Patents Examined by Allison P. Bernstein
  • Patent number: 9530824
    Abstract: A monolithic three-dimensional memory array is provided that includes a plurality of global bit lines disposed above a substrate, each global bit line having a long axis, a plurality of vertically-oriented bit lines disposed above the global bit lines, a plurality of word lines disposed above the global bit lines, a plurality of memory cells coupled between the vertically-oriented bit lines and the word lines, and a plurality of vertically-oriented bit line select transistors coupled between the vertically-oriented bit lines and the global bit lines, each vertically-oriented bit line select transistor comprising a width and a thickness. Vertically-oriented bit line select transistors disposed above adjacent global bit lines are offset from one another in a direction along the long axis of the global bit lines. The width of each vertically-oriented bit line select transistor is greater than the thickness of the vertically-oriented bit line select transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Seje Takaki, Yoshio Mori
  • Patent number: 9529714
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a semiconductor memory, and the semiconductor memory includes a first magnetic layer having a variable magnetization direction; a second magnetic layer having a pinned magnetization direction; and a tunnel barrier layer interposed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, wherein the second magnetic layer includes a ferromagnetic material with molybdenum (Mo) added thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignees: SK Hynix Inc., Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yang-Kon Kim, Bo-Mi Lee, Won-Joon Choi, Guk-Cheon Kim, Daisuke Watanabe, Makoto Nagamine, Young-Min Eeh, Koji Ueda, Toshihiko Nagase, Kazuya Sawada
  • Patent number: 9524779
    Abstract: A monolithic three dimensional NAND string including a stack of alternating first material layers and second material layers different from the first material layers over a major surface of a substrate. The first material layers include a plurality of control gate electrodes and the second material layers include an insulating material and the plurality of control gate electrodes extend in a first direction. The NAND string also includes a semiconductor channel, a blocking dielectric, and a plurality of vertically spaced apart floating gates. Each of the plurality of vertically spaced apart floating gates or each of the second material layers includes a first portion having a first thickness in the second direction, and a second portion adjacent to the first portion in the first direction and having a second thickness in the second direction which is different than the first thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: James Kai, Henry Chien, George Matamis, Thomas Jongwan Kwon, Yao-Sheng Lee
  • Patent number: 9520447
    Abstract: Arrays of memory cells having a common gate terminal and methods of operating and forming the same are described herein. As an example, an array of memory cells may include a group of memory cells each having a resistive storage element coupled to a select device. Each select device includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a gate terminal, where the gate terminal is common to each memory cell of the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajesh N. Gupta, Farid Nemati
  • Patent number: 9520407
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a connecting member including a semiconductor material, a first electrode film, a first insulating film, a stacked body and three or more semiconductor pillars. The stacked body includes second electrode films and second insulating films that alternately stacked. The semiconductor pillars are arrayed along two or more directions, extend in a stacking direction, pierce through the stacked body and the first insulating film, and are connected to the connecting member. The device includes a third insulating film provided between the semiconductor pillars and the stacked body and between the connecting member and the first electrode film. A charge storage layer is provided at least between one of the second electrode films and the third insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Shinya Arai, Masaki Tsuji, Hideaki Aochi, Hiroyasu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9515262
    Abstract: Resistive RAM (RRAM) devices having increased uniformity and related manufacturing methods are described. Greater uniformity of performance across an entire chip that includes larger numbers of RRAM cells can be achieved by uniformly creating enhanced channels in the switching layers through the use of radiation damage. The radiation, according to various described embodiments, can be in the form of ions, electromagnetic photons, neutral particles, electrons, and ultrasound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Inventors: Shih-Yuan Wang, Shih-Ping Wang
  • Patent number: 9508428
    Abstract: A vertical type semiconductor device and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The vertical type semiconductor device includes a pillar structure having a stacking structure of a conductive layer and a data storage material and formed on a common source region, and a gate electrode formed to surround the data storage material of the pillar structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Kang Sik Choi
  • Patent number: 9508836
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device comprising a plurality of strings each including a drain select transistor, drain-side memory cells, a pipe transistor, source-side memory cells, and a source select transistor coupled in series, wherein the plurality of strings are arranged in a first direction and a second direction, and the strings arranged in the second direction form each of string columns; a plurality of bit lines extended in the second direction and coupled to the drain select transistors of the strings included in each string column; and a plurality of source lines extended in the first direction and in common coupled to the source select transistors of strings adjacent to each other in the second direction, wherein strings included in one of the string columns are staggered in the first direction and each of the string columns are coupled to at least two of the bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Eun Seok Choi
  • Patent number: 9508729
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit formed in a semiconductor substrate. The integrated circuit includes a first static random access memory (SRAM) cell having a first cell size; and a second SRAM cell having a second cell size greater than the first cell size. The first SRAM cell includes first n-type field effect transistors (nFETs) each having a first gate stack. The second SRAM cell includes second nFETs each having a second gate stack different from the first gate stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Jhon-Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 9508924
    Abstract: A magnetic junction usable in a magnetic device and a method for providing the magnetic junction are described. The magnetic junction includes a free layer, a pinned layer and nonmagnetic spacer layer between the free and pinned layers. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. The free and pinned layers each has a layer perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy greater than an out-of-plane demagnetization energy. At least one of the pinned layer and the free layer includes a multilayer. The multilayer includes at least one bilayer. Each of the bilayer(s) has a first layer and a second layer. The first layer includes an alloy of a magnetic transition metal and a rare earth. The second layer includes an amorphous magnetic layer. The multilayer has a nonzero perpendicular magnetic anisotropy up to at least four hundred degrees Celsius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xueti Tang, Jangeun Lee
  • Patent number: 9502349
    Abstract: Roughly described, a memory device has a multilevel stack of conductive layers which are divided laterally into separate word lines, each defining a block of memory cells. Vertically oriented pillars each include series-connected memory cells at cross-points between the pillars and the conductive layers. String select lines run above the conductive layers, each intersection of a pillar and an string select line defining a respective select gate of the pillar. Bit lines run above the SSLs. Ground select lines run below the conductive layers, each intersection of a pillar and a ground select line defining a respective ground select gate of the pillar. The ground select lines are divided laterally such that the number of ground select lines in each block is greater than 1 but less than the number of string select lines in the block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shih-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 9496417
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell includes a tunneling part; a coupling device; a read transistor; a first select transistor connected to the read transistor forming a read path with the read transistor in a read mode; an erase tunneling structure forming a tunneling ejection path in an erase mode; and a program tunneling structure forming a tunneling injection path in an program mode; wherein the read path is different from the tunneling ejection path and the tunneling injection path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: AMIC Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hsiao-Hua Lu, Chih-Ming Kuo, Chih-Lung Chang
  • Patent number: 9496275
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an ONO (oxide/nitride/oxide) film provided on the semiconductor substrate, a control gate provided on the ONO film, a first low-resistance layer, and a second low-resistance layer in contact with the first low-resistance layer, the second low-resistance layer having a sheet resistance lower than the first low-resistance layer. With this configuration, it is possible to downsize the memory cell and provide a fabrication method of the semiconductor device in which the peripheral circuit can be fabricated with simple fabrication processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kouketsu, Masaya Hosaka
  • Patent number: 9484533
    Abstract: A memory cell including a two-terminal re-writeable non-volatile memory element having at least two layers of conductive metal oxide (CMO), which, in turn, can include a first layer of CMO including mobile oxygen ions, and a second layer of CMO formed in contact with the first layer of CMO to cooperate with the first layer of CMO to form an ion obstruction barrier. The ion obstruction barrier is configured to inhibit transport or diffusion of a subset of mobile ion to enhance, among other things, memory effects and cycling endurance of memory cells. At least one layer of an insulating metal oxide that is an electrolyte to the mobile oxygen ions and configured as a tunnel barrier is formed in contact with the second layer of CMO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: UNITY SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jian Wu, Rene Meyer
  • Patent number: 9472755
    Abstract: A resistive memory structure, for example, phase change memory structure, includes one access device and two or more resistive memory cells. Each memory cell is coupled to a rectifying device to prevent parallel leak current from flowing through non-selected memory cells. In an array of resistive memory bit structures, resistive memory cells from different memory bit structures are stacked and share rectifying devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: OVONYX MEMORY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Michael P. Violette
  • Patent number: 9466704
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device and method of manufacturing the same are provided. In the nonvolatile memory device, a blocking insulation layer is provided between a trap insulation layer and a gate electrode. A fixed charge layer spaced apart from the gate electrode is provided in the blocking insulation layer. Accordingly, the reliability of the nonvolatile memory device is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung-il Chang, Changseok Kang, Jungdal Choi
  • Patent number: 9449652
    Abstract: A device may include a first transistor, a second transistor, and a data element. The first transistor may have a column gate and a channel, and the second transistor may include a row gate that crosses over the column gate, under the column gate, or both. The second transistor may also include another channel, a source disposed near a distal end of a first leg, and a drain disposed near a distal end of a second leg. The column gate may extend between the first leg and the second leg. The channel of the second transistor may be connected to the channel of the first transistor, and the data element may be connected to the source or the drain. Methods, systems, and other devices are contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Werner Juengling
  • Patent number: 9443866
    Abstract: A tunneling dielectric layer for a vertical memory device is formed with a stack that provides a barrier height profile for high data retention tolerance. Memory stack structures extend through a stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers. Each memory stack structure comprises, from outside to inside, a blocking dielectric, memory elements, a tunneling dielectric layer, and a vertical semiconductor channel. The tunneling dielectric layer comprises, from outside to inside, an outer silicon oxide layer, a first silicon oxynitride layer having a first atomic nitrogen concentration, a second silicon oxynitride layer having a second atomic nitrogen concentration that is less than the first atomic nitrogen concentration, and an inner silicon oxide layer that contacts a vertical semiconductor channel. The reduced band gap of the first silicon oxynitride layer relative to the second silicon oxynitride layer provides additional energy barrier for relaxation of holes stored in the memory elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventor: Kiyohiko Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 9437300
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes first and second memory cell transistors, first and second word lines electrically connected to the first and second memory cell transistors, respectively, first and second transfer transistors. The first and second transistors are electrically connected to the first and second word lines, respectively. The sizes of the first transistor and the second transistor are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hideyuki Kamata, Toshifumi Minami, Teppei Higashitsuji, Atsuhiro Sato, Keisuke Yonehama, Yasuyuki Baba, Hiroshi Shinohara
  • Patent number: 9437816
    Abstract: A method of forming a phase change material memory cell includes forming a number of memory structure regions, wherein the memory structure regions include a bottom electrode material and a sacrificial material, forming a number of insulator regions between the number of memory structure regions, forming a number of openings between the number of insulator regions and forming a contoured surface on the number of insulator regions by removing the sacrificial material and a portion of the number of insulator regions, forming a number of dielectric spacers on the number of insulator regions, forming a contoured opening between the number of insulator regions and exposing the bottom electrode material by removing a portion of the number of dielectric spacers, and forming a phase change material in the opening between the number of insulator regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Sanh D. Tang