Patents by Inventor John K. Zahurak

John K. Zahurak 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: 9356028
    Abstract: Sacrificial plugs for forming contacts in integrated circuits, as well as methods of forming connections in integrated circuit arrays are disclosed. Various pattern transfer and etching steps can be used to create densely-packed features and the connections between features. A sacrificial material can be patterned in a continuous zig-zag line pattern that crosses word lines. Planarization can create parallelogram-shaped blocks of material that can overlie active areas to form sacrificial plugs, which can be replaced with conductive material to form contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Byron Neville Burgess, John K. Zahurak
  • Patent number: 9349445
    Abstract: Select devices for memory cell applications and methods of forming the same are described herein. As an example, one or more non-ohmic select devices can include at least two tunnel barrier regions formed between a first metal material and a second metal material, and a third metal material formed between each of the respective at least two tunnel barrier regions. The non-ohmic select device is a two terminal select device that supports bi-directional current flow therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. Wells, Bhaskar Srinivasan, John K. Zahurak
  • Publication number: 20160133835
    Abstract: An integrated circuit has a nonvolatile memory cell that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an ion conductive material there-between. At least one of the first and second electrodes has an electrochemically active surface received directly against the ion conductive material. The second electrode is elevationally outward of the first electrode. The first electrode extends laterally in a first direction and the ion conductive material extends in a second direction different from and intersecting the first direction. The first electrode is received directly against the ion conductive material only where the first and second directions intersect. Other embodiments, including method embodiments, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Jun Liu, John K. Zahurak
  • Patent number: 9337237
    Abstract: Non-volatile memory devices comprising a memory string including a plurality of vertically superimposed diodes. Each of the diodes may be arranged at different locations along a length of the electrode and may be spaced apart from adjacent diodes by a dielectric material. The electrode may electrically couple the diodes of the memory strings to one another and to another memory device, such as, a MOSFET device. Methods of forming the non-volatile memory devices as well as intermediate structures are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanh D. Tang, John K. Zahurak
  • Publication number: 20160118392
    Abstract: Methods of forming multi-tiered semiconductor devices are described, along with apparatus and systems that include them. In one such method, an opening is formed in a tier of semiconductor material and a tier of dielectric. A portion of the tier of semiconductor material exposed by the opening is processed so that the portion is doped differently than the remaining semiconductor material in the tier. At least substantially all of the remaining semiconductor material of the tier is removed, leaving the differently doped portion of the tier of semiconductor material as a charge storage structure. A tunneling dielectric is formed on a first surface of the charge storage structure and an intergate dielectric is formed on a second surface of the charge storage structure. Additional embodiments are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Sanh D. Tang, John K. Zahurak
  • Publication number: 20160056175
    Abstract: A circuit structure includes a substrate having an array region and a peripheral region. The substrate in the array and peripheral regions includes insulator material over first semiconductor material, conductive material over the insulator material, and second semiconductor material over the conductive material. The array region includes vertical circuit devices which include the second semiconductor material. The peripheral region includes horizontal circuit devices which include the second semiconductor material. The horizontal circuit devices in the peripheral region individually have a floating body which includes the second semiconductor material. The conductive material in the peripheral region is under and electrically coupled to the second semiconductor material of the floating bodies. Conductive straps in the array region are under the vertical circuit devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: John K. Zahurak, Sanh D. Tang, Lars P. Heineck, Martin C. Roberts, Wolfgang Mueller, Haitao Liu
  • Patent number: 9269795
    Abstract: A circuit structure includes a substrate having an array region and a peripheral region. The substrate in the array and peripheral regions includes insulator material over first semiconductor material, conductive material over the insulator material, and second semiconductor material over the conductive material. The array region includes vertical circuit devices which include the second semiconductor material. The peripheral region includes horizontal circuit devices which include the second semiconductor material. The horizontal circuit devices in the peripheral region individually have a floating body which includes the second semiconductor material. The conductive material in the peripheral region is under and electrically coupled to the second semiconductor material of the floating bodies. Conductive straps in the array region are under the vertical circuit devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John K. Zahurak, Sanh D. Tang, Lars P. Heineck, Martin C. Roberts, Wolfgang Mueller, Haitao Liu
  • Patent number: 9252188
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells. A series of rails is formed to include bottom electrode contact material. Sacrificial material is patterned into a series of lines that cross the series of rails. A pattern of the series of lines is transferred into the bottom electrode contact material. At least a portion of the sacrificial material is subsequently replaced with top electrode material. Some embodiments include memory arrays that contain a second series of electrically conductive lines crossing a first series of electrically conductive lines. Memory cells are at locations where the electrically conductive lines of the second series overlap the electrically conductive lines of the first series. First and second memory cell materials are within the memory cell locations. The first memory cell material is configured as planar sheets and the second memory cell material is configured as upwardly-opening containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanh D. Tang, Scott E. Sills, John K. Zahurak
  • Patent number: 9245964
    Abstract: An integrated circuit has a nonvolatile memory cell that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an ion conductive material there-between. At least one of the first and second electrodes has an electrochemically active surface received directly against the ion conductive material. The second electrode is elevationally outward of the first electrode. The first electrode extends laterally in a first direction and the ion conductive material extends in a second direction different from and intersecting the first direction. The first electrode is received directly against the ion conductive material only where the first and second directions intersect. Other embodiments, including method embodiments, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, John K. Zahurak
  • Publication number: 20160005962
    Abstract: Some embodiments include memory cells which have multiple programmable material structures between a pair of electrodes. One of the programmable material structures has a first edge, and another of the programmable material structures has a second edge that contacts the first edge. Some embodiments include methods of forming an array of memory cells. First programmable material segments are formed over bottom electrodes. The first programmable material segments extend along a first axis. Lines of second programmable material are formed over the first programmable material segments, and are formed to extend along a second axis that intersects the first axis. The second programmable material lines have lower surfaces that contact upper surfaces of the first programmable material segments. Top electrode lines are formed over the second programmable material lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Jun Liu, John K. Zahurak
  • Patent number: 9231117
    Abstract: Methods of forming multi-tiered semiconductor devices are described, along with apparatus and systems that include them. In one such method, an opening is formed in a tier of semiconductor material and a tier of dielectric. A portion of the tier of semiconductor material exposed by the opening is processed so that the portion is doped differently than the remaining semiconductor material in the tier. At least substantially all of the remaining semiconductor material of the tier is removed, leaving the differently doped portion of the tier of semiconductor material as a charge storage structure. A tunneling dielectric is formed on a first surface of the charge storage structure and an intergate dielectric is formed on a second surface of the charge storage structure. Additional embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanh D. Tang, John K. Zahurak
  • Publication number: 20150333257
    Abstract: A method of forming a resistive memory element comprises forming an oxide material over a first electrode. The oxide material is exposed to a plasma process to form a treated oxide material. A second electrode is formed on the treated oxide material. Additional methods of forming a resistive memory element, as well as related resistive memory elements, resistive memory cells, and resistive memory devices are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: D.V. Nirmal Ramaswamy, Sanh D. Tang, Alessandro Torsi, Muralikrishnan Balakrishnan, Xiaonan Chen, John K. Zahurak
  • Patent number: 9171902
    Abstract: Methods of pitch doubling of asymmetric features and semiconductor structures including the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a single photolithography mask may be used to pitch double three features, for example, of a DRAM array. In one embodiment, two wordlines and a grounded gate over field may be pitch doubled. Semiconductor structures including such features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunal R. Parekh, John K. Zahurak
  • Patent number: 9166156
    Abstract: Some embodiments include memory cells which have multiple programmable material structures between a pair of electrodes. One of the programmable material structures has a first edge, and another of the programmable material structures has a second edge that contacts the first edge. Some embodiments include methods of forming an array of memory cells. First programmable material segments are formed over bottom electrodes. The first programmable material segments extend along a first axis. Lines of second programmable material are formed over the first programmable material segments, and are formed to extend along a second axis that intersects the first axis. The second programmable material lines have lower surfaces that contact upper surfaces of the first programmable material segments. Top electrode lines are formed over the second programmable material lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, John K. Zahurak
  • Patent number: 9112138
    Abstract: A method of forming a resistive memory element comprises forming an oxide material over a first electrode. The oxide material is exposed to a plasma process to form a treated oxide material. A second electrode is formed on the treated oxide material. Additional methods of forming a resistive memory element, as well as related resistive memory elements, resistive memory cells, and resistive memory devices are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: D. V. Nirmal Ramaswamy, Sanh D. Tang, Alessandro Torsi, Muralikrishnan Balakrishnan, Xiaonan Chen, John K. Zahurak
  • Patent number: 9036401
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems associated with memory cell operation are described. One or more methods of operating a memory cell include charging a capacitor coupled to the memory cell to a particular voltage level and programming the memory cell from a first state to a second state by controlling discharge of the capacitor through a resistive switching element of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Roy E. Meade, John K. Zahurak
  • Publication number: 20150129986
    Abstract: Sacrificial plugs for forming contacts in integrated circuits, as well as methods of forming connections in integrated circuit arrays are disclosed. Various pattern transfer and etching steps can be used to create densely-packed features and the connections between features. A sacrificial material can be patterned in a continuous zig-zag line pattern that crosses word lines. Planarization can create parallelogram-shaped blocks of material that can overlie active areas to form sacrificial plugs, which can be replaced with conductive material to form contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Byron Neville Burgess, John K. Zahurak
  • Publication number: 20150069505
    Abstract: Methods of pitch doubling of asymmetric features and semiconductor structures including the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a single photolithography mask may be used to pitch double three features, for example, of a DRAM array. In one embodiment, two wordlines and a grounded gate over field may be pitch doubled. Semiconductor structures including such features are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Kunal R. Parekh, John K. Zahurak
  • Publication number: 20150054067
    Abstract: A method of forming a gate construction of a recessed access device includes forming a pair of sidewall spacers laterally over opposing sidewalls of a gate dielectric and elevationally over first conductive gate material. The gate dielectric, the first conductive gate material, and the sidewall spacers are received within a trench formed in semiconductive material. Second conductive gate material is deposited within the semiconductive material trench between the pair of sidewall spacers in electrical connection with the first conductive gate material. Other implementations are disclosed, including recessed access device gate constructions independent of method of manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Jun Liu, John K. Zahurak
  • Patent number: 8921906
    Abstract: Sacrificial plugs for forming contacts in integrated circuits, as well as methods of forming connections in integrated circuit arrays are disclosed. Various pattern transfer and etching steps can be used to create densely-packed features and the connections between features. A sacrificial material can be patterned in a continuous zig-zag line pattern that crosses word lines. Planarization can create parallelogram-shaped blocks of material that can overlie active areas to form sacrificial plugs, which can be replaced with conductive material to form contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Byron Neville Burgess, John K. Zahurak