Patents by Inventor Akira Goda

Akira Goda 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).

  • Patent number: 11430895
    Abstract: A transistor comprises a lower contact structure, a channel structure, a dielectric fill structure, and an upper contact structure. The lower contact structure comprises a first oxide semiconductive material. The channel structure contacts the lower contact structure and comprises a second oxide semiconductive material having a smaller atomic concentration of one or more metals than the first oxide semiconductive material. The dielectric fill structure contacts an inner side surface of the channel structure and has a recessed upper surface relative to the channel structure. The upper contact structure comprises a third oxide semiconductive material having a greater atomic concentration of the one or more metals than the channel structure. The upper contact structure comprises a first portion contacting the upper surface of the dielectric fill structure and the inner side surface of the channel structure, and a second portion contacting the upper surface of the channel structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Guangyu Huang, Haitao Liu, Akira Goda
  • Patent number: 11417396
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of operating the apparatuses. One of the apparatuses includes a memory cell string having first, second, third, fourth, and fifth memory cells; access lines including first, second, third, fourth, and fifth access lines coupled to the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth memory cells, respectively, and a module. The first memory cell is between the second and third memory cells. The second memory cell is between the first and fourth memory cells. The third memory cell is between the first and fifth memory cells. The module is to couple the first access line to a ground node at a first time of a memory operation, couple the second and third access lines to the ground node at a second time of the operation after the first time, and couple the fourth and fifth access lines to the ground node at a third time of the operation after the second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Fayrushin, Augusto Benvenuti, Akira Goda, Luca Laurin, Haitao Liu
  • Patent number: 11410949
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided, comprising a substrate with a frontside and a backside opposite the frontside; control circuitry disposed over the frontside of the substrate; a memory array disposed over and electrically coupled to the control circuitry; a through-silicon via (TSV) disposed under the memory array, the TSV extending through the substrate from the control circuitry to the backside of the substrate; and a bond pad disposed on the backside of the substrate and electrically coupled to the control circuitry via the TSV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric N. Lee, Akira Goda
  • Publication number: 20220246215
    Abstract: Memory devices, memory cell strings and methods of operating memory devices are shown. Configurations described include directly coupling an elongated body region to a source line. Configurations and methods shown should provide a reliable bias to a body region for memory operations such as erasing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventor: Akira Goda
  • Patent number: 11404583
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a stack comprising an alternating sequence of dielectric structures and conductive structures, a first channel material extending vertically through the stack, and a second channel material adjacent the first channel material and extending vertically through the stack. The first channel material has a first band gap and the second channel material has a second band gap that is relatively larger than the first band gap. The apparatus further comprises a conductive plug structure adjacent to each of the first channel material and the second channel material, and a conductive line structure adjacent to the conductive plug structure. Methods of forming the apparatus, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Marc Aoulaiche
  • Patent number: 11385819
    Abstract: A system includes a processing device and trigger circuitry to signal the processing device responsive, at least in part, based on a determination that a trigger event has occurred. The system can further include a memory device communicatively coupled to the processing device. The memory device can include a cyclic buffer partition portion having a first endurance characteristic and a first reliability characteristic associated therewith. The memory device can further include a snapshot partition portion coupled to the cyclic buffer partition portion via hold-up capacitors. The snapshot partition portion can have a second endurance characteristic and a second reliability characteristic associated therewith. The processing device can perform operations including writing received data sequentially to the cyclic buffer partition portion and writing, based at least in part on the determination that the trigger event has occurred, data from the cyclic buffer partition portion to the snapshot partition portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kishore K. Muchherla, Niccolo' Righetti, Jeffrey S. McNeil, Jr., Akira Goda, Todd A. Marquart, Mark A. Helm, Gil Golov, Jeremy Binfet, Carmine Miccoli, Giuseppina Puzzilli
  • Publication number: 20220215895
    Abstract: A system includes a memory device having a plurality of groups of memory cells and a processing device communicatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device is be configured to read a first group of memory cells of the plurality to determine a calibrated read voltage associated with the group of memory cells. The processing device is further configured to determine, using the calibrated read voltage associated with the first group of memory cells, a bit error rate (BER) of a second group of memory cells of the plurality. Prior to causing the memory device to perform a copyback operation on the plurality of groups of memory cells, the processing device is further configured to determine whether to perform a subsequent read voltage calibration on at least the second group of the plurality based, at least partially, on a comparison between the determined BER and a threshold BER.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Kishore K. Muchherla, Niccolo' Righetti, Jeffrey S. McNeil, JR., Akira Goda, Todd A. Marquart, Mark A. Helm, Gil Golov, Jeremy Binfet, Carmine Miccoli, Giuseppina Puzzilli
  • Publication number: 20220208261
    Abstract: One embodiment of a memory device includes an array of multiple-level memory cells and a controller. The controller is configured to program the multiple-level memory cells via a multiple-pass programming operation, the multiple-pass programming operation to program lower page data in a first pass and program higher page data in a second pass such that memory cells to be programmed to a higher level are programmed in parallel with memory cells to be programmed to a lower level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Changhyun Lee, Akira Goda, William C. Filipiak
  • Publication number: 20220197771
    Abstract: A method includes writing received data sequentially to a particular location of a cyclic buffer of a memory device according to a first set of threshold voltage distributions. The method further includes performing a touch up operation on the particular location by adjusting the first set of threshold voltage distributions of the data to a second set of threshold voltage distributions in response to a determination that a trigger event has occurred. The second set of threshold voltage distributions can have a larger read window between adjacent threshold voltage distributions of the second set than that of the first set of threshold voltage distributions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. McNeil, JR., Niccolo' Righetti, Kishore K. Muchherla, Akira Goda, Todd A. Marquart, Mark A. Helm, Gil Golov, Jeremy Binfet, Carmine Miccoli, Giuseppina Puzzilli
  • Publication number: 20220189552
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed, such as an apparatus that includes a string of charge storage devices associated with a pillar (e.g., of semiconductor material), a source gate device, and a source select device coupled between the source gate device and the string. Additional apparatus and methods are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Shafqat Ahmed, Khaled Hasnat, Krishna K. Parat
  • Patent number: 11360700
    Abstract: A system includes a processing device and a memory device communicatively coupled to the processing device. The memory device can include a cyclic buffer partition portion and a snapshot partition portion coupled to the cyclic buffer partition portion via hold-up capacitors. The snapshot partition portion can further include a first sub-partition portion having a first programming characteristic and a second sub-partition portion having a second programming characteristic. The processing device can write received data sequentially to the cycle buffer partition portion and write, based at least in part on a determination that a trigger event has occurred, data from the cyclic buffer partition portion to the first sub-partition portion or the second sub-partition portion, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kishore K. Muchherla, Niccolo' Righetti, Jeffrey S. McNeil, Jr., Akira Goda, Todd A. Marquart, Mark A. Helm, Gil Golov, Jeremy Binfet, Carmine Miccoli, Giuseppina Puzzilli
  • Patent number: 11361827
    Abstract: Memory devices, memory cell strings and methods of operating memory devices are shown. Configurations described include directly coupling an elongated body region to a source line. Configurations and methods shown should provide a reliable bias to a body region for memory operations such as erasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Goda
  • Patent number: 11335404
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods using first and second select gates coupled in series between a conductive line and a first memory cell string of a memory device, and third and fourth select gates coupled in series between the conductive line and a second memory cell string of the memory device. The memory device can include first, second, third, and fourth select lines to provide first, second, third, and fourth voltages, respectively, to the first, second, third, and fourth select gates, respectively, during an operation of the memory device. The first and second voltages can have a same value. The third and fourth voltages can have different values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Haitao Liu, Changhyun Lee
  • Publication number: 20220149015
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a memory array region, a control logic region, and an additional control logic region. The memory array region comprises a stack structure comprising vertically alternating conductive structures and insulating structures, and vertically extending strings of memory cells within the stack structure. The control logic region underlies the stack structure and comprises control logic devices configured to effectuate a portion of control operations for the vertically extending strings of memory cells. The additional control logic region overlies the stack structure and comprises additional control logic devices configured to effectuate an additional portion of the control operations for the vertically extending strings of memory cells. Methods of forming a microelectronic device, and additional microelectronic devices and electronic systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Kunal R. Parekh, Paolo Tessariol, Akira Goda
  • Patent number: 11309052
    Abstract: A system includes a memory device having a plurality of groups of memory cells and a processing device communicatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device is be configured to read a first group of memory cells of the plurality to determine a calibrated read voltage associated with the group of memory cells. The processing device is further configured to determine, using the calibrated read voltage associated with the first group of memory cells, a bit error rate (BER) of a second group of memory cells of the plurality. Prior to causing the memory device to perform a copyback operation on the plurality of groups of memory cells, the processing device is further configured to determine whether to perform a subsequent read voltage calibration on at least the second group of the plurality based, at least partially, on a comparison between the determined BER and a threshold BER.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kishore K. Muchherla, Niccolo' Righetti, Jeffrey S. McNeil, Jr., Akira Goda, Todd A. Marquart, Mark A. Helm, Gil Golov, Jeremy Binfet, Carmine Miccoli, Giuseppina Puzzilli
  • Patent number: 11301346
    Abstract: A system includes a processing device and a memory device coupled to the processing device. The memory device can include a cyclic buffer portion and a snapshot portion. The processing device can store time based telemetric sensor data in the cyclic buffer portion, copy an amount of the telemetric sensor data from the cyclic buffer portion to the snapshot portion in response to a trigger event, operate the cyclic buffer portion with a first trim tailored to a performance target of the cyclic buffer portion, and operate the snapshot portion with a second trim tailored to a performance target of the snapshot portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd A. Marquart, Niccolo′ Righetti, Jeffrey S. McNeil, Jr., Akira Goda, Kishore K. Muchherla, Mark A. Helm, Gil Golov, Jeremy Binfet, Carmine Miccoli, Giuseppina Puzzilli
  • Patent number: 11295809
    Abstract: One embodiment of a method for programming multiple-level memory cells includes programming lower page data to memory cells in a first pass of a multiple-pass programming operation. The method includes programming higher page data to the memory cells in a second pass of the multiple-pass programming operation such that higher page data subject to the programmed lower page data is programmed prior to higher page data subject to erase data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Changhyun Lee, Akira Goda, William C. Filipiak
  • Patent number: 11289163
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming such apparatuses. One of the apparatus includes first memory cells located in different levels in a first portion of the apparatus, second memory cells located in different levels in a second portion of the apparatus, a switch located in a third portion of the apparatus between the first and second portions, first and second control gates to access the first and second memory cells, an additional control gate located between the first and second control gates to control the switch, a first conductive structure having a thickness and extending perpendicular to the levels in the first portion of the apparatus, a first dielectric structure between the first conductive structure and charge-storage portions of the first memory cells, a second dielectric structure having a second thickness between the second conductive structure and a sidewall of the additional control gate, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Benben Li, Akira Goda, Ramey M. Abdelrahaman, Ian C. Laboriante, Krishna K. Parat
  • Patent number: 11288160
    Abstract: A method includes writing received data sequentially to a particular location of a cyclic buffer of a memory device according to a first set of threshold voltage distributions. The method further includes performing a touch up operation on the particular location by adjusting the first set of threshold voltage distributions of the data to a second set of threshold voltage distributions in response to a determination that a trigger event has occurred. The second set of threshold voltage distributions can have a larger read window between adjacent threshold voltage distributions of the second set than that of the first set of threshold voltage distributions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. McNeil, Jr., Niccolo′ Righetti, Kishore K. Muchherla, Akira Goda, Todd A. Marquart, Mark A. Helm, Gil Golov, Jeremy Binfet, Carmine Miccoli, Giuseppina Puzzilli
  • Patent number: 11282815
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a memory array region, a control logic region, and an additional control logic region. The memory array region comprises a stack structure comprising vertically alternating conductive structures and insulating structures, and vertically extending strings of memory cells within the stack structure. The control logic region underlies the stack structure and comprises control logic devices configured to effectuate a portion of control operations for the vertically extending strings of memory cells. The additional control logic region overlies the stack structure and comprises additional control logic devices configured to effectuate an additional portion of the control operations for the vertically extending strings of memory cells. Methods of forming a microelectronic device, and additional microelectronic devices and electronic systems are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunal R. Parekh, Paolo Tessariol, Akira Goda