Patents Assigned to Micronics
  • Patent number: 12283636
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a conductive line and a transistor adjacent to the conductive line. The transistor comprises a channel material extending into the conductive line, the channel material contacting the conductive line in three dimensions, a dielectric material adjacent to the channel material, a conductive material adjacent to the dielectric material, and a passivation material adjacent to the channel material. The microelectronic device further comprises a conductive contact adjacent to the channel material, the conductive contact including a portion extending between opposing portions of the channel material. Related microelectronic devices, electronic devices, and related methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Haitao Liu
  • Patent number: 12283342
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for input buffer data feedback equalization (DFE). An input buffer includes a DFE circuit which adjusts a threshold voltage of the input buffer based on a previously latched data bit. The DFE circuit includes a number of DFE legs coupled in parallel to a node of the input buffer. Each DFE leg is selectively activated by a DFE code. Each DFE leg includes a capacitance (e.g., a field effect transistor) which is coupled to the node in an active leg based on the previously latched data bit. The previously latched data bit may also be used to generate a reset signal which couples the capacitors to ground. Each DFE leg may also include a transistor coupled to a bias voltage, which is stable across a range of PVT variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kohei Nakamura, Shuichi Tsukada
  • Patent number: 12284798
    Abstract: A microelectronic device is disclosed that includes array regions individually comprising memory cells comprising access devices and storage node devices; digit lines coupled to the access devices and extending in a first direction; and word lines coupled to the access devices and extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the word lines extend into word line exit regions. The word line exit regions are horizontally alternating with the array regions in the second direction; and sub word line driver sections are overlapping and above, and in electrical communication with the word line exit regions. Electrical communication between word lines in the word line exit regions and the sub word line driver sections vertically coupled with a vertical word line contact and other interconnections is laterally bounded within socket regions delineated by horizontal boundaries of the word line exit regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuan He, Fatma Arzum Simsek-Ege
  • Patent number: 12282675
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for copy command for a memory system are described. A method may include storing, within a memory system, data associated with one or more first addresses within an address space. The method may further include receiving a copy command for the data from a host for the memory system. The memory system may associate, in response to the copy command, the data with one or more second addresses within the address space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian M Gyllenskog, Luca Porzio
  • Patent number: 12284788
    Abstract: An apparatus including a heat sink having two or more sections of parallel fins that define colinear channels is disclosed herein. The colinear channels are configured to direct flow of air or coolant across the heat sink and have wider channel widths closer to an inlet for the air or coolant and narrower widths closer to an outlet for the air or coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Suresh Reddy Yarragunta, Deepu Narasimiah Subhash
  • Publication number: 20250124963
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for per-row count based refresh target identification with sorting. A memory includes a number of word lines each associated with a row address and a count value. A targeted refresh queue stores the highest count values and their row addresses as an ordered list. For example the list may be sorted from highest count value to lowest count value. During a targeted refresh operation, the row address at a top of the queue is used for refresh operations and removed from the queue. When a row and count value are added to the queue, the queue is re-sorted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2024
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yang Lu
  • Publication number: 20250124102
    Abstract: Memories might include a plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells, each corresponding to a respective digit of a plurality of digits of a multiplicand, and might further include a controller configured to cause the memory to generate respective current flows through the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells for each digit of a plurality of digits of a multiplier having respective current levels indicative of values of each digit of the plurality of digits of the multiplier times the multiplicand, to convert the respective current levels to respective digital values indicative of the values and magnitudes of each digit of the plurality of digits of the multiplier times the multiplicand, and to sum the respective digital value of each digit of the plurality of digits of the multiplier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2024
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Dmitri Yudanov, Lawrence Celso Miranda, Sheyang Ning, Aliasger Zaidy
  • Publication number: 20250124981
    Abstract: A memory device may be used to implement a Bloom filter. In some examples, the memory device may include a memory array to perform a multiply-accumulate operation to implement the Bloom filter. The memory device may store multiple portions of a reference genetic sequence in the memory array and compare the portions of the reference genetic sequence to a read sequence in parallel by performing the multiply-accumulate operation. The results of the multiply-accumulate operation between the read sequence and the portions of the reference genetic sequence may be used to determine where the read sequence aligns to the reference sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2024
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Justin Eno, Sean S. Eilert, Ameen D. Akel, Kenneth M. Curewitz
  • Publication number: 20250123924
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for shared codeword in two-pass access operations. The memory may use a read read modify write write (RRMWW) cycle to write data and metadata to the array. Metadata and a data codeword are read out as part of two read access passes and combined into a shared codeword. Error correction is performed on the shared codeword, and then the corrected shared codeword is modified with write data and metadata. Updated parity is generated based on the modified shared codeword and the modified data and updated parity and the metadata are written as two write access passes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2024
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sujeet Ayyapureddi, Scott E. Smith
  • Publication number: 20250124964
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods per row activation counter testing (PRACT). A memory includes an aggressor detector circuit, which determines a row address to be an aggressor address after the row address is accessed a number of times. In a normal mode the address is an aggressor after a first number of activations, while in a PRACT mode the address is an aggressor after a second (generally lower) number of activations. For example, when the row is accessed a first value may be added to a count in the normal mode and a second (generally larger) value in the PRACT mode. When the count crosses a threshold, the row is an aggressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2024
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Lu, Donald M. Morgan
  • Patent number: 12279423
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure that comprises tiers of alternating dielectric levels and conductive levels and a carbon-doped silicon nitride over the tiers of the staircase structure. The carbon-doped silicon nitride excludes silicon carbon nitride. A method of forming the semiconductor device structure comprises forming stairs in a staircase structure comprising alternating dielectric levels and conductive levels. A carbon-doped silicon nitride is formed over the stairs, an oxide material is formed over the carbon-doped silicon nitride, and openings are formed in the oxide material. The openings extend to the carbon-doped silicon nitride. The carbon-doped silicon nitride is removed to extend the openings into the conductive levels of the staircase structure. Additional methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Fang, Fei Wang, Saniya Rathod, Rutuparna Narulkar, Matthew Park, Matthew J. King
  • Patent number: 12277349
    Abstract: A method includes selecting a particular ready/busy pin (R/B #) among a plurality of R/B # pins that are associated with respective memory dice among a plurality of memory dice of a memory device. The method further includes receiving, by at least one memory dice among the plurality of memory dice, signaling indicative of performance of a memory access while the particular R/B # pin is set to low, and, initiating an internal clocking signal subsequent to receipt of the signaling indicative of performance of the memory access, wherein the internal clocking signal is associated with timing of operations performed by the plurality of memory dice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Yu, Luigi Pilolli, Biagio Iorio
  • Patent number: 12277969
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to auto-referenced memory cell read techniques are described. The auto-referenced read may encode user data to include a predetermined number of bits having a first logic state prior to storing the user data in memory cells. The auto-referenced read may store a total number of bits of the user data having a first logic state in a separate set of memory cells. Subsequently, reading the user data may be carried out by applying a read voltage to the memory cells storing the user data while monitoring a series of switching events by activating a subset of the memory cells having the first logic state. During the read operation, the auto-referenced read may compare the number of activated memory cells to either the predetermined number or the total number to determine whether all the bits having the first logic state has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Graziano Mirichigni, Paolo Amato, Federico Pio, Alessandro Orlando, Marco Sforzin
  • Patent number: 12279420
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes memory having a continuous channel, and methods of processing the same. A number of embodiments include forming a vertical stack having memory cells connected in series between a source select gate and a drain select gate, wherein forming the vertical stack includes forming a continuous channel for the source select gate, the memory cells, and the drain select gate, and removing a portion of the continuous channel for the drain select gate such that the continuous channel is thinner for the drain select gate than for the memory cells and the source select gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Luan C. Tran, Hongbin Zhu, John D. Hopkins, Yushi Hu
  • Patent number: 12277065
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for shared virtual address spaces are described. In some examples, a globally shared address space may be shared across a plurality of memory devices that are included in one or more domains. A host system may set parameters for determining whether an address (e.g., a virtual address) is included within the globally shared address space, and whether the address is associated with a memory device. When a memory device receives a memory request (e.g., a data packet), a processing unit of the memory device may determine whether an address included in the memory request is associated with the memory device. The processing unit may either initiate an access operation on a physical address of the memory device or transmit the memory request to another memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan Hornung, Tony M. Brewer
  • Patent number: 12277972
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for source line configurations for a memory device are described. In some cases, a memory cell of the memory device may include a first transistor having a floating gate for storing a logic state of the memory cell and a second transistor coupled with the floating gate of the first transistor. The memory cell may be coupled with a word line, a digit line, and a source line. During a write operation, the source line may be clamped to the digit line using one or more memory cells in the memory device. During a read operation, the source line may be grounded using one or more memory cells in the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Patent number: 12277978
    Abstract: A memory system configured to dynamically adjust the amount of redundant information stored in memory cells of a wordline on an integrated circuit die based on a bit error rate. For example, in response to a determination that a bit error rate of the wordline is above a threshold, the memory system can store first data items as independent first codewords of an error correction code technique into a first portion of the memory cells of the wordline, generate second data items as redundant information from the first codewords, and store the second data items in a second portion of the memory cells of the wordline. If the bit error rate is below the threshold, third data items can be stored as independent second codewords of the same length as the first codewords in the memory cells of the wordline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James Fitzpatrick, Phong Sy Nguyen, Dung Viet Nguyen, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy
  • Patent number: 12278286
    Abstract: High voltage isolation devices for semiconductor devices and associated systems, are disclosed herein. The isolation device may support operations of a 3-dimensional NAND memory array of the semiconductor device. In some embodiments, during high voltage operations (e.g., erase operations), the isolation device may provide a high voltage to the memory array while isolating other circuitry supporting low voltage operations of the memory array from the high voltage. The isolation device may include a set of narrow active areas separating the low voltage circuitry from the high voltage and a gate over the narrow active areas. In a further embodiment, the isolation device includes interdigitated narrow active areas and a common gate over the interdigitated narrow active areas to reduce an area occupied by the isolation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Smith
  • Patent number: 12279468
    Abstract: Solid-state transducers (“SSTs”) and vertical high voltage SSTs having buried contacts are disclosed herein. An SST die in accordance with a particular embodiment can include a transducer structure having a first semiconductor material at a first side of the transducer structure, and a second semiconductor material at a second side of the transducer structure. The SST can further include a plurality of first contacts at the first side and electrically coupled to the first semiconductor material, and a plurality of second contacts extending from the first side to the second semiconductor material and electrically coupled to the second semiconductor material. An interconnect can be formed between at least one first contact and one second contact. The interconnects can be covered with a plurality of package materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Odnoblyudov, Martin F. Schubert
  • Patent number: 12277973
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating first tiers and second tiers comprising laterally-spaced memory-block regions having horizontally-elongated trenches there-between. Two of the first tiers have different vertical thicknesses relative one another. Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the first tiers and the second tiers. Through the horizontally-elongated trenches, first conductive material is formed in void space in the two first tiers. The first conductive material fills the first tier of the two first tiers that has a smaller of the different vertical thicknesses in individual of the memory-block regions. The first conductive material less-than-fills the first tier of the two first tiers that has a larger of the different vertical thicknesses in the individual memory-block regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Alyssa N. Scarbrough