Patents by Inventor John Smythe

John Smythe 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: 20110201211
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of forming it are disclosed in which at least two adjacent conductors have an air-gap insulator between them which is covered by nanoparticles of insulating material being a size which prevent the nanoparticles from substantially entering into the air-gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventors: Nishant Sinha, Gurtej Sandhu, Neil Greeley, John Smythe
  • Publication number: 20110193190
    Abstract: Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods include a semiconductor layer bonded to a bulk region of a wafer or a substrate, in which the semiconductor layer can be bonded to the bulk region using electromagnetic radiation. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Inventors: Nishant Sinha, Gurtej S. Sandhu, John Smythe
  • Publication number: 20110195547
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices comprise at least one integrated circuit layer, at least one conductive trace and an insulative material adjacent at least a portion of the at least one conductive trace. At least one interconnect structure extends through a portion of the at least one conductive trace and a portion of the insulative material, the at least one interconnect structure comprising a transverse cross-sectional dimension through the at least one conductive trace which differs from a transverse cross-sectional dimension through the insulative material. Methods of forming semiconductor devices comprising at least one interconnect structure are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Nishant Sinha, John A. Smythe
  • Publication number: 20110193044
    Abstract: Resistive memory and methods of processing resistive memory are described herein. One or more method embodiments of processing resistive memory include conformally forming a cell material in an opening in an interlayer dielectric such that a seam is formed in the cell material, forming a conductive pathway by modifying the seam, and forming an electrode on the cell material and the seam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, John Smythe
  • Publication number: 20110182103
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes GCIB-treated resistive devices, devices utilizing GCIB-treated resistive devices (e.g., as switches, memory cells), and methods for forming the GCIB-treated resistive devices. One method of forming a GCIB-treated resistive device includes forming a lower electrode, and forming an oxide material on the lower electrode. The oxide material is exposed to a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) until a change in resistance of a first portion of the oxide material relative to the resistance of a second portion of the oxide material. An upper electrode is formed on the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: John Smythe, Gurtej S. Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7985617
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods in which microwave radiation is used to activate dopant and/or increase crystallinity of semiconductor material during formation of a semiconductor construction. In some embodiments, the microwave radiation has a frequency of about 5.8 gigahertz, and a temperature of the semiconductor construction does not exceed about 500° C. during the exposure to the microwave radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John Smythe, Bhaskar Srinivasan, Ming Zhang
  • Publication number: 20110165728
    Abstract: Self-aligning fabrication methods for forming memory access devices comprising a doped chalcogenide material. The methods may be used for forming three-dimensionally stacked cross point memory arrays. The method includes forming an insulating material over a first conductive electrode, patterning the insulating material to form vias that expose portions of the first conductive electrode, forming a memory access device within the vias of the insulating material and forming a memory element over the memory access device, wherein data stored in the memory element is accessible via the memory access device. The memory access device is formed of a doped chalcogenide material and formed using a self-aligned fabrication method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Inventors: Neil Greeley, Bhaskar Srinivasan, Gurtej Sandhu, John Smythe
  • Patent number: 7952174
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of forming it are disclosed in which at least two adjacent conductors have an air-gap insulator between them which is covered by nanoparticles of insulating material being a size which prevent the nanoparticles from substantially entering into the air-gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Nishant Sinha, Gurtej Sandhu, Neil Greeley, John Smythe
  • Patent number: 7939442
    Abstract: Strontium ruthenium oxide provides an effective interface between a ruthenium conductor and a strontium titanium oxide dielectric. Formation of the strontium ruthenium oxide includes the use of atomic layer deposition to form strontium oxide and subsequent annealing of the strontium oxide to form the strontium ruthenium oxide. A first atomic layer deposition of strontium oxide is preformed using water as an oxygen source, followed by a subsequent atomic layer deposition of strontium oxide using ozone as an oxygen source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhaskar Srinivasan, Vassil Antonov, John Smythe
  • Patent number: 7927975
    Abstract: Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods include a semiconductor layer bonded to a bulk region of a wafer or a substrate, in which the semiconductor layer can be bonded to the bulk region using electromagnetic radiation. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Nishant Sinha, Gurtej S. Sandhu, John Smythe
  • Patent number: 7928577
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices comprise at least one integrated circuit layer, at least one conductive trace and an insulative material adjacent at least a portion of the at least one conductive trace. At least one interconnect structure extends through a portion of the at least one conductive trace and a portion of the insulative material, the at least one interconnect structure comprising a transverse cross-sectional dimension through the at least one conductive trace which differs from a transverse cross-sectional dimension through the insulative material. Methods of forming semiconductor devices comprising at least one interconnect structure are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Nishant Sinha, John A. Smythe
  • Patent number: 7919829
    Abstract: A method of depositing dielectric material into sub-micron spaces and resultant structures is provided. After a trench is etched in the surface of a wafer, a silicon nitride barrier is deposited into the trench. The silicon nitride layer has a high nitrogen content near the trench walls to protect the walls. The silicon nitride layer further from the trench walls has a low nitrogen content and a high silicon content, to allow improved adhesion. The trench is then filled with a spin-on precursor. A densification or reaction process is then applied to convert the spin-on material into an insulator. The resulting trench has a well-adhered insulator which helps the insulating properties of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jigish D. Trivedi, Robert D. Patraw, Kevin L. Beaman, John A. Smythe, III
  • Publication number: 20110062511
    Abstract: Devices are disclosed, such as those having a memory cell. The memory cell includes an active area formed of a semiconductor material; a first dielectric over the semiconductor material; a second dielectric comprising a material having a perovskite structure over the first dielectric; a third dielectric over the second dielectric; and a gate electrode over the third dielectric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Nirmal Ramaswamy, Gurtej Sandhu, Bhaskar Srinivasan, John Smythe
  • Publication number: 20110057161
    Abstract: Various embodiments described herein provide a memory device including a variable resistance material having a thermally isolating and electrically conductive isolation region arranged between the variable resistance material and an electrode to allow for efficient heating of the variable resistance material by a programming current. An electrically and thermally isolating isolation region may be arranged around the variable resistance material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Gurtej Sandhu, John Smythe, Jun Liu
  • Patent number: 7902084
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein pertain to silicon dioxide deposition methods using at least ozone and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as deposition precursors. In one embodiment, a silicon dioxide deposition method using at least ozone and TEOS as deposition precursors includes flowing precursors comprising ozone and TEOS to a substrate under subatmospheric pressure conditions effective to deposit silicon dioxide-comprising material having an outer surface onto the substrate. The outer surface is treated effective to one of add hydroxyl to or remove hydroxyl from the outer surface in comparison to any hydroxyl presence on the outer surface prior to said treating. After the treating, precursors comprising ozone and TEOS are flowed to the substrate under subatmospheric pressure conditions effective to deposit silicon dioxide-comprising material onto the treated outer surface of the substrate. Other embodiments are contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John Smythe, Gurtej S. Sandhu
  • Patent number: 7892964
    Abstract: Atomic layer deposition methods as described herein can be advantageously used to form a metal-containing layer on a substrate. For example, certain methods as described herein can form a strontium titanate layer that has low carbon content (e.g., low strontium carbonate content), which can result in layer with a high dielectric constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhaskar Srinivasan, John Smythe
  • Publication number: 20110021001
    Abstract: Atomic layer deposition methods as described herein can be advantageously used to form a metal-containing layer on a substrate. For example, certain methods as described herein can form a strontium titanate layer that has low carbon content (e.g., low strontium carbonate content), which can result in layer with a high dielectric constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhaskar Srinivasan, John Smythe
  • Publication number: 20100316793
    Abstract: Capacitors and methods of forming capacitors are disclosed, and which include an inner conductive metal capacitor electrode and an outer conductive metal capacitor electrode. A capacitor dielectric region is received between the inner and the outer conductive metal capacitor electrodes and has a thickness no greater than 150 Angstroms. Various combinations of materials of thicknesses and relationships relative one another are disclosed which enables and results in the dielectric region having a dielectric constant k of at least 35 yet leakage current no greater than 1×10?7 amps/cm2 at from ?1.1V to +1.1V.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Rishikesh Krishnan, John Smythe, Vishwanath Bhat, Noel Rocklein, Bhaskar Srinivasan, Jef Hall, Chris Carlson
  • Publication number: 20100315760
    Abstract: Capacitors and methods of forming capacitors are disclosed, and which include an inner conductive metal capacitor electrode and an outer conductive metal capacitor electrode. A capacitor dielectric region is received between the inner and the outer conductive metal capacitor electrodes and has a thickness no greater than 150 Angstroms. Various combinations of materials of thicknesses and relationships relative one another are disclosed which enables and results in the dielectric region having a dielectric constant k of at least 35 yet leakage current no greater than 1×10?7 amps/cm2 at from ?1.1V to +1.1V.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Rishikesh Krishnan, John Smythe, Vishwanath Bhat, Noel Rocklein, Bhaskar Srinivasan, Jeff Hully, Chris Carlson
  • Patent number: 7851307
    Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed, such as those involving forming a charge trap for, e.g., a memory device, which can include flash memory cells. A substrate is exposed to temporally-separated pulses of a titanium source material, a strontium source material, and an oxygen source material capable of forming an oxide with the titanium source material and the strontium source material to form the charge trapping layer on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Nirmal Ramaswamy, Gurtej Sandhu, Bhaskar Srinivasan, John Smythe