Patents by Inventor Gordon A. Haller

Gordon A. Haller 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: 20070141771
    Abstract: Integrated circuits and methods of forming field effect transistors are disclosed. In one aspect, an integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate comprising bulk semiconductive material. Electrically insulative material is received within the bulk semiconductive material. Semiconductor material is formed on the insulative material. A field effect transistor is included and comprises a gate, a channel region, and a pair of source/drain regions. In one implementation, one of the source/drain regions is formed in the semiconductor material, and the other of the source/drain regions is formed in the bulk semiconductive material. In one implementation, the electrically insulative material extends from beneath one of the source/drain regions to beneath only a portion of the channel region. Other aspects and implementations, including methodical aspects, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Sanh Tang, Gordon Haller
  • Publication number: 20070138528
    Abstract: Methods of reducing the floating body effect in vertical transistors are disclosed. The floating body effect occurs when an active region in a pillar is cut off from the substrate by a depletion region and the accompanying electrostatic potential created. In a preferred embodiment, a word line is recessed into the substrate to tie the upper active region to the substrate. The resulting memory cells are preferably used in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Gordon Haller
  • Publication number: 20070128809
    Abstract: Methods of reducing the floating body effect in vertical transistors are disclosed. The floating body effect occurs when an active region in a pillar is cut off from the substrate by a depletion region and the accompanying electrostatic potential created. In a preferred embodiment, a word line is recessed into the substrate to tie the upper active region to the substrate. The resulting memory cells are preferably used in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Gordon Haller
  • Publication number: 20070105357
    Abstract: Methods and structures are provided for full silicidation of recessed silicon. Silicon is provided within a trench. A mixture of metals is provided over the silicon in which one of the metals diffuses more readily in silicon than silicon does in the metal, and another of the metals diffuses less readily in silicon than silicon does in the metal. An exemplary mixture includes 80% nickel and 20% cobalt. The silicon within the trench is allowed to fully silicide without void formation, despite a relatively high aspect ratio for the trench. Among other devices, recessed access devices (RADs) can be formed by the method for memory arrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Hasan Nejad, Thomas Figura, Gordon Haller, Ravi Iyer, John Meldrim, Justin Harnish
  • Patent number: 7214621
    Abstract: The invention includes methods of forming devices associated with semiconductor constructions. In exemplary methods, common processing steps are utilized to form fully silicided recessed array access gates and partially silicided periphery transistor gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hasan Nejad, Gordon A. Haller, Thomas Arthur Figura, Ravi Iyer
  • Patent number: 7199419
    Abstract: Methods of reducing the floating body effect in vertical transistors are disclosed. The floating body effect occurs when an active region in a pillar is cut off from the substrate by a depletion region and the accompanying electrostatic potential created. In a preferred embodiment, a word line is recessed into the substrate to tie the upper active region to the substrate. The resulting memory cells are preferably used in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Gordon A. Haller
  • Publication number: 20070051997
    Abstract: A memory device comprising a vertical transistor includes a digit line that is directly coupled to the source regions of each memory cell. Because an electrical plug is not used to form a contact between the digit line and the source regions, a number of fabrication steps may be reduced and the possibility for manufacturing defects may also be reduced. In some embodiments, a memory device may include a vertical transistor having gate regions that are recessed from an upper portion of a silicon substrate. With the gate regions recessed from the silicon substrate, the gate regions are spaced further from the source/drain regions and, accordingly, cross capacitance between the gate regions and the source/drain regions may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Inventors: Gordon Haller, Sanh Tang, Steve Cummings
  • Publication number: 20070045712
    Abstract: A memory device comprises an active area comprising a source and at least two drains defining a first axis. At least two substantially parallel word lines are defined by a first pitch, with one word line located between each drain and the source. Digit lines are defined by a second pitch, one of the digit lines being coupled to the source and forming a second axis. The active areas of the memory array are tilted at 45° to the grid defined by the word lines and digit lines. The word line pitch is about 1.5 F, while the digit line pitch is about 3 F.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Gordon Haller, David Hwang, Sanh Tang, Ceredig Roberts
  • Publication number: 20070048941
    Abstract: A transistor gate forming method includes forming a metal layer within a line opening and forming a fill layer within the opening over the metal layer. The fill layer is substantially selectively etchable with respect to the metal layer. A transistor structure includes a line opening, a dielectric layer within the opening, a metal layer over the dielectric layer within the opening, and a fill layer over the metal layer within the opening. The metal layer/fill layer combination exhibits less intrinsic less than would otherwise exist if the fill layer were replaced by an increased thickness of the metal layer. The inventions apply at least to 3-D transistor structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Sanh Tang, Gordon Haller, Prashant Raghu, Ravi Iyer
  • Publication number: 20070048930
    Abstract: Methods are provided for simultaneously processing transistors in two different regions of an integrated circuit. Planar transistors are provided in a logic region while recessed access devices (RADs) are provided in an array region for a memory device. During gate stack patterning in the periphery, word lines are recessed within the trenches for the array RADs. Side wall spacer formation in the periphery simultaneously provides an insulating cap layer burying the word lines within the trenches of the array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Figura, Gordon Haller
  • Publication number: 20070049015
    Abstract: Methods and structures are provided for full silicidation of recessed silicon. Silicon is provided within a trench. A mixture of metals is provided over the silicon in which one of the metals diffuses more readily in silicon than silicon does in the metal, and another of the metals diffuses less readily in silicon than silicon does in the metal. An exemplary mixture includes 80% nickel and 20% cobalt. The silicon within the trench is allowed to fully silicide without void formation, despite a relatively high aspect ratio for the trench. Among other devices, recessed access devices (RADs) can be formed by the method for memory arrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Hasan Nejad, Thomas Figura, Gordon Haller, Ravi Iyer, John Meldrim, Justin Harnish
  • Patent number: 7183164
    Abstract: Methods of reducing the floating body effect in vertical transistors are disclosed. The floating body effect occurs when an active region in a pillar is cut off from the substrate by a depletion region and the accompanying electrostatic potential created. In a preferred embodiment, a word line is recessed into the substrate to tie the upper active region to the substrate. The resulting memory cells are preferably used in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Gordon A. Haller
  • Publication number: 20060263979
    Abstract: The invention includes methods of forming devices associated with semiconductor constructions. In exemplary methods, common processing steps are utilized to form fully silicided recessed array access gates and partially silicided periphery transistor gates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Hasan Nejad, Gordon Haller, Thomas Figura, Ravi Iyer
  • Publication number: 20060261393
    Abstract: The invention includes a transistor device having a semiconductor substrate with an upper surface. A pair of source/drain regions are formed within the semiconductor substrate and a channel region is formed within the semiconductor substrate and extends generally perpendicularly relative to the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. A gate is formed within the semiconductor substrate between the pair of the source/drain regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Sanh Tang, Gordon Haller, Kris Brown, Tuman Earl Allen
  • Publication number: 20060258084
    Abstract: Vertical transistors for memory cells, such as 4F2 memory cells, are disclosed. The memory cells use digit line connections formed within the isolation trench to connect the digit line with the lower active area. Vertical transistor pillars can be formed from epitaxial silicon or etched from bulk silicon. Memory cells can be formed by creating a cell capacitor electrically connected to each transistor pillar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Sanh Tang, Gordon Haller
  • Patent number: 7122425
    Abstract: The invention includes semiconductor constructions containing vertically-extending pillars, and methods for forming such constructions. The vertically-extending pillars can be incorporated into transistor devices, and can contain vertically-extending channel regions of the transistor devices. The transistor devices can be incorporated into integrated circuitry, and in some aspects are incorporated into memory constructions, such as, for example, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) constructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Randal W. Chance, Gordon A. Haller, Sanh D. Tang, Steven D. Cummings
  • Publication number: 20060211194
    Abstract: Methods of reducing the floating body effect in vertical transistors are disclosed. The floating body effect occurs when an active region in a pillar is cut off from the substrate by a depletion region and the accompanying electrostatic potential created. In a preferred embodiment, a word line is recessed into the substrate to tie the upper active region to the substrate. The resulting memory cells are preferably used in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Inventor: Gordon Haller
  • Publication number: 20060205128
    Abstract: Integrated circuits and methods of forming field effect transistors are disclosed. In one aspect, an integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate comprising bulk semiconductive material. Electrically insulative material is received within the bulk semiconductive material. Semiconductor material is formed on the insulative material. A field effect transistor is included and comprises a gate, a channel region, and a pair of source/drain regions. In one implementation, one of the source/drain regions is formed in the semiconductor material, and the other of the source/drain regions is formed in the bulk semiconductive material. In one implementation, the electrically insulative material extends from beneath one of the source/drain regions to beneath only a portion of the channel region. Other aspects and implementations, including methodical aspects, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Sanh Tang, Gordon Haller
  • Publication number: 20060125044
    Abstract: Methods of reducing the floating body effect in vertical transistors are disclosed. The floating body effect occurs when an active region in a pillar is cut off from the substrate by a depletion region and the accompanying electrostatic potential created. In a preferred embodiment, a word line is recessed into the substrate to tie the upper active region to the substrate. The resulting memory cells are preferably used in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventor: Gordon Haller
  • Publication number: 20060063350
    Abstract: The invention includes semiconductor constructions containing vertically-extending pillars, and methods for forming such constructions. The vertically-extending pillars can be incorporated into transistor devices, and can contain vertically-extending channel regions of the transistor devices. The transistor devices can be incorporated into integrated circuitry, and in some aspects are incorporated into memory constructions, such as, for example, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) constructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Randal Chance, Gordon Haller, Sanh Tang, Steven Cummings