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: 20220102356
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for epitaxial single crystalline silicon growth for a horizontal access device. One example method includes depositing layers of a first dielectric material, a semiconductor material, and a second dielectric material to form a vertical stack, forming first vertical openings to form elongated vertical, pillar columns with first vertical sidewalls in the vertical stack, and forming second vertical openings through the vertical stack to expose second vertical sidewalls. Further, the example method includes selectively removing first portions of the semiconductor material from the second vertical openings to form horizontal openings with a remaining second portion of the semiconductor material at a distal end of the horizontal openings from the second vertical openings, and epitaxially growing single crystalline silicon within the horizontal openings from the distal end of the horizontal openings toward the second vertical openings to fill the horizontal openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Armin Saeedi Vahdat, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Scott E. Sills, Si-Woo Lee, John A. Smythe III
  • Patent number: 11289491
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for epitaxial single crystalline silicon growth for a horizontal access device. One example method includes depositing layers of a first dielectric material, a semiconductor material, and a second dielectric material to form a vertical stack, forming first vertical openings to form elongated vertical, pillar columns with first vertical sidewalls in the vertical stack, and forming second vertical openings through the vertical stack to expose second vertical sidewalls. Further, the example method includes selectively removing first portions of the semiconductor material from the second vertical openings to form horizontal openings with a remaining second portion of the semiconductor material at a distal end of the horizontal openings from the second vertical openings, and epitaxially growing single crystalline silicon within the horizontal openings from the distal end of the horizontal openings toward the second vertical openings to fill the horizontal openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Armin Saeedi Vahdat, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Scott E. Sills, Si-Woo Lee, John A. Smythe, III
  • Patent number: 11270909
    Abstract: A method of forming a structure comprises forming a pattern of elongate features extending vertically from a base structure. Conductive material is formed on the elongate features. After completing the forming of the pattern of elongate features, the elongate features, the conductive material, or both is (are) exposed to at least one surface treatment gas. The at least one surface treatment gas comprises at least one species formulated to diminish attractive or cohesive forces at a surface of the conductive material. Apparatus and additional methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Marko Milojevic, John A. Smythe, Timothy A. Quick, Sumeet C. Pandey
  • Publication number: 20220068933
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for a three-node access device in vertical three-dimensional (3D) memory. An example method includes a method for forming arrays of vertically stacked memory cells, having horizontally oriented access devices and vertically oriented access lines. The method includes depositing alternating layers of a dielectric material and a sacrificial material to form a vertical stack. Forming a plurality of first vertical openings to form elongated vertical, pillar columns with sidewalls in the vertical stack. Conformally depositing a gate dielectric in the plurality of first vertical openings. Forming a conductive material on the gate dielectric. Removing portions of the conductive material to form a plurality of separate, vertical access lines. Repairing a first side of the gate dielectric exposed where the conductive material was removed. Forming a second vertical opening to expose sidewalls adjacent a first region of the sacrificial material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: John A. Smythe III, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Armin Saeedi Vahdat, Si-Woo Lee, Scott E. Sills
  • Publication number: 20220051980
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising alternating conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers, each of the tiers individually comprising a conductive structure and an insulative structure, strings of memory cells vertically extending through the stack structure, the strings of memory cells comprising a channel material vertically extending through the stack structure, and conductive rails laterally adjacent to the conductive structures of the stack structure. The conductive rails comprise a material composition that is different than a material composition of the conductive structures of the stack structure. Related memory devices, electronic systems, and methods are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Jordan D. Greenlee, Francois H. Fabreguette, John A. Smythe
  • Publication number: 20220045060
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for a three-node access device in vertical three dimensional (3D) memory. An example method includes a method for forming arrays of vertically stacked memory cells, having horizontally oriented access devices and vertically oriented access lines. The method includes depositing alternating layers of a dielectric material and a sacrificial material in repeating iterations to form a vertical stack. An etchant process is used to form a first vertical opening exposing vertical sidewalls in the vertical stack adjacent a first region. The first region is selectively etched to form a first horizontal opening removing the sacrificial material a first horizontal distance back from the first vertical opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Scott E. Sills, John A. Smythe, III, Si-Woo Lee, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Armin Saeedi Vahdat
  • Publication number: 20220045069
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for a three-node access device in vertical three dimensional (3D) memory. An example method includes a method for forming arrays of vertically stacked memory cells, having horizontally oriented access devices and vertically oriented access lines. The method includes depositing alternating layers of a dielectric material and a sacrificial material in repeating iterations to form a vertical stack. An etchant process is used to form a first vertical opening exposing vertical sidewalls in the vertical stack adjacent a first region of the sacrificial material. The first region is selectively etched to form a first horizontal opening removing the sacrificial material a first horizontal distance back from the first vertical opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Scott E. Sills, John A. Smythe, III, Si-Woo Lee, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Armin Saeedi Vahdat
  • Publication number: 20220045165
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region formed in a substrate to form an active area of the apparatus. The first source/drain region and the second source/drain region are separated by a channel. The apparatus includes a gate opposing the channel. A sense line is coupled to the first source/drain region and a storage node is coupled to the second source/drain region. An isolation trench is adjacent to the active area. The trench includes a dielectric material with a conductive bias opposing the conductive bias of the channel in the active area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Haitao Liu, Si-Woo Lee, Fatma Arzum Simsek-Ege, Deepak Chandra Pandey, Chandra V. Mouli, John A. Smythe, III
  • Publication number: 20220045062
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for storage node after horizontally oriented, three-node access device formation in vertical three dimensional (3D) memory. An example method includes a method for forming arrays of vertically stacked memory cells, having horizontally oriented access devices and vertically oriented access lines. The method includes depositing alternating layers of a dielectric material and a sacrificial material to form a vertical stack. A plurality of first vertical openings are formed through the vertical stack to form elongated vertical, pillar columns with sidewalls in the vertical stack. A first conductive material is conformally deposited on a gate dielectric material in the first vertical openings. Portions of the first conductive material are removed to form a plurality of separate, vertical access lines along the sidewalls of the elongated vertical, pillar columns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Armin Saeedi Vahdat, John A. Smythe III, Si-Woo Lee, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Scott E. Sills
  • Publication number: 20220045061
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for a three-node access device in vertical three dimensional (3D) memory. An example method includes a method for forming arrays of vertically stacked memory cells, having horizontally oriented access devices and vertically oriented access lines. The three-node access devices include a first source/drain region (1) and a second source/drain region (2) separated by a channel and gates (3) opposing the channel, but do not have a direct, electrical body contact to a body region and/or channel of the access devices. The method includes depositing alternating layers of a dielectric material and a sacrificial semiconductor material in repeating iterations to form a vertical stack, a first region of the sacrificial semiconductor material in which to form a first and a second source/drain region separated laterally by a channel region. An etchant process is used to form a first vertical opening exposing vertical sidewalls in the vertical stack adjacent the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Si-Woo Lee, John A. Smythe, III, Scott E. Sills, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Armin Saeedi Vahdat
  • Patent number: 11239117
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for storage node after horizontally oriented, three-node access device formation in vertical three dimensional (3D) memory. An example method includes a method for forming arrays of vertically stacked memory cells, having horizontally oriented access devices and vertically oriented access lines. The method includes depositing alternating layers of a dielectric material and a sacrificial semiconductor material to form a vertical stack. A first vertical opening is formed through the vertical stack to expose a first region of the sacrificial semiconductor material. The first region is selectively removed to form a first horizontal opening in which to replace a sacrificial gate dielectric material, form a source/drain conductive contact material, a channel conductive material, and a digit line conductive contact material of the three-node access device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Armin Saeedi Vahdat, John A. Smythe, III, Si-Woo Lee, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Scott E. Sills
  • Patent number: 11227864
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for storage node after horizontally oriented, three-node access device formation in vertical three dimensional (3D) memory. An example method includes a method for forming arrays of vertically stacked memory cells, having horizontally oriented access devices and vertically oriented access lines. The method includes forming elongated vertical, pillar columns with sidewalls in a vertical stack. A first conductive material is conformally deposited on a gate dielectric material in the first vertical openings. Portions of the first conductive material are removed to form a plurality of separate, vertical access lines along the sidewalls of the elongated vertical, pillar columns. A second vertical opening is formed through the vertical stack to expose a first region of the sacrificial material. A third vertical opening is formed through the vertical stack to in which to form a storage node electrically coupled to the first source/drain material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Armin Saeedi Vahdat, John A. Smythe, III, Si-Woo Lee, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Scott E. Sills
  • Publication number: 20220005930
    Abstract: Apparatus (e.g., semiconductor devices) include stack structures with at least one conductive region and at least one nonconductive material. A multidielectric spacer is adjacent the at least one conductive region and comprises first and second dielectric materials. The first dielectric material, adjacent the at least one conductive region, includes silicon and nitrogen. The second dielectric material, adjacent the first dielectric material, comprises silicon-carbon bonds and defines a substantially straight, vertical, outer sidewall. In methods to form such apparatus, the first dielectric material may be formed with selectivity on the at least one conductive region, and the second dielectric material may be formulated and formed to exhibit etch resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: John A. Smythe, Silvia Borsari, Francois H. Fabreguette, Sutharsan Ketharanathan
  • Publication number: 20210408297
    Abstract: A transistor comprising a channel region on a material is disclosed. The channel region comprises a two-dimensional material comprising opposing sidewalls and oriented perpendicular to the material. A gate dielectric is on the two-dimensional material and gates are on the gate dielectric. Semiconductor devices and systems including at least one transistor are disclosed, as well as methods of forming a semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Witold Kula, Gurtej S. Sandhu, John A. Smythe
  • Publication number: 20210381107
    Abstract: A material deposition system comprises a precursor source and a chemical vapor deposition apparatus in selective fluid communication with the precursor source. The precursor source configured to contain at least one metal-containing precursor material in one or more of a liquid state and a solid state. The chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprises a housing structure, a distribution manifold, and a substrate holder. The housing structure is configured and positioned to receive at least one feed fluid stream comprising the at least one metal-containing precursor material. The distribution manifold is within the housing structure and is in electrical communication with a signal generator. The substrate holder is within the housing structure, is spaced apart from the distribution assembly, and is in electrical communication with an additional signal generator. A microelectronic device and methods of forming a microelectronic device also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: John A. Smythe, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Sumeet C. Pandey, Michael E. Koltonski
  • Patent number: 11171206
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region formed in a substrate to form an active area of the apparatus. The first source/drain region and the second source/drain region are separated by a channel. The apparatus includes a gate opposing the channel. A sense line is coupled to the first source/drain region and a storage node is coupled to the second source/drain region. An isolation trench is adjacent to the active area. The trench includes a dielectric material with a conductive bias opposing the conductive bias of the channel in the active area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Haitao Liu, Si-Woo Lee, Fatma Arzum Simsek-Ege, Deepak Chandra Pandey, Chandra V. Mouli, John A. Smythe, III
  • Patent number: 11127830
    Abstract: Apparatus (e.g., semiconductor devices) include stack structures with at least one conductive region and at least one nonconductive material. A multidielectric spacer is adjacent the at least one conductive region and comprises first and second dielectric materials. The first dielectric material, adjacent the at least one conductive region, includes silicon and nitrogen. The second dielectric material, adjacent the first dielectric material, comprises silicon-carbon bonds and defines a substantially straight, vertical, outer sidewall. In methods to form such apparatus, the first dielectric material may be formed with selectivity on the at least one conductive region, and the second dielectric material may be formulated and formed to exhibit etch resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Smythe, Silvia Borsari, Francois H. Fabreguette, Sutharsan Ketharanathan
  • Patent number: 11121258
    Abstract: A transistor comprising a channel region on a material is disclosed. The channel region comprises a two-dimensional material comprising opposing sidewalls and oriented perpendicular to the material. A gate dielectric is on the two-dimensional material and gates are on the gate dielectric. Semiconductor devices and systems including at least one transistor are disclosed, as well as methods of forming a semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Witold Kula, Gurtej S. Sandhu, John A. Smythe
  • Patent number: 11081364
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to reduction of crystal growth resulting from annealing a conductive material are described. An example apparatus includes a conductive material selected to have an electrical resistance that is reduced as a result of annealing. A stabilizing material may be formed over a surface of the conductive material. The stabilizing material may be selected to have properties that include stabilization of the reduced electrical resistance of the conductive material and reduction of a degree of freedom of crystal growth relative to the surface resulting from recrystallization of the conductive material during the annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Marko Milojevic, John A. Smythe, III
  • Publication number: 20210233810
    Abstract: A method of forming a structure comprises forming a pattern of elongate features extending vertically from a base structure. Conductive material is formed on the elongate features. After completing the forming of the pattern of elongate features, the elongate features, the conductive material, or both is (are) exposed to at least one surface treatment gas. The at least one surface treatment gas comprises at least one species formulated to diminish attractive or cohesive forces at a surface of the conductive material. Apparatus and additional methods are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Marko Milojevic, John A. Smythe, Timothy A. Quick, Sumeet C. Pandey