Patents by Inventor Gurtej Sandhu

Gurtej Sandhu 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: 20100177561
    Abstract: A magnetic cell structure including a nonmagnetic filament contact, and methods of fabricating the structure are provided. The magnetic cell structure includes a free layer, a pinned layer, an insulative layer between the free and pinned layers, and a nonmagnetic filament contact in the insulative layer which electrically connects the free and pinned layers. The nonmagnetic filament contact is formed from a nonmagnetic source layer, also between the free and pinned layers. The filament contact directs a programming current through the magnetic cell structure such that the cross sectional area of the programming current in the free layer is less than the cross section of the structure. The decrease in the cross sectional area of the programming current in the free layer enables a lower programming current to reach a critical switching current density in the free layer and switch the magnetization of the free layer, programming the magnetic cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Publication number: 20100177557
    Abstract: A magnetic cell structure including a nonmagnetic bridge, and methods of fabricating the structure are provided. The magnetic cell structure includes a free layer, a pinned layer, and a nonmagnetic bridge electrically connecting the free layer and the pinned layer. The shape and/or configuration of the nonmagnetic bridge directs a programming current through the magnetic cell structure such that the cross sectional area of the programming current in the free layer of the structure is less than the cross section of the structure. The decrease in the cross sectional area of the programming current in the free layer enables a lower programming current to reach a critical switching current density in the free layer and switch the magnetization of the free layer, programming the magnetic cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7751228
    Abstract: A capacitor structure having a dielectric layer disposed between two conductive electrodes, wherein the dielectric layer contains at least one charge trap site corresponding to a specific energy state. The energy states may be used to distinguish memory states for the capacitor structure, allowing the invention to be used as a memory device. A method of forming the trap cites involves an atomic layer deposition of a material at pre-determined areas in the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Cem Basceri, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7737031
    Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a method of making an inverse-t shaped floating gate in a non-volatile memory cell or the like is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ramakanth Alapati, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7737039
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed, such as those involving increasing the density of isolated features in an integrated circuit. Also disclosed are structures associated with the methods. In one or more embodiments, contacts are formed on pitch with other structures, such as conductive interconnects. The interconnects may be formed by pitch multiplication. To form the contacts, in some embodiments, a pattern corresponding to some of the contacts is formed in a selectively definable material such as photoresist. The features in the selectively definable material are trimmed to desired dimensions. Spacer material is blanket deposited over the features in the selectively definable material and the deposited material is then etched to leave spacers on sides of the features. The selectively definable material is removed to leave a mask defined by the spacer material. The pattern defined by the spacer material may be transferred to a substrate, to form on pitch contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej Sandhu, Mark Kiehlbauch, Steve Kramer, John Smythe
  • Patent number: 7714322
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to a method for disposing nanoparticles on a substrate. In one embodiment, a substrate having a plurality of recesses is provided. In this embodiment, a plurality of nanoparticles is also provided. The nanoparticles include a catalyst material coupled to one or more ligands, and these nanoparticles are disposed within respective recesses of the substrate. In some embodiments, the substrate is processed to form nanostructures, such as nanotubes or nanowires, within the recesses. Devices and systems having such nanostructures are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Gurtej Sandhu
  • Publication number: 20100110783
    Abstract: A magnetic memory cell including a soft magnetic layer and a coupling layer, and methods of operating the memory cell are provided. The memory cell includes a stack with a free ferromagnetic layer and a pinned ferromagnetic layer, and a soft magnetic layer and a coupling layer may also be formed as layers in the stack. The coupling layer may cause antiferromagnetic coupling to induce the free ferromagnetic layer to be magnetized in a direction antiparallel to the magnetization of the soft magnetic layer, or the coupling layer may cause ferromagnetic coupling to induce the free ferromagnetic layer to be magnetized in a direction parallel to the magnetization of the soft magnetic layer. The coupling layer, through a coupling effect, reduces the critical switching current of the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Publication number: 20100080036
    Abstract: Spin torque transfer magnetic random access memory devices configured to be programmed unidirectionally and methods of programming such devices. The devices include memory cells having two pinned layers and a free layer therebetween. By utilizing two pinned layers, the spin torque effect on the free layer from each of the two pinned layers, respectively, allows the memory cells to be programmed with unidirectional currents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Publication number: 20100080048
    Abstract: A magnetic memory cell including a piezoelectric material, and methods of operating the memory cell are provided. The memory cell includes a stack, and the piezoelectric material may be formed as a layer in the stack or adjacent the layers of the cell stack. The piezoelectric material may be used to induce a transient stress during programming of the memory cell to reduce the critical switching current of the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Steve Kramer, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Publication number: 20100080047
    Abstract: Spin current generators and systems and methods for employing spin current generators. A spin current generator may be configured to generate a spin current polarized in one direction, or a spin current selectively polarized in two directions. The spin current generator may by employed in spintronics applications, wherein a spin current is desired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7687841
    Abstract: A structure and fabrication process for a carbon nanotube field effect transistor is disclosed herein. The structure employs an asymmetric gate which is closer to the source and farther from the drain, which helps to minimize “off current” drain leakage when the drain is biased and the gate is otherwise off. In an embodiment, the source and drain are preferably self aligned to the gate, and preferably the gate is first defined as a conductive sidewall to an etched pad. Dielectric sidewalls are then defined over the gate, which in turn defines the positioning of the source and drain in a predetermined spatial relationship to the gate. In a preferred embodiment, the source and drain comprise conductive sidewalls buttressing the dielectric sidewalls. The channel of the device preferably comprises randomly oriented carbon nanotubes formed on an insulative substrate and isolated from the gate by an insulative layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Gurtej Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7687408
    Abstract: Different sized features in the array and in the periphery of an integrated circuit are patterned on a substrate in a single step. In particular, a mixed pattern, combining two separately formed patterns, is formed on a single mask layer and then transferred to the underlying substrate. The first of the separately formed patterns is formed by pitch multiplication and the second of the separately formed patterns is formed by conventional photolithography. The first of the separately formed patterns includes lines that are below the resolution of the photolithographic process used to form the second of the separately formed patterns. These lines are made by forming a pattern on photoresist and then etching that pattern into an amorphous carbon layer. Sidewall pacers having widths less than the widths of the un-etched parts of the amorphous carbon are formed on the sidewalls of the amorphous carbon. The amorphous carbon is then removed, leaving behind the sidewall spacers as a mask pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mirzafer K. Abatchev, Gurtej Sandhu, Luan Tran, William T. Rericha, D. Mark Durcan
  • Publication number: 20100003782
    Abstract: A method of forming a non-volatile resistive oxide memory cell includes forming a first conductive electrode of the memory cell as part of a substrate. Metal oxide-comprising material is formed over the first conductive electrode. Etch stop material is deposited over the metal oxide-comprising material. Conductive material is deposited over the etch stop material. A second conductive electrode of the memory cell which comprises the conductive material received is formed over the etch stop material. Such includes etching through the conductive material to stop relative to the etch stop material and forming the non-volatile resistive oxide memory cell to comprise the first and second conductive electrodes having both the metal oxide-comprising material and the etch stop material therebetween. Other implementations are contemplated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Nishant Sinha, John Smythe, Bhaskar Srinivasan, Gurtej Sandhu, Neil Greeley, Kunal Parekh
  • Patent number: 7642204
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming an insulating material comprising: a) providing a substrate within a reaction chamber; b) providing reactants comprising a Si, F and ozone within the reaction chamber; and c) depositing an insulating material comprising fluorine, silicon and oxygen onto the substrate from the reactants. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a boron-doped silicon oxide having Si—F bonds, comprising: a) providing a substrate within a reaction chamber; b) providing reactants comprising Triethoxy fluorosilane, a boron-containing precursor, and ozone within the reaction chamber; and c) depositing a boron-doped silicon oxide having Si—F bonds onto the substrate from the reactants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Anand Srinivasan, Gurtej Sandhu, Ravi Iyer
  • Publication number: 20090317540
    Abstract: A method of forming a non-volatile resistive oxide memory array includes forming a plurality of one of conductive word lines or conductive bit lines over a substrate. Metal oxide-comprising material is formed over the plurality of said one of the word lines or bit lines. A series of elongated trenches is provided over the plurality of said one of the word lines or bit lines. A plurality of self-assembled block copolymer lines is formed within individual of the trenches in registered alignment with and between the trench sidewalls. A plurality of the other of conductive word lines or conductive bit lines is provided from said plurality of self-assembled block copolymer lines to form individually programmable junctions comprising said metal oxide-comprising material where the word lines and bit lines cross one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Gurtej Sandhu, John Smythe, Bhaskar Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20090308312
    Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a system for controlling placement of nanoparticles, and methods of using same. In one illustrative embodiment, the device includes a substrate and a plurality of funnels in the substrate, wherein each of the funnels comprises an inlet opening and an elongated, rectangular shaped outlet opening. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes creating a dusty plasma comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes, positioning a mask between the dusty plasma and a desired target for the carbon nanotubes, the mask having a plurality of openings extending therethrough, and extinguishing the dusty plasma to thereby allow at least some of the carbon nanotubes in the dusty plasma to pass through at least some of the plurality of openings in the mask and land on the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Inventors: Krupakar Murali Subramanian, Neal Rueger, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Publication number: 20090311867
    Abstract: A mold having an open interior volume is used to define patterns. The mold has a ceiling, floor and sidewalls that define the interior volume and inhibit deposition. One end of the mold is open and an opposite end has a sidewall that acts as a seed sidewall. A first material is deposited on the seed sidewall. A second material is deposited on the deposited first material. The deposition of the first and second materials is alternated, thereby forming alternating rows of the first and second materials in the interior volume. The mold and seed layer are subsequently selectively removed. In addition, one of the first or second materials is selectively removed, thereby forming a pattern including free-standing rows of the remaining material. The free-standing rows can be utilized as structures in a final product, e.g., an integrated circuit, or can be used as hard mask structures to pattern an underlying substrate. The mold and rows of material can be formed on multiple levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Gurtej Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7629693
    Abstract: Different sized features in the array and in the periphery of an integrated circuit are patterned on a substrate in a single step. In particular, a mixed pattern, combining two separately formed patterns, is formed on a single mask layer and then transferred to the underlying substrate. The first of the separately formed patterns is formed by pitch multiplication and the second of the separately formed patterns is formed by conventional photolithography. The first of the separately formed patterns includes lines that are below the resolution of the photolithographic process used to form the second of the separately formed patterns. These lines are made by forming a pattern on photoresist and then etching that pattern into an amorphous carbon layer. Sidewall pacers having widths less than the widths of the un-etched parts of the amorphous carbon are formed on the sidewalls of the amorphous carbon. The amorphous carbon is then removed, leaving behind the sidewall spacers as a mask pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc
    Inventors: Mirzafer K. Abatchev, Gurtej Sandhu, Luan Tran, William T. Rericha, D. Mark Durcan
  • Patent number: 7618890
    Abstract: A method for forming a metal/metal oxide structure that includes forming metal oxide regions, e.g. ruthenium oxide regions, at grain boundaries of a metal layer, e.g., platinum. Preferably, the metal oxide regions are formed by diffusion of oxygen through grain boundaries of the metal layer, e.g., platinum, to oxidize a metal layer thereon, e.g, ruthenium layer. The structure is particularly advantageous for use in capacitor structures and memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Cem Basceri, Gurtej Sandhu
  • Publication number: 20090272960
    Abstract: A method of forming a non-volatile resistive oxide memory cell includes forming a first conductive electrode of the memory cell as part of a substrate. The first conductive electrode has an elevationally outermost surface and opposing laterally outermost edges at the elevationally outermost surface in one planar cross section. Multi-resistive state metal oxide-comprising material is formed over the first conductive electrode. Conductive material is deposited over the multi-resistive state metal oxide-comprising material. A second conductive electrode of the memory cell which comprises the conductive material is received over the multi-resistive state metal oxide-comprising material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Bhaskar Srinivasan, Gurtej Sandhu, John Smythe