Patents Assigned to Micron Technologies, Inc.
  • Patent number: 9935632
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a power management integrated circuit that supplies a periodic supply voltage signal. The semiconductor device also includes programmable termination components and a calibration circuit. The calibration circuit generates impedance calibration codes associated with a period of the periodic supply voltage signal. The calibration circuit also calibrates impedance of the programmable termination components based on an average impedance calibration code of the impedance calibration codes. The semiconductor device further includes an averaging circuit that determines the average impedance calibration code of the impedance calibration codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dean D. Gans
  • Patent number: 9935082
    Abstract: Stacked semiconductor dies are provided with selective capillary under fill to avoid wafer warpage during curing. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming at least three stacks of semiconductor dies over a substrate, the stacks spaced apart from one another by gaps. A first sealing material such as a capillary under fill material is deposited into a first subset of the gaps. A second sealing material such as a mold resin is deposited into a second subset of the gaps. The first and second sealing materials are cured, and the die stacks are then singulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Mitsuhisa Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9935237
    Abstract: Solid state lighting devices and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a solid state lighting device includes a first semiconductor material, a second semiconductor material spaced apart from the first semiconductor material, and an active region between the first and second semiconductor materials. The solid state lighting device also includes an indentation extending from the second semiconductor material toward the active region and the first semiconductor material and an insulating material in the indentation of the solid state lighting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott D. Schellhammer
  • Patent number: 9935171
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory cell string having a body having a channel extending therein and in contact with a source/drain, a select gate adjacent to the body, a plurality of access lines adjacent to the body, and a dielectric in a portion of the body between the source/drain and a level corresponding to an end of the plurality of access lines most adjacent to the select gate. The dielectric in the portion of the body does not extend along an entire length of the body. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Haitao Liu, Akira Goda, Chandra Mouli, Krishna K. Parat
  • Patent number: 9935085
    Abstract: Semiconductor substrates with unitary vias and via terminals, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a semiconductor substrate having an opening that includes a generally cylindrical portion with a generally smooth, uniform surface. The opening also includes a terminal portion extending transversely to the cylindrical portion and intersecting. A single, uniform, homogeneous volume of conductive material is disposed in both the cylindrical portion and the terminal portion of the opening, the conductive material forming a conductive path in the cylindrical portion and at least a portion of a conductive terminal in the terminal portion. The conductive terminal has a cross-section with generally flat walls aligned with crystal planes of the semiconductor substrate material. The conductive terminal projects away from the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle K. Kirby, Kunal R. Parekh
  • Patent number: 9934832
    Abstract: Apparatuses for monitoring a signal on a conductive via are described. An example apparatus includes: a controller, a first conductive via, a second conductive via and an evaluation circuit. The controller provides a clock signal as a first signal. The first conductive via provides a second signal responsive to the first signal. The second conductive via provides a third signal responsive to the second signal. Responsive to the third signal, the evaluation circuit provides an evaluation result signal. The evaluation result signal is indicative of a frequency of the clock signal, based on a delay of the third signal relative to the clock signal. The first conductive via, the second conductive via and the evaluation circuit may be included in an interface die. The evaluation circuit may detect whether a frequency of the first signal is below a first threshold frequency and may further provide the evaluation result signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Shibata, Minehiko Uehara
  • Patent number: 9934837
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ground reference scheme may be employed in a digit line voltage sensing operation. A positive voltage may be applied to a memory cell; and after a voltage of the digit line of the cell has reached a threshold, a negative voltage may be applied to cause the digit line voltages to center around ground before a read operation. In another example, a first voltage may be applied to a memory cell and then a second voltage that is equal to an inverse of the first voltage may be applied to a reference capacitor that is in electronic communication with a digit line of the memory cell to cause the digit line voltages to center around ground before a read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Scott James Derner, Umberto Di Vincenzo, Christopher John Kawamura, Eric S. Carman
  • Patent number: 9933972
    Abstract: Methods of accessing memory cells, methods of distributing memory requests, systems, and memory controllers are described. In one such method, where memory cells are divided into at least a first region of memory cells and a second region of memory cells, memory cells in the first region are accessed according to a first address definition and memory cells in the second region are accessed according to a second address definition that is different from the first address definition. Additional embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Walker
  • Patent number: 9934870
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a first interface to communicate with a processing unit, a second interface to communicate with a memory device, and a module coupled to the first and second interfaces. In at least one of the embodiments, the module can be configured to obtain information stored in the memory device and perform at least one of testing and repairing of a memory structure of the memory device based at least in part on the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe M. Jeddeloh, Brent Keeth
  • Patent number: 9935114
    Abstract: A method of forming an array comprising pairs of vertically opposed capacitors comprises forming a conductive lining in individual capacitor openings in support material. An elevational mid-portion of individual of the conductive linings is removed to form an upper capacitor electrode lining and a lower capacitor electrode lining that are elevationally separate and spaced from one another in the individual capacitor openings. A capacitor insulator is formed laterally outward of the upper and lower capacitor electrode linings. Conductive material is formed laterally outward of the capacitor insulator to comprise a shared capacitor electrode that is shared by vertically opposed capacitors in individual of the pairs of vertically opposed capacitors. Other methods and structure independent of method of manufacture are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashonita A. Chavan, Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 9935154
    Abstract: Resistive memory cell structures and methods are described herein. One or more memory cell structures comprise a first resistive memory cell comprising a first resistance variable material and a second resistive memory cell comprising a second resistance variable material that is different than the first resistance variable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabio Pellizzer, Ferdinando Bedeschi
  • Patent number: 9934850
    Abstract: Methods and structures for accessing memory cells in parallel in a cross-point array include accessing in parallel a first memory cell disposed between a first selected column and a first selected row and a second memory cell disposed between a second selected column different from the first selected column and a second selected row different from the first selected row. Accessing in parallel includes simultaneously applying access biases between the first selected column and the first selected row and between the second selected column and the second selected row. The accessing in parallel is conducted while the cells are in a thresholded condition or while the cells are in a post-threshold recovery period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Hernan A. Castro
  • Patent number: 9934868
    Abstract: An apparatus, a method, and a system are disclosed. The apparatus includes a string of memory cells coupled to a select gate drain transistor that has a front control gate and a back control gate. The front and back control gates can be coupled together such that they are biased at the same voltage or separate such that they can be biased at different voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Koji Sakui
  • Patent number: 9934839
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be used to store a logic state. The capacitance of a digit line of the ferroelectric memory cell may be dynamically increased prior to, and during a portion of, a read operation used to determine a stored logic state of the cell. The capacitance may be increased by leveraging intrinsic capacitance of digit lines of the array—e.g., by shorting one digit line to another digit line. Increasing the capacitance of the digit line may increase the signal on the digit line that is sensed during the read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Kawamura, Charles Ingalls, Scott Derner
  • Patent number: 9934869
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for transmitting fuse data from fuse arrays to latches are described. An example apparatus includes: a plurality of fuse arrays, each fuse array of the plurality of fuse arrays being configured to store input data; a fuse circuit that receives the input data and provides the input data on a bus; and a plurality of redundancy latch circuits coupled to the bus, including a plurality of pointers and a plurality of latches associated with the plurality of corresponding pointers that load data on the bus. The fuse circuit may control loading of the input data by controlling a location of a pointer among the plurality of corresponding pointers responsive to the input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Fujiwara, Kenji Yoshida, Minoru Someya, Hiromasa Noda
  • Patent number: 9934034
    Abstract: State machine engines are disclosed, including those having an instruction insertion register. One such instruction insertion register may provide an initialization instruction, such as to prepare a state machine engine for data analysis. An instruction insertion register may also provide an instruction in an attempt to resolve an error that occurs during operation of a state machine engine. An instruction insertion register may also be used to debug a state machine engine, such as after the state machine experiences a fatal error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David R. Brown
  • Patent number: 9935264
    Abstract: Memory cells are disclosed, which cells include a cell material and an ion-source material over the cell material. A discontinuous interfacial material is included between the cell material and the ion-source material. Also disclosed are fabrication methods and semiconductor devices including the disclosed memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy A. Quick, Eugene P. Marsh, Stefan Uhlenbrock, Chet E. Carter, Scott E. Sills
  • Patent number: 9934086
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are described for selective determination of data error repair. An example apparatus includes a memory array and a controller coupled to the memory array. The controller is configured to direct performance, responsive to a request, of a read operation at an address in the memory array, direct detection of an error in data corresponding to the read operation address, and direct storage of the read operation address in an address error register. The controller is further configured to direct a response be sent to the enable selective determination of data error repair, where the response does not include the read operation address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan S. Laity, Christopher S. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9934856
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods related to comparing data patterns in memory. An example method can include comparing a number of data patterns stored in a memory array to a target data pattern. The method can include determining whether a data pattern of the number of data patterns matches the target data pattern without transferring data from the memory array via an input/output (I/O) line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Troy A. Manning
  • Publication number: 20180089469
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing secure operations with a dedicated secure processor is described in one embodiment. The apparatus includes security firmware defining secure operations, a processor configured to execute the security firmware and perform a set of operations limited to the secure operations, and a plurality of secure hardware registers, accessible by the processor and configured to receive instructions to perform the secure operations. An apparatus for performing secure operations with a plurality of security assist hardware circuits is described in another embodiment. The apparatus comprises one or more secure hardware registers configured to receive a command to perform secure operations and one or more security assist hardware circuits configured to perform discrete secure operations using one or more secret data objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenny T. Coker, David A. Pohm, Stephen P. Van Aken, Michael B. Danielson