Patents by Inventor Indra V. Chary

Indra V. Chary 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: 20220181352
    Abstract: A method of forming a microelectronic device comprises forming a microelectronic device structure. The microelectronic device structure comprises a stack structure comprising insulative structures and additional insulative structures vertically alternating with the insulative structures, a dielectric structure vertically extending partially through the stack structure, and a dielectric material vertically overlying and horizontally extending across the stack structure and the dielectric structure. Portions of at least the dielectric material and the dielectric structure are removed to form a trench vertically overlying and at least partially horizontally overlapping a remaining portion of the dielectric structure. The trench is substantially filled with additional dielectric material. Microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Indra V. Chary, Justin B. Dorhout
  • Publication number: 20220157719
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises pillar structures comprising semiconductive material, contact structures in physical contact with upper portions of the pillar structures, and conductive structures over and in physical contact with the contact structures. Each of the each of the conductive structures comprises an upper portion having a first width, and a lower portion vertically interposed between the upper portion and the contact structures. The lower portion has a tapered profile defining additional widths varying from a second width less than the first width at an uppermost boundary of the lower portion to a third width less than the second width at a lowermost boundary of the lower portion. Memory devices, electronic systems, and methods of forming microelectronic devices are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Indra V. Chary
  • Publication number: 20220149064
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprising a stack structure comprising a non-staircase region, a staircase region, and an array region. Each of the non-staircase region, the staircase region, and the array region comprises tiers of alternating conductive materials and dielectric materials. One or more pillars are in the non-staircase region and in the array region, and one or more supports are in the staircase region. A conductive material is in each of the non-staircase region, the staircase region, and the array region and extends vertically into a source adjacent to the tiers. The source comprises corrosion containment features in each of the non-staircase region, the staircase region, and the array region, adjacent to the conductive material in the source. Additional microelectronic devices, electronic systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Indra V. Chary
  • Patent number: 11329062
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprises forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers. The stack comprises an insulator tier above the wordline tiers. The insulator tier comprises first insulator material comprising silicon, nitrogen, and one or more of carbon, oxygen, boron, and phosphorus. The first insulator material is patterned to form first horizontally-elongated trenches in the insulator tier. Second insulator material is formed in the first trenches along sidewalls of the first insulator material. The second insulator material is of different composition from that of the first insulator material and narrows the first trenches. After forming the second insulator material, second horizontally-elongated trenches are formed through the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers. The second trenches are horizontally along the narrowed first trenches laterally between and below the second insulator material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin B. Dorhout, Erik Byers, Merri L. Carlson, Indra V. Chary, Damir Fazil, John D. Hopkins, Nancy M. Lomeli, Eldon Nelson, Joel D. Peterson, Dimitrios Pavlopoulos, Paolo Tessariol, Lifang Xu
  • Publication number: 20220130954
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers, a staircase structure within the stack structure having steps comprising horizontal edges of the tiers, a first insulative material vertically overlying the staircase structure, conductive contact structures comprising a conductive material extending through the first insulative material and in contact with the steps of the staircase structure, and a second insulative material extending in a first horizontal direction between horizontally neighboring conductive contact structures and exhibiting one or more different properties than the first insulative material. Related microelectronic devices, electronic systems, and methods are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Indra V. Chary, Harsh Narendrakumar Jain
  • Patent number: 11309328
    Abstract: A method of forming a microelectronic device comprises forming a microelectronic device structure. The microelectronic device structure comprises a stack structure comprising insulative structures and additional insulative structures vertically alternating with the insulative structures, a dielectric structure vertically extending partially through the stack structure, and a dielectric material vertically overlying and horizontally extending across the stack structure and the dielectric structure. Portions of at least the dielectric material and the dielectric structure are removed to form a trench vertically overlying and at least partially horizontally overlapping a remaining portion of the dielectric structure. The trench is substantially filled with additional dielectric material. Microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Indra V. Chary, Justin B. Dorhout
  • Publication number: 20220108998
    Abstract: A microelectronic device includes a stack structure comprising a vertically alternating sequence of insulative structures and conductive structures arranged in tiers. At least one slit region divides the stack structure into blocks. Each block comprises an array of active pillars. Along the at least one slit region is a horizontally alternating sequence of slit structure segments and support pillar structures. The slit structure segments and the support pillar structures each extend vertically through the stack structure. Additional microelectronic devices are also disclosed as are related methods and electronic systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Anilkumar Chandolu, Indra V. Chary
  • Publication number: 20220109001
    Abstract: A microelectronic device may include a stack structure comprising a vertically alternating sequence of insulative structures and conductive structures, the stack structure divided into block portions. The microelectronic device may additionally include slit structures horizontally interposed between the block portions of the stack structure. Each of the slit structures may include a dielectric liner covering side surfaces of the stack structure and an upper surface of an additional structure underlying the stack structure, and a plug structure comprising at least one metal surrounded by the dielectric liner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Indra V. Chary, Justin B. Dorhout
  • Publication number: 20220108947
    Abstract: A method of forming a microelectronic device includes forming a microelectronic device structure. The microelectronic device structure includes a stack structure comprising insulative structures and electrically conductive structures vertically alternating with the insulative structures, pillar structures extending vertically through the stack structure, an etch stop material vertically overlaying the stack structure, and a first dielectric material vertically overlying the etch stop material. The method further includes removing portions of the first dielectric material, the etch stop material, and an upper region of the stack structure to form a trench interposed between horizontally neighboring groups of the pillar structures, forming a liner material within the trench, and substantially filling a remaining portion of the trench with a second dielectric material to form a dielectric barrier structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Indra V. Chary, Nancy M. Lomeli, Xiao Li
  • Publication number: 20220077178
    Abstract: Microelectronic devices include a stack structure with a vertically alternating sequence of insulative structures and conductive structures arranged in tiers. A series of slit structures extends through the stack structure and devices the stack structure into a series of blocks. In a progressed portion of the series of blocks, each block comprises an array of pillars extending the through the stack structure of the block. Also, each block—in the progressed portion—has a different block width than a block width of a neighboring block of the progressed portion of the series of blocks. At least one pillar, of the pillars of the array of pillars in the progressed portion, exhibits bending. Related methods and electronic systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Kaiming Luo, Sarfraz Qureshi, Md Zakir Ullah, Jessica Low Jing Wen, Harsh Narendrakumar Jain, Kok Siak Tang, Indra V. Chary, Matthew J. King
  • Publication number: 20220068317
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a pair of adjacent memory-block-regions, and having a separator structure between the adjacent memory-block-regions. The memory-block-regions include a first stack of alternating conductive levels and first insulative levels. The separator structure includes a second stack of alternating second and third insulative levels. The second insulative levels are substantially horizontally aligned with the conductive levels, and the third insulative levels are substantially horizontally aligned with the first insulative levels. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Paolo Tessariol, David H. Wells, Lars P. Heineck, Richard J. Hill, Lifang Xu, Indra V. Chary, Emilio Camerlenghi
  • Publication number: 20220068965
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a method of forming an integrated assembly. Laterally alternating first and second sacrificial materials are formed over a conductive structure, and then a stack of vertically alternating first and second levels is formed over the sacrificial materials. The first levels include first material and the second levels include insulative second material. Channel-material-openings are formed to extend through the stack and through at least some of the strips. Channel-material-pillars are formed within the channel-material-openings. Slits are formed to extend through the stack and through the sacrificial materials. The first sacrificial material is replaced with first conductive material and then the second sacrificial material is replaced with second conductive material. At least some of the first material of the stack is replaced with third conductive material. Some embodiments include integrated assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Anilkumar Chandolu, Indra V. Chary
  • Publication number: 20220068956
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatuses includes a first deck located over a substrate, and a second deck located over the first deck, and pillars extending through the first and second decks. The first deck includes first memory cells, first control gates associated with the first memory cells, and first conductive paths coupled to the first control gates. The second conductive paths include second conductive pads located on a first level of the apparatus over the substrate. The second deck includes second memory cells, second control gates associated with the second memory cells, and second conductive paths coupled to the second control gates. The second conductive paths include second conductive pads located on a second level of the apparatus. The first and second conductive pads having lengths in a direction perpendicular to a direction from the first deck to the second deck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Darwin A. Clampitt, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Matthew J. King, Lisa M. Clampitt, John Hopkins, Kevin Y. Titus, Indra V. Chary, Martin Jared Barclay, Anilkumar Chandolu, Pavithra Natarajan, Roger W. Lindsay
  • Publication number: 20220059569
    Abstract: A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Operative channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. Upper masses comprise first material laterally-between and longitudinally-spaced-along immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory blocks and second material laterally-between and longitudinally-spaced-along the immediately-laterally-adjacent memory blocks longitudinally-between and under the upper masses. The second material is of different composition from that of the first material. The second material comprises insulative material. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan D. Greenlee, Daniel Billingsley, Indra V. Chary, Rita J. Klein
  • Patent number: 11257834
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprising a stack structure comprising a non-staircase region, a staircase region, and an array region. Each of the non-staircase region, the staircase region, and the array region comprises tiers of alternating conductive materials and dielectric materials. One or more pillars are in the non-staircase region and in the array region, and one or more supports are in the staircase region. A conductive material is in each of the non-staircase region, the staircase region, and the array region and extends vertically into a source adjacent to the tiers. The source comprises corrosion containment features in each of the non-staircase region, the staircase region, and the array region, adjacent to the conductive material in the source. Additional microelectronic devices, electronic systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Indra V. Chary
  • Publication number: 20220045075
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a source structure, and having a stack of alternating conductive levels and insulative levels over the source structure. Cell-material-pillars pass through the stack. The cell-material-pillars are arranged within a configuration which includes a first memory-block-region and a second memory-block-region. The cell-material-pillars include channel material which is electrically coupled with the source structure. Memory cells are along the conductive levels and include regions of the cell-material-pillars. A panel is between the first and second memory-block-regions. The panel has a first material configured as a container shape. The container shape defines opposing sides and a bottom of a cavity. The panel has a second material within the cavity. The second material is compositionally different from the first material. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan D. Greenlee, Nancy M. Lomeli, John D. Hopkins, Jiewei Chen, Indra V. Chary, Jun Fang, Vladimir Samara, Kaiming Luo, Rita J. Klein, Xiao Li, Vinayak Shamanna
  • Publication number: 20220037360
    Abstract: A device comprises an array of elevationally-extending transistors and a circuit structure adjacent and electrically coupled to the elevationally-extending transistors of the array. The circuit structure comprises a stair step structure comprising vertically-alternating tiers comprising conductive steps that are at least partially elevationally separated from one another by insulative material. Operative conductive vias individually extend elevationally through one of the conductive steps at least to a bottom of the vertically-alternating tiers and individually electrically couple to an electronic component below the vertically-alternating tiers. Dummy structures individually extend elevationally through one of the conductive steps at least to the bottom of the vertically-alternating tiers. Methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paolo Tessariol, Justin B. Dorhout, Indra V. Chary, Jun Fang, Matthew Park, Zhiqiang Xie, Scott D. Stull, Daniel Osterberg, Jason Reece, Jian Li
  • Publication number: 20220013534
    Abstract: Microelectronic devices include a stack structure with a vertically alternating sequence of insulative structures and conductive structures arranged in tiers. Conductive contact structures extend through the stack structure. An insulative material is between the conductive contact structures and the tiers of the stack structure. In a lower tier portion of the stack structure, a conductive structure, of the conductive structures, has a portion extending a first width between a pair of the conductive contact structures. In a portion of the stack structure above the lower tier portion, an additional conductive structure, of the conductive structures, has an additional portion extending a second width between the pair of the conductive contact structures. The second width is greater than the first width. Related methods and electronic systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Anilkumar Chandolu, Indra V. Chary
  • Publication number: 20210408029
    Abstract: A termination opening can be formed through the stack alternating dielectrics concurrently with forming contact openings through the stack. A termination structure can be formed in the termination opening. An additional opening can be formed through the termination structure and through the stack between groups of semiconductor structures that pass through the stack. In another example, an opening can be formed through the stack so that a first segment of the opening is between groups of semiconductor structures in a first region of the stack and a second segment of the opening is in a second region of the stack that does not include the groups of semiconductor structures. A material can be formed in the second segment so that the first segment terminates at the material. In some instances, the material can be implanted in the dielectrics in the second region through the second segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Matthew J. King, Anilkumar Chandolu, Indra V. Chary, Darwin A. Clampitt, Gordon Haller, Thomas George, Brett D. Lowe, David A. Daycock
  • Publication number: 20210398997
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising alternating conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers, the tiers individually comprising one of the conductive structures and one of the insulative structures, first support pillar structures extending through the stack structure within a first region of the microelectronic device, the first support pillar structures electrically isolated from a source structure underlying the stack structure, second support pillar structures extending through the stack structure within a second region of the microelectronic device, the second support pillar structures comprising an electrically conductive material in electrical communication with the source structure, and bridge structures extending between at least some neighboring first support pillar structures of the first support pillar structures. Related memory devices, electronic systems, and methods are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Indra V. Chary, Justin B. Dorhout