Patents by Inventor Dale W. Collins

Dale W. Collins 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: 10121697
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods for depositing copper-containing material utilizing physical vapor deposition of the copper-containing material while keeping a temperature of the deposited copper-containing material at greater than 100° C. Some embodiments include methods in which openings are lined with a metal-containing composition, copper-containing material is physical vapor deposited over the metal-containing composition while a temperature of the copper-containing material is no greater than about 0° C., and the copper-containing material is then annealed while the copper-containing material is at a temperature in a range of from about 180° C. to about 250° C. Some embodiments include methods in which openings are lined with a composition containing metal and nitrogen, and the lined openings are at least partially filled with copper-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale W. Collins, Joe Lindgren
  • Patent number: 10090462
    Abstract: Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods can include a resistive memory cell having a structured as an operably variable resistance region between two electrodes and a metallic barrier disposed in a region between the dielectric and one of the two electrodes. The metallic barrier can have a structure and a material composition to provide oxygen diffusivity above a first threshold during program or erase operations of the resistive memory cell and oxygen diffusivity below a second threshold during a retention state of the resistive memory cell. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy, Lei Bi, Beth R. Cook, Dale W. Collins
  • Publication number: 20180182958
    Abstract: Doping a storage element, a selector element, or both, of a memory cell with a dopant including one or more of aluminum (Al), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), and silicon (Si), can minimize volume or density changes in a phase change memory as well as minimize electromigration, in accordance with embodiments. In one embodiment, a memory cell includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and a storage element comprising a layer of doped phase change material between the first and second electrodes, wherein the doped phase change material includes one or more of aluminum, zirconium, hafnium, and silicon. The storage element, a selector element, or both can be doped using techniques such as cosputtering or deposition of alternating layers of a dopant layer and a storage (or selector) material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel GEALY, Andrea GOTTI, Dale W. COLLINS, Swapnil A. LENGADE
  • Patent number: 10008665
    Abstract: Doping a storage element, a selector element, or both, of a memory cell with a dopant including one or more of aluminum (Al), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), and silicon (Si), can minimize volume or density changes in a phase change memory as well as minimize electromigration, in accordance with embodiments. In one embodiment, a memory cell includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and a storage element comprising a layer of doped phase change material between the first and second electrodes, wherein the doped phase change material includes one or more of aluminum, zirconium, hafnium, and silicon. The storage element, a selector element, or both can be doped using techniques such as cosputtering or deposition of alternating layers of a dopant layer and a storage (or selector) material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel Gealy, Andrea Gotti, Dale W. Collins, Swapnil A. Lengade
  • Publication number: 20170331036
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a plurality of stack structures overlying a substrate. Each stack structure includes a first chalcogenide material over a conductive material overlying the substrate, an electrode over the first chalcogenide material, a second chalcogenide material over the electrode, a liner on sidewalls of at least one of the first chalcogenide material or the second chalcogenide material, and a dielectric material over and in contact with sidewalls of the electrode and in contact with the liner. Related semiconductor devices and systems, methods of forming the semiconductor structure, semiconductor device, and systems, and methods of forming the liner in situ are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Dale W. Collins, Andrea Gotti, F. Daniel Gealy, Tuman E. Allen, Swapnil Lengade
  • Patent number: 9553264
    Abstract: Memory cells (e.g., CBRAM cells) include an ion source material over an active material and an electrode comprising metal silicide over the ion source material. The ion source material may include at least one of a chalcogenide material and a metal. Apparatuses, such as systems and devices, include a plurality of such memory cells. Memory cells include an adhesion material of metal silicide between a ion source material and an electrode of elemental metal. Methods of forming a memory cell include forming a first electrode, forming an active material, forming an ion source material, and forming a second electrode including metal silicide over the metal ion source material. Methods of adhering a material including copper and a material including tungsten include forming a tungsten silicide material over a material including copper and treating the materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale W. Collins, Marko Milojevic, Scott E. Sills, Si-Young Park
  • Patent number: 9444042
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory cell that has an electrode, a switching material over the electrode, a buffer region over the switching material, and an ion reservoir material over the buffer region. The buffer region includes one or more elements from Group 14 of the periodic table in combination with one or more chalcogen elements. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Petz, Dale W. Collins, Scott E. Sills, Shuichiro Yasuda
  • Patent number: 9431606
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory cell having a pair of electrodes, and a plurality of switching levels between the electrodes. Each switching level has an ion buffer region and a dielectric region. At least one switching level differs from another switching level in one or both of thickness and composition of the ion buffer region and/or the dielectric region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy, Dale W. Collins, Christopher W. Petz, Beth R. Cook
  • Patent number: 9419212
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe barrier film techniques and configurations for phase-change memory elements. In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a plurality of phase-change memory (PCM) elements, wherein individual PCM elements of the plurality of PCM elements include a bottom electrode layer, a select device layer disposed on the bottom electrode layer, a middle electrode layer disposed on the select device layer, a phase-change material layer disposed on the middle electrode layer, a top electrode layer disposed on the phase-change material layer, and a barrier film comprising a group IV transition metal, a group VI transition metal, carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), the barrier film being disposed between the bottom electrode layer and the top electrode layer. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher W. Petz, Yongjun J. Hu, Dale W. Collins, Allen McTeer
  • Publication number: 20160163975
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe barrier film techniques and configurations for phase-change memory elements. In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a plurality of phase-change memory (PCM) elements, wherein individual PCM elements of the plurality of PCM elements include a bottom electrode layer, a select device layer disposed on the bottom electrode layer, a middle electrode layer disposed on the select device layer, a phase-change material layer disposed on the middle electrode layer, a top electrode layer disposed on the phase-change material layer, and a barrier film comprising a group IV transition metal, a group VI transition metal, carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), the barrier film being disposed between the bottom electrode layer and the top electrode layer. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher W. Petz, Yongjun J. Hu, Dale W. Collins, Allen McTeer
  • Publication number: 20160093803
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory cell that has an electrode, a switching material over the electrode, a buffer region over the switching material, and an ion reservoir material over the buffer region. The buffer region includes one or more elements from Group 14 of the periodic table in combination with one or more chalcogen elements. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Petz, Dale W. Collins, Scott E. Sills, Shuichiro Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20160086664
    Abstract: Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods can include a resistive memory cell having a structured as an operably variable resistance region between two electrodes and a metallic barrier disposed in a region between the dielectric and one of the two electrodes. The metallic barrier can have a structure and a material composition to provide oxygen diffusivity above a first threshold during program or erase operations of the resistive memory cell and oxygen diffusivity below a second threshold during a retention state of the resistive memory cell. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy, Lei Bi, Beth R. Cook, Dale W. Collins
  • Publication number: 20160056073
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods for depositing copper-containing material utilizing physical vapor deposition of the copper-containing material while keeping a temperature of the deposited copper-containing material at greater than 100° C. Some embodiments include methods in which openings are lined with a metal-containing composition, copper-containing material is physical vapor deposited over the metal-containing composition while a temperature of the copper-containing material is no greater than about 0° C., and the copper-containing material is then annealed while the copper-containing material is at a temperature in a range of from about 180° C. to about 250° C. Some embodiments include methods in which openings are lined with a composition containing metal and nitrogen, and the lined openings are at least partially filled with copper-containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale W. Collins, Joe Lindgren
  • Patent number: 9224945
    Abstract: Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods can include a resistive memory cell having a structured as an operably variable resistance region between two electrodes and a metallic barrier disposed in a region between the dielectric and one of the two electrodes. The metallic barrier can have a structure and a material composition to provide oxygen diffusivity above a first threshold during program or erase operations of the resistive memory cell and oxygen diffusivity below a second threshold during a retention state of the resistive memory cell. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy, Lei Bi, Beth R. Cook, Dale W. Collins
  • Patent number: 9209388
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory cell that has an electrode, a switching material over the electrode, a buffer region over the switching material, and an ion reservoir material over the buffer region. The buffer region includes one or more elements from Group 14 of the periodic table in combination with one or more chalcogen elements. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Petz, Dale W. Collins, Scott E. Sills, Shuichiro Yasuda
  • Patent number: 9177917
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods for depositing copper-containing material utilizing physical vapor deposition of the copper-containing material while keeping a temperature of the deposited copper-containing material at greater than 100° C. Some embodiments include methods in which openings are lined with a metal-containing composition, copper-containing material is physical vapor deposited over the metal-containing composition while a temperature of the copper-containing material is no greater than about 0° C., and the copper-containing material is then annealed while the copper-containing material is at a temperature in a range of from about 180° C. to about 250° C. Some embodiments include methods in which openings are lined with a composition containing metal and nitrogen, and the lined openings are at least partially filled with copper-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale W. Collins, Joe Lindgren
  • Publication number: 20150295171
    Abstract: Memory cells (e.g., CBRAM cells) include an ion source material over an active material and an electrode comprising metal silicide over the ion source material. The ion source material may include at least one of a chalcogenide material and a metal. Apparatuses, such as systems and devices, include a plurality of such memory cells. Memory cells include an adhesion material of metal silicide between a ion source material and an electrode of elemental metal. Methods of forming a memory cell include forming a first electrode, forming an active material, forming an ion source material, and forming a second electrode including metal silicide over the metal ion source material. Methods of adhering a material including copper and a material including tungsten include forming a tungsten silicide material over a material including copper and treating the materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Dale W. Collins, Marko Milojevic, Scott E. Sills, Si-Young Park
  • Patent number: 9093636
    Abstract: Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods include a resistive random access memory cell having an oxygen gradient in a variable resistive region of the resistive random access memory cell and methods of forming the resistive random access memory cell. Oxygen can be incorporated into the resistive random access memory cell by ion implantation. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Swapnil Lengade, Dale W. Collins, Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy, Yongjun Jeff Hu
  • Patent number: 9048415
    Abstract: Memory cells (e.g., CBRAM cells) include an ion source material over an active material and an electrode comprising metal silicide over the ion source material. The ion source material may include at least one of a chalcogenide material and a metal. Apparatuses, such as systems and devices, include a plurality of such memory cells. Memory cells include an adhesion material of metal silicide between a ion source material and an electrode of elemental metal. Methods of forming a memory cell include forming a first electrode, forming an active material, forming an ion source material, and forming a second electrode including metal silicide over the metal ion source material. Methods of adhering a material including copper and a material including tungsten include forming a tungsten silicide material over a material including copper and treating the materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale W. Collins, Marko Milojevic, Scott E. Sills, Si-Young Park
  • Publication number: 20150123065
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory cell that has an electrode, a switching material over the electrode, a buffer region over the switching material, and an ion reservoir material over the buffer region. The buffer region includes one or more elements from Group 14 of the periodic table in combination with one or more chalcogen elements. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Petz, Dale W. Collins, Scott E. Sills, Shuichiro Yasuda