a second series at a second elevational level which is different from the first elevational level. The global bitlines of the first series can alternate with the global bitlines of the second series. There can be memory cell material directly between the wordlines and the vertical local bitlines. The memory cell material may form a plurality of memory cells uniquely addressed by wordline/global bitline combinations. Some embodiments include cross-point memory cell units that have areas of about 2F2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Zengtao Liu
  • Patent number: 8288213
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming memory arrays. A stack of semiconductor material plates may be patterned to subdivide the plates into pieces. Electrically conductive tiers may be formed along sidewall edges of the pieces. The pieces may then be patterned into an array of wires, with the array having vertical columns and horizontal rows. Individual wires may have first ends joining to the electrically conductive tiers, may have second ends in opposing relation to the first ends, and may have intermediate regions between the first and second ends. Gate material may be formed along the intermediate regions. Memory cell structures may be formed at the second ends of the wires. A plurality of vertically-extending electrical interconnects may be connected to the wires through the memory cell structures, with individual vertically-extending electrical interconnects being along individual columns of the array. Some embodiments include memory arrays incorporated into integrated circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanh D. Tang, Janos Fucsko
  • Patent number: 8282988
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of forming crystalline tantalum pentoxide on a ruthenium-containing material having an oxygen-containing surface wherein the oxygen-containing surface is contacted with a treating composition, such as water, to remove at least some oxygen. Crystalline tantalum pentoxide is formed on at least a portion of the surface having reduced oxygen content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc
    Inventors: Vishwanath Bhat, Rishikesh Krishnan, Daniel F. Gealy
  • Patent number: 8283112
    Abstract: A photoresist processing method includes treating a substrate with a sulfur-containing substance. A positive-tone photoresist is applied on and in contact with the treated substrate. The method includes selectively exposing a portion of the photoresist to actinic energy and developing the photoresist to remove the exposed portion and to form a photoresist pattern on the substrate. The treating with a sulfur-containing substance reduces an amount of residual photoresist intended for removal compared to an amount of residual photoresist that remains without the treating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Torek, Todd R. Abbott, Sandra Tagg, Amy Weatherly
  • Patent number: 8283236
    Abstract: Some embodiments include capacitors. The capacitors may include container-shaped storage node structures that have, along a cross-section, a pair of upwardly-extending sidewalls. Individual sidewalls may have a narrower segment over a wider segment. Capacitor dielectric material and capacitor electrode material may be along the narrower and wider segments of the sidewalls. Some embodiments include methods of forming capacitors in which an initial container-shaped storage node structure is formed to have a pair of upwardly-extending sidewalls along a cross-section, with the sidewalls being of thickness that is substantially constant or increasing from a base to a top of the initial structure. The initial structure is then converted into a modified storage node structure by reducing thicknesses of upper segments of the sidewalls while leaving thicknesses of lower segments of the sidewalls substantially unchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane M. Goodner, Sanjeev Sapra, Darwin Franseda Fan
  • Patent number: 8285087
    Abstract: An optical interconnection system is provided and includes an optical printed circuit board (PCB) that includes transmitter-unit and receiver-unit optical interconnection blocks for bending an optical path by a predetermined angle, a one-unit optical waveguide including an optical waveguide which is inserted into each of the optical interconnection blocks so as to connect optical paths of the transmitter-unit and receiver-unit optical interconnection blocks, and a PCB having the one-unit optical waveguide integrated therein; a light emitting element that is formed in-line with the optical waveguide on an upper surface of the transmitter-unit optical interconnection block exposed to an upper surface of the optical PCB; a driver integrated circuit that is formed on the upper surface of the optical PCB and electrically connected to the light emitting element and the optical PCB; a light receiving element that is formed in-line with the optical waveguide on an upper surface of the receiver-unit optical interconne
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
    Inventors: Do Won Kim, Tae Woo Lee, Hyo Hoon Park
  • Patent number: 8283503
    Abstract: A method of forming a tellurium alkoxide includes providing a tellurium halide and a non-tellurium alkoxide in a liquid organic solvent. The liquid organic solvent has less moles of alcohol, if any, than moles of tellurium halide in the liquid organic solvent. The tellurium halide and the non-tellurium alkoxide within the liquid organic solvent are reacted to form a reaction product halide and a tellurium alkoxide. The liquid organic solvent is removed from the reaction product halide and the tellurium alkoxide to leave a liquid and/or solid mixture comprising the reaction product halide and the tellurium alkoxide. The mixture is heated effective to gasify the tellurium alkoxide from the reaction product halide. Other implementations are disclosed, including methods of forming a mixed halide-alkoxide of tellurium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Uhlenbrock
  • Patent number: 8283203
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods in which microwave radiation is used to activate dopant and/or increase crystallinity of semiconductor material during formation of a semiconductor construction. In some embodiments, the microwave radiation has a frequency of about 5.8 gigahertz, and a temperature of the semiconductor construction does not exceed about 500° C. during the exposure to the microwave radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John Smythe, Bhaskar Srinivasan, Ming Zhang
  • Patent number: 8278167
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating integrated circuits include fabricating a logic device on a substrate, forming an intermediate semiconductor substrate on a surface of the logic device, and fabricating a capacitor-less memory cell on the intermediate semiconductor substrate. Integrated circuits with capacitor-less memory cells formed on a surface of a logic device are also disclosed, as are multi-core microprocessors including such integrated circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Gurtej S. Sandhu
  • Patent number: 8273634
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a substrate includes forming first and second spaced features over a substrate. The first spaced features have elevationally outermost regions which are different in composition from elevationally outermost regions of the second spaced features. The first and second spaced features alternate with one another. Every other first feature is removed from the substrate and pairs of immediately adjacent second features are formed which alternate with individual of remaining of the first features. After such act of removing, the substrate is processed through a mask pattern comprising the pairs of immediately adjacent second features which alternate with individual of the remaining of the first features. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Sills, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Anton deVilliers
  • Patent number: 8272300
    Abstract: A hand tool articulating apparatus has a pair of elongate members coupled for articulation about a pivot axis. Each elongate member has a clamping jaw on one side of the pivot axis and an arm extending to a handle on the other side of the pivot axis. One of the arms extends from the pivot axis along a first axis over a first distance to a first loop extending outwardly from the first axis and away from the other of the arms. The other of the arms has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion extends along a second axis from the pivot axis a shorter distance than the one arm. The second portion extends inclined to the second axis along a third axis away from the one arm to a second loop. The second loop extends outwardly from the third axis away from the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Dr. Slick Company
    Inventor: Stephen M. Fournier
  • Patent number: 8274081
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming isolation structures. A semiconductor base may be provided to have a crystalline semiconductor material projection between a pair of openings. SOD material (such as, for example, polysilazane) may be flowed within said openings to fill the openings. After the openings are filled with the SOD material, one or more dopant species may be implanted into the projection to amorphize the crystalline semiconductor material within an upper portion of said projection. The SOD material may then be annealed at a temperature of at least about 400° C. to form isolation structures. Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions that include a semiconductor material base having a projection between a pair of openings. The projection may have an upper region over a lower region, with the upper region being at least 75% amorphous, and with the lower region being entirely crystalline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Mikhalev, Jim Fulford, Yongjun Jeff Hu, Gordon A. Haller, Lequn Liu
  • Patent number: 8274106
    Abstract: DRAM cell arrays having a cell area of about 4F2 comprise an array of vertical transistors with buried bit lines and vertical double gate electrodes. The buried bit lines comprise a silicide material and are provided below a surface of the substrate. The word lines are optionally formed of a silicide material and form the gate electrode of the vertical transistors. The vertical transistor may comprise sequentially formed doped polysilicon layers or doped epitaxial layers. At least one of the buried bit lines is orthogonal to at least one of the vertical gate electrodes of the vertical transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd R. Abbott, H. Montgomery Manning
  • Patent number: 8273261
    Abstract: The invention includes methods in which silicon is removed from titanium-containing container structures with an etching composition having a phosphorus-and-oxygen-containing compound therein. The etching composition can, for example, include one or both of ammonium hydroxide and tetra-methyl ammonium hydroxide. The invention also includes methods in which titanium-containing whiskers are removed from between titanium-containing capacitor electrodes. Such removal can be, for example, accomplished with an etch utilizing one or more of hydrofluoric acid, ammonium fluoride, nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Prashant Raghu
  • Patent number: 8273619
    Abstract: The invention includes methods of forming channel region implants for two transistor devices simultaneously, in which a mask is utilized to block a larger percentage of a channel region location of one of the devices relative to the other. The invention also pertains to methods of forming capacitor structures in which a first capacitor electrode is spaced from a semiconductor substrate by a dielectric material, a second capacitor electrode comprises a conductively-doped diffusion region within the semiconductor material, and a capacitor channel region location is beneath the dielectric material and adjacent the conductively-doped diffusion region. An implant mask is formed to cover only a first portion of the capacitor channel region location and to leave a second portion of the capacitor channel region location uncovered. While the implant mask is in place, dopant is implanted into the uncovered second portion of the capacitor channel region location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hongmei Wang, Kurt D. Beigel, Fred D. Fishburn, Rongsheng Yang
  • Patent number: 8273643
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming diodes in which a first electrode is formed to have a pedestal extending upwardly from a base. At least one layer is deposited along an undulating topography that extends across the pedestal and base, and a second electrode is formed over the least one layer. The first electrode, at least one layer, and second electrode together form a structure that conducts current between the first and second electrodes when voltage of one polarity is applied to the structure, and that inhibits current flow between the first and second electrodes when voltage having a polarity opposite to said one polarity is applied to the structure. Some embodiments include diodes having a first electrode that contains two or more projections extending upwardly from a base, having at least one layer over the first electrode, and having a second electrode over the at least one layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Chandra Mouli