Patents by Inventor Amitay Levi

Amitay Levi 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).

  • Publication number: 20210065760
    Abstract: A magnetic memory array having an epitaxially grown vertical semiconductor selector connected with a memory element via a bottom electrode such as TaN. An electrically conductive contact such as tungsten (W) or TaN can be included between the vertical semiconductor channel and the TaN bottom electrode. The electrically conductive contact and the TaN bottom electrode can both be formed by a damascene process wherein an opening is formed in an oxide layer and a metal is deposited into the opening. A chemical mechanical polishing process can then be performed to remove portions of the metal that extend out of the opening in the oxide layer over the oxide surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Dafna Beery, Amitay Levi, Andrew J. Walker
  • Patent number: 10937479
    Abstract: A magnetic memory array having an epitaxially grown vertical semiconductor selector connected with a memory element via a bottom electrode such as TaN. An electrically conductive contact such as tungsten (W) or TaN can be included between the vertical semiconductor channel and the TaN bottom electrode. The electrically conductive contact and the TaN bottom electrode can both be formed by a damascene process wherein an opening is formed in an oxide layer and a metal is deposited into the opening. A chemical mechanical polishing process can then be performed to remove portions of the metal that extend out of the opening in the oxide layer over the oxide surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Dafna Beery, Amitay Levi, Andrew J. Walker
  • Patent number: 10916582
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method includes forming a first insulative layer above a bottom surface of a groove and along inner sidewalls thereof, forming a source line layer within the groove of the substrate, forming a first dielectric layer on outer sides of a middle portion of the source line layer, forming a buffer layer on outer sides of the first dielectric layer, forming a gate terminal above the source line layer, forming a gate dielectric layer between the source line layer and the gate terminal and on outer sides of the lower portion of the gate terminal, forming a drain terminal including strained Si on outer sides of the first dielectric layer, and forming a relaxed buffer layer on outer sides of the upper portion of the source line layer and outer sides of the drain terminal, with the gate terminal extending beyond the relaxed buffer layer thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Kuk-Hwan Kim, Dafna Beery, Amitay Levi, Andrew J. Walker
  • Publication number: 20200409272
    Abstract: A sub-lithographic device, and a method of fabricating the device, is provided. The method includes determining a lithographic size constraint, and determining size and position of sub-lithographic components of the device. A resist layer is deposited on a substrate, and a mask is positioned over the substrate. The mask includes an aperture corresponding to a first region of the resist layer. After positioning the mask, the resist layer is partially exposed to a radiant energy. The mask is adjusted such that the aperture corresponds to a second region of the resist layer. The overlap of the first region and the second region corresponds to the position of a component of the device. The resist layer is partially exposed again to the radiant energy. An opening is formed in the resist layer by removing fully exposed portion of the resist layer. Subsequently, material for the component is deposited within the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Gian Sharma, Amitay Levi
  • Publication number: 20200409273
    Abstract: A system and method of fabricating a plurality of devices with reduced isolation regions there between, is provided. The method includes obtaining a substrate with a dielectric layer and a resist layer stacked thereupon. The resist layer has a sensitivity to a radiant energy and has a first exposure time. The method also includes identifying a plurality of device locations on the substrate corresponding to the plurality of devices. The plurality of device locations are separated from one another by a plurality of sub-lithographic isolation regions such that the plurality of devices is electrically insulated from one another. The method includes fabricating the plurality of isolation regions by partially exposing the resist layer to the radiant energy a plurality of times, removing fully exposed portions of the resist layer, and creating sub-lithographic isolation regions by depositing a dielectric material in the openings in the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Amitay Levi, Gian Sharma
  • Patent number: 10854260
    Abstract: The various implementations described herein include methods, devices, and systems for performing operations on memory devices. In one aspect, a memory device a magnetic memory component and a current selector component coupled to the magnetic memory component. The current selector component includes a first transistor having a first gate with a corresponding first threshold voltage. The first transistor comprises a charge storage layer configured to selectively store charge so as to adjust a current through the first transistor. The memory device further includes control circuitry configured to determine a bit error rate of the magnetic memory component and adjust a charge stored in the charge storage layer based on the determined bit error rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Kuk-Hwan Kim, Gian Sharma, Amitay Levi
  • Patent number: 10790333
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method includes forming, at a low temperature, a thin film transistor structure above a flexible substrate in a film thickness direction. The low temperature is less than about 200° C., and the thin film transistor structure includes a contact pad on a lower or upper surface thereof. The method also includes forming, at a high temperature, a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (pMTJ) structure above a rigid substrate. The high temperature is greater than about 200° C. The method also includes removing the rigid substrate from below the pMTJ structure and bonding, at the low temperature, the pMTJ structure to the thin film transistor structure using an adhesion layer. Other methods of forming flexible substrates for mounting pMTJs and systems thereof are described in accordance with more embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Kuk-Hwan Kim, Marcin Gajek, Dafna Beery, Amitay Levi
  • Patent number: 10770561
    Abstract: An annular device is provided. The annular device includes a first transistor including a first input terminal and a second transistor including a second input terminal. The first input terminal and the second input terminal extend radially outward from the annular device, and wherein the first input terminal is aligned with the second input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Gian Sharma, Amitay Levi, Kuk-Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 10770510
    Abstract: A device having two transistors with dual thresholds, and a method of fabricating the device, including fabricating a silicide source, a conductive layer, and contacts to a plurality of layers of the device, is provided. The device has a core and a plurality of layers that surround the core in succession, including a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a fourth layer. The device further comprises a first input terminal coupled to the core, the first input terminal being configured to receive a first voltage and a second input terminal coupled to the fourth layer, the second input terminal being configured to receive a second voltage. The device comprises a common source terminal coupled to the core and the fourth layer. A memory device, such as an MTJ, may be coupled to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Gian Sharma, Amitay Levi, Kuk-Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 10679685
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive memory architecture in one aspect includes a plurality of bit lines each coupled to two or more respective columns of magnetoresistive memory cells, and a plurality of source lines each coupled to a respective one of the columns of memory cells. A given memory cell can be accessed by biasing a selected word line, a selected bit line, and a selected source line coupled to corresponding column of memory cells coupled to the selected bit line, and by counter biasing one or more selected source lines coupled to one or more other columns of memory cells coupled to the selected bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Spin Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Loc Hoang, Amitay Levi
  • Patent number: 10658425
    Abstract: A method of forming a transistor, according to one embodiment, includes: forming an doped material, depositing an oxide layer on the doped material, depositing a conducting layer on the oxide layer, patterning the conducting layer to form at least two word lines, depositing a nitride layer above the at least two word lines, defining at least two hole regions, at each of the defined hole regions, etching down to the doped material through each of the respective word lines, thereby creating at least two holes, depositing a gate dielectric layer on the nitride layer and in the at least two holes, depositing a protective layer on the gate dielectric layer, etching in each of the at least two holes down to the doped material, and removing a remainder of the protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Kuk-Hwan Kim, Dafna Beery, Amitay Levi, Andrew J. Walker
  • Publication number: 20200127052
    Abstract: A memory array for data recording that includes a selector transistor electrically connected with a two terminal resistive memory element such as a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element. The selector transistor comprises a semiconductor column formed by selective epitaxial growth on a semiconductor surface. The semiconductor column is at least partially surrounded by a gate dielectric layer and an electrically conductive gate structure arranged such that the gate dielectric is between the electrically conducive gate structure and the semiconductor column. The selective epitaxial growth of the semiconductor column allows the semiconductor column to have a very low electrical resistance in an “on” state which allows the selector transistor to provide a high electrical current to the two terminal resistive memory element for reliable switching during data writing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew J. Walker, Dafna Beery, Peter Cuevas, Amitay Levi
  • Patent number: 10629649
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of forming a magnetic memory device includes forming a source region including a first semiconductor material having a first conductivity above a substrate, forming an array of three-dimensional (3D) structures above the substrate, depositing a channel material on a surface of at least one sidewall of each 3D structure, depositing a gate dielectric material on the channel material on the surface of at least one sidewall of each 3D structure, forming a first isolation region in the cavity region above the substrate, forming a first gate region above the first isolation region in the cavity region, and forming a second isolation region above the first gate region, wherein a nth gate region is formed above a (n+1) isolation region thereafter until a top of the array of 3D structures, wherein each nth gate region is coupled to each nth perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction sensor of each 3D structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Kuk-Hwan Kim, Dafna Beery, Amitay Levi, Andrew J. Walker
  • Patent number: 10614867
    Abstract: A method for forming an array of very small pillar structures having a very small feature size that is smaller than the resolution limit of photolithographic process available for patterning such structures. The method involves forming an array of silicon pillar structures over a layer of material that will ultimately form the pillar structures. The array of silicon pillar structures is repeatedly oxidized to form a layer of silicon oxide at an outer surface of the silicon pillar structures and then etched to remove the outer layer of oxide, thereby reducing the features size (i.e. diameter) of the silicon pillar structure. A final oxidation process entirely oxidizes the remaining silicon pillar structures, leaving an array of small silicon oxide pillar structures that can be used as a mask for patterning underlying layers, including the underlying pillar material. The process is especially useful for forming an array of magnetic memory pillars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Gian Sharma, Amitay Levi
  • Publication number: 20200043537
    Abstract: A method for forming an array of very small pillar structures having a very small feature size that is smaller than the resolution limit of photolithographic process available for patterning such structures. The method involves forming an array of silicon pillar structures over a layer of material that will ultimately form the pillar structures. The array of silicon pillar structures is repeatedly oxidized to form a layer of silicon oxide at an outer surface of the silicon pillar structures and then etched to remove the outer layer of oxide, thereby reducing the features size (i.e. diameter) of the silicon pillar structure. A final oxidation process entirely oxidizes the remaining silicon pillar structures, leaving an array of small silicon oxide pillar structures that can be used as a mask for patterning underlying layers, including the underlying pillar material. The process is especially useful for forming an array of magnetic memory pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Gian Sharma, Amitay Levi
  • Patent number: 10497415
    Abstract: The various implementations described herein include methods, devices, and systems for performing operations on memory devices. In one aspect, a memory device includes: (1) a first charge storage device having a first gate with a corresponding first threshold voltage, the first charge storage device configured to store charge corresponding to one or more first bits; and (2) a second charge storage device having a second gate with a corresponding second threshold voltage, distinct from the first threshold voltage, the second charge storage device configured to store charge corresponding to one or more second bits; where the second charge storage device is coupled in parallel with the first charge storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Kuk-Hwan Kim, Gian Sharma, Amitay Levi
  • Publication number: 20190355896
    Abstract: A three dimensional magnetic random access memory array that includes a sourceline formed on a substrate and a magnetic memory element pillar that includes a plurality of magnetic memory element pillars formed over the substrate. The three dimensional magnetic random access memory array also includes a transistor formed between the magnetic memory element pillar, the transistor being functional to electrically connect the sourceline and magnetic memory element pillar. A plurality of magnetic memory element pillars may be formed over the substrate with a transistor between each memory element pillar to selectively connect or disconnect each of the magnetic memory element pillars. The transistor can include an epitaxial semiconductor structure having a gate dielectric formed at a side of the epitaxial semiconductor and a gate material formed on the gat dielectric such that the gate dielectric material is between the gate material and the semiconductor material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Kuk-Hwan Kim, Dafna Beery, Amitay Levi, Andrew J. Walker
  • Patent number: 10468293
    Abstract: A method of forming a transistor, according to one embodiment, includes: forming an doped material, depositing an oxide layer on the doped material, depositing a conducting layer on the oxide layer, patterning the conducting layer to form at least two word lines, depositing a nitride layer above the at least two word lines, defining at least two hole regions, at each of the defined hole regions, etching down to the doped material through each of the respective word lines, thereby creating at least two holes, depositing a gate dielectric layer on the nitride layer and in the at least two holes, depositing a protective layer on the gate dielectric layer, etching in each of the at least two holes down to the doped material, and removing a remainder of the protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Kuk-Hwan Kim, Dafna Beery, Amitay Levi, Andrew J. Walker
  • Patent number: 10460778
    Abstract: A magnetic device, according to one approach, includes: a plurality of perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (p-MTJ) cells, each p-MTJ cell having a transistor and a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sensor. Moreover, each of the transistors includes a drain terminal, a source terminal, and a gate terminal. The magnetic device also includes: a first common word line coupled to the gate terminal of each transistor in a first subset of the plurality of p-MTJ cells, a first common bit line coupled to a first end of each MTJ sensor in a second subset of the plurality of p-MTJ cells, and a first common source line coupled to the drain terminal of each transistor in the first subset. A second end of each of the MTJ sensors in the second subset is coupled to the source terminal of each respective transistor in the second subset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: SPIN MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Kuk-Hwan Kim, Dafna Beery, Gian Sharma, Marcin Gajek, Kadriye Deniz Bozdag, Girish Jagtiani, Eric Michael Ryan, Michail Tzoufras, Amitay Levi, Andrew J. Walker
  • Publication number: 20190311956
    Abstract: An annular device is provided. The annular device includes a first transistor including a first input terminal and a second transistor including a second input terminal. The first input terminal and the second input terminal extend radially outward from the annular device, and wherein the first input terminal is aligned with the second input terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Gian Sharma, Amitay Levi, Kuk-Hwan Kim