Patents by Inventor Kirk D. Prall

Kirk D. Prall 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: 9263577
    Abstract: A ferroelectric field effect transistor comprises a semiconductive channel comprising opposing sidewalls and an elevationally outermost top. A source/drain region is at opposite ends of the channel. A gate construction of the transistor comprises inner dielectric extending along the channel top and laterally along the channel sidewalls. Inner conductive material is elevationally and laterally outward of the inner dielectric and extends along the channel top and laterally along the channel sidewalls. Outer ferroelectric material is elevationally outward of the inner conductive material and extends along the channel top. Outer conductive material is elevationally outward of the outer ferroelectric material and extends along the channel. Other constructions and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy, Kirk D. Prall
  • Publication number: 20150325459
    Abstract: Spacers in a pitch multiplication process are formed without performing a spacer etch. Rather, the mandrels are formed over a substrate and then the sides of the mandrels are reacted, e.g., in an oxidization, nitridation, or silicidation step, to form a material that can be selectively removed relative to the unreacted portions of the mandrel. The unreacted portions are selectively removed to leave a pattern of free-standing spacers. The free-standing spacers can serve as a mask for subsequent processing steps, such as etching the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Kirk D. Prall
  • Publication number: 20150311349
    Abstract: A ferroelectric field effect transistor comprises a semiconductive channel comprising opposing sidewalls and an elevationally outermost top. A source/drain region is at opposite ends of the channel. A gate construction of the transistor comprises inner dielectric extending along the channel top and laterally along the channel sidewalls. Inner conductive material is elevationally and laterally outward of the inner dielectric and extends along the channel top and laterally along the channel sidewalls. Outer ferroelectric material is elevationally outward of the inner conductive material and extends along the channel top. Outer conductive material is elevationally outward of the outer ferroelectric material and extends along the channel. Other constructions and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy, Kirk D. Prall
  • Publication number: 20150279460
    Abstract: The apparatuses and methods described herein may operate to measure a voltage difference between a selected access line and a selected sense line associated with a selected cell of a plurality of memory cells of a memory array. The voltage difference may be compared with a reference voltage specified for a memory operation. A selection voltage(s) applied to the selected cell for the memory operation may be adjusted responsive to the comparison, such as to dynamically compensate for parasitic voltage drop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Zengtao T. Liu, Kirk D. Prall
  • Patent number: 9142767
    Abstract: Resistive memory cells including an integrated select device and storage element and methods of forming the same are described herein. As an example, a resistive memory cell can include a select device structure including a Schottky interface, and a storage element integrated with the select device structure such that an electrode corresponding to the Schottky interface serves as a first electrode of the storage element. The storage element can include a storage material formed between the first electrode and a second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. Wells, D. V. Nirmal Ramaswamy, Kirk D. Prall
  • Patent number: 9099314
    Abstract: Spacers in a pitch multiplication process are formed without performing a spacer etch. Rather, the mandrels are formed over a substrate and then the sides of the mandrels are reacted, e.g., in an oxidization, nitridation, or silicidation step, to form a material that can be selectively removed relative to the unreacted portions of the mandrel. The unreacted portions are selectively removed to leave a pattern of free-standing spacers. The free-standing spacers can serve as a mask for subsequent processing steps, such as etching the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Kirk D. Prall
  • Patent number: 9058857
    Abstract: The apparatuses and methods described herein may operate to measure a voltage difference between a selected access line and a selected sense line associated with a selected cell of a plurality of memory cells of a memory array. The voltage difference may be compared with a reference voltage specified for a memory operation. A selection voltage(s) applied to the selected cell for the memory operation may be adjusted responsive to the comparison, such as to dynamically compensate for parasitic voltage drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zengtao T. Liu, Kirk D. Prall
  • Patent number: 8976566
    Abstract: Some embodiments include electronic devices having two capacitors connected in series. The two capacitors share a common electrode. One of the capacitors includes a region of a semiconductor substrate and a dielectric between such region and the common electrode. The other of the capacitors includes a second electrode and ion conductive material between the second electrode and the common electrode. At least one of the first and second electrodes has an electrochemically active surface directly against the ion conductive material. Some embodiments include memory cells having two capacitors connected in series, and some embodiments include memory arrays containing such memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: D. V. Nirmal Ramaswamy, Kirk D. Prall
  • Publication number: 20140346424
    Abstract: Memory devices utilizing memory cells including a resistive element and a diode coupled in series between two conductors. The diodes include a ruthenium material and a silicon material. The diodes further include an interface of ruthenium or ruthenium silicide between the silicon material and the ruthenium material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Nirmal Ramaswamy, Kirk D. Prall
  • Publication number: 20140332750
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a semiconductor construction having a gate extending into a semiconductor base. Conductively-doped source and drain regions are within the base adjacent the gate. A gate dielectric has a first segment between the source region and the gate, a second segment between the drain region and the gate, and a third segment between the first and second segments. At least a portion of the gate dielectric comprises ferroelectric material. In some embodiments the ferroelectric material is within each of the first, second and third segments. In some embodiments, the ferroelectric material is within the first segment or the third segment. In some embodiments, a transistor has a gate, a source region and a drain region; and has a channel region between the source and drain regions. The transistor has a gate dielectric which contains ferroelectric material between the source region and the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy, Kirk D. Prall, Wayne Kinney
  • Patent number: 8841645
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory device and methods of forming the same. The memory device can include an electrode coupled to a memory element. The electrode can include different materials located at different portions of the electrode. The materials can create different dielectrics contacting the memory elements at different locations. Various states of the materials in the memory device can be used to represent stored information. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy, Kirk D. Prall
  • Publication number: 20140233300
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods and apparatuses that include resistive memory. A number of embodiments include a first memory cell coupled to a data line and including a first resistive storage element and a first access device, a second memory cell coupled to the data line and including a second resistive storage element and a second access device, an isolation device formed between the first access device and the second access device, a first select line coupled to the first resistive storage element, and a second select line coupled to the second resistive storage element, wherein the second select line is separate from the first select line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zengtao T. Liu, Kirk D. Prall, Mike Violette
  • Patent number: 8803125
    Abstract: Memory devices utilizing memory cells including a resistive element and a diode coupled in series between two conductors. The diodes include a ruthenium material and a silicon material. The diodes further include an interface on the silicon material of ruthenium or ruthenium silicide. A ruthenium silicide interface may be a polycrystalline ruthenium silicide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Nirmal Ramaswamy, Kirk D. Prall
  • Patent number: 8796751
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a semiconductor construction having a gate extending into a semiconductor base. Conductively-doped source and drain regions are within the base adjacent the gate. A gate dielectric has a first segment between the source region and the gate, a second segment between the drain region and the gate, and a third segment between the first and second segments. At least a portion of the gate dielectric comprises ferroelectric material. In some embodiments the ferroelectric material is within each of the first, second and third segments. In some embodiments, the ferroelectric material is within the first segment or the third segment. In some embodiments, a transistor has a gate, a source region and a drain region; and has a channel region between the source and drain regions. The transistor has a gate dielectric which contains ferroelectric material between the source region and the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Nirmal Ramaswamy, Kirk D. Prall, Wayne Kinney
  • Publication number: 20140138753
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a semiconductor construction having a gate extending into a semiconductor base. Conductively-doped source and drain regions are within the base adjacent the gate. A gate dielectric has a first segment between the source region and the gate, a second segment between the drain region and the gate, and a third segment between the first and second segments. At least a portion of the gate dielectric comprises ferroelectric material. In some embodiments the ferroelectric material is within each of the first, second and third segments. In some embodiments, the ferroelectric material is within the first segment or the third segment. In some embodiments, a transistor has a gate, a source region and a drain region; and has a channel region between the source and drain regions. The transistor has a gate dielectric which contains ferroelectric material between the source region and the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Nirmal Ramaswamy, Kirk D. Prall, Wayne Kinney
  • Patent number: 8729621
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming memory devices employing halogen ion implantation and diffusion processes. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes forming a plurality of word line structures above a semiconducting substrate, each of the word line structures comprising a gate insulation layer, performing an LDD ion implantation process to form LDD doped regions in the substrate between the word line structures, performing a halogen ion implantation process to implant atoms of halogen into the semiconducting substrate between the word line structures, and performing at least one anneal process to cause at least some of the atoms of halogen to diffuse into the gate insulation layers on adjacent word line structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kirk D. Prall, Behnam Moradi, Seiichi Aritome, Di Li, Chris Larsen
  • Patent number: 8681529
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses that include resistive memory can include a first memory cell coupled to a data line and including a first resistive storage element and a first access device, a second memory cell coupled to the data line and including a second resistive storage element and a second access device, an isolation device formed between the first access device and the second access device, a first select line coupled to the first resistive storage element, and a second select line coupled to the second resistive storage element, wherein the second select line is separate from the first select line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zengtao T. Liu, Kirk D. Prall, Mike Violette
  • Publication number: 20140035021
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming memory devices employing halogen ion implantation and diffusion processes. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes forming a plurality of word line structures above a semiconducting substrate, each of the word line structures comprising a gate insulation layer, performing an LDD ion implantation process to form LDD doped regions in the substrate between the word line structures, performing a halogen ion implantation process to implant atoms of halogen into the semiconducting substrate between the word line structures, and performing at least one anneal process to cause at least some of the atoms of halogen to diffuse into the gate insulation layers on adjacent word line structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kirk D. Prall, Behnam Moradi, Seiichi Aritome, Di Li, Chris Larsen
  • Patent number: 8580645
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming memory devices employing halogen ion implantation and diffusion processes. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes forming a plurality of word line structures above a semiconducting substrate, each of the word line structures comprising a gate insulation layer, performing an LDD ion implantation process to form LDD doped regions in the substrate between the word line structures, performing a halogen ion implantation process to implant atoms of halogen into the semiconducting substrate between the word line structures, and performing at least one anneal process to cause at least some of the atoms of halogen to diffuse into the gate insulation layers on adjacent word line structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kirk D. Prall, Behnam Moradi, Seiichi Aritome, Di Li, Chris Larsen
  • Publication number: 20130121056
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods and apparatuses that include resistive memory. A number of embodiments include a first memory cell coupled to a data line and including a first resistive storage element and a first access device, a second memory cell coupled to the data line and including a second resistive storage element and a second access device, an isolation device formed between the first access device and the second access device, a first select line coupled to the first resistive storage element, and a second select line coupled to the second resistive storage element, wherein the second select line is separate from the first select line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Zengtao T. Liu, Kirk D. Prall, Mike Violette