Patents by Inventor Kunal Shrotri

Kunal Shrotri 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: 20220077186
    Abstract: A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. The strings of memory cells in the stack comprise channel-material strings and storage-material strings extending through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. At least some of the storage material of the storage-material strings in individual of the insulative tiers are intrinsically less charge-transmissive than is the storage material in the storage-material strings in individual of the conductive tiers. Other aspects, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Manzar Siddik, Chris M. Carlson, Terry H. Kim, Kunal Shrotri, Srinath Venkatesan
  • Patent number: 11239252
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated structure having vertically-stacked conductive levels alternating with dielectric levels. A layer over the conductive levels includes silicon, nitrogen, and one or more of carbon, oxygen, boron and phosphorus. In some embodiments the vertically-stacked conductive levels are wordline levels within a NAND memory array. Some embodiments include an integrated structure having vertically-stacked conductive levels alternating with dielectric levels. Vertically-stacked NAND memory cells are along the conductive levels within a memory array region. A staircase region is proximate the memory array region. The staircase region has electrical contacts in one-to-one correspondence with the conductive levels. A layer is over the memory array region and over the staircase region. The layer includes silicon, nitrogen, and one or more of carbon, oxygen, boron and phosphorus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin B. Dorhout, Fei Wang, Chet E. Carter, Ian Laboriante, John D. Hopkins, Kunal Shrotri, Ryan Meyer, Vinayak Shamanna, Kunal R. Parekh, Martin C. Roberts, Matthew Park
  • Patent number: 11205660
    Abstract: A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. The strings of memory cells in the stack comprise channel-material strings and storage-material strings extending through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. At least some of the storage material of the storage-material strings in individual of the insulative tiers are intrinsically less charge-transmissive than is the storage material in the storage-material strings in individual of the conductive tiers. Other aspects, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Manzar Siddik, Chris M. Carlson, Terry H. Kim, Kunal Shrotri, Srinath Venkatesan
  • Publication number: 20210391352
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and conductive levels. The insulative levels have a same primary composition as one another. At least one of the insulative levels is compositionally different relative to others of the insulative levels due to said at least one of the insulative levels including dopant dispersed within the primary composition. An opening extends vertically through the stack. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramey M. Abdelrahaman, Jeslin J. Wu, Chandra Tiwari, Kunal Shrotri, Swapnil Lengade
  • Patent number: 11195854
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated structure having a first opening extending through a stack of alternating insulative levels and conductive levels. A nitride structure is within the first opening and narrows the first opening to form a second opening. Detectable oxide is between the nitride structure and one or more of the conductive levels. Some embodiments include an integrated structure having a conductive material, a select device gate material over the conductive material, and vertically-stacked conductive levels over the select device gate material. A first opening extends through the vertically-stacked levels to the conductive material and has opposing sidewalls along a cross-section. Nitride liners are along the sidewalls of the first opening. Detectable oxide is between at least one of the nitride liners and one or more of the vertically-stacked conductive levels. Some embodiments include methods for forming integrated structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jie Li, James Mathew, Kunal Shrotri, Luan C. Tran, Gordon A. Haller, Yangda Zhang, Hongpeng Yu, Minsoo Lee
  • Publication number: 20210375898
    Abstract: A method comprising forming a stack precursor comprising alternating first materials and second materials, the first materials and the second materials exhibit different melting points. A portion of the alternating first materials and second materials is removed to form a pillar opening through the alternating first materials and second materials. A sacrificial material is formed in the pillar opening. The first materials are removed to form first spaces between the second materials, the first materials formulated to be in a liquid phase or in a gas phase at a first removal temperature. A conductive material is formed in the first spaces. The second materials are removed to form second spaces between the conductive materials, the second materials formulated to be in a liquid phase or in a gas phase at a second removal temperature. A dielectric material is formed in the second spaces. The sacrificial material is removed from the pillar opening and cell materials are formed in the pillar opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Chandra S. Tiwari, Kunal Shrotri
  • Publication number: 20210351197
    Abstract: A method of forming polysilicon comprises forming a first polysilicon-comprising material over a substrate, with the first polysilicon-comprising material comprising at least one of elemental carbon and elemental nitrogen at a total of 0.1 to 20 atomic percent. A second polysilicon-comprising material is formed over the first polysilicon-comprising material. The second polysilicon-comprising material comprises less, if any, total elemental carbon and elemental nitrogen than the first polysilicon-comprising material. Other aspects and embodiments, including structure independent of method of manufacture, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dimitrios Pavlopoulos, Kunal Shrotri, Anish A. Khandekar
  • Publication number: 20210343728
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a vertical stack of alternating insulative and conductive levels. The conductive levels have terminal regions and nonterminal regions. The terminal regions are vertically thicker than the nonterminal regions. Channel material extends vertically through the stack. Tunneling material is adjacent the channel material. Charge-storage material is adjacent the tunneling material. High-k dielectric material is between the charge-storage material and the terminal regions of the conductive levels. The insulative levels have carbon-containing first regions between the terminal regions of neighboring conductive levels, and have second regions between the nonterminal regions of the neighboring conductive levels. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shyam Surthi, Kunal Shrotri, Matthew Thorum
  • Publication number: 20210265171
    Abstract: A method used in forming an array of elevationally-extending strings of memory cells comprises forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers. The stack comprises an etch-stop tier between a first tier and a second tier of the stack. The etch-stop tier is of different composition from those of the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers. Etching is conducted into the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers that are above the etch-stop tier to the etch-stop tier to form channel openings that have individual bases comprising the etch-stop tier. The etch-stop tier is penetrated through to extend individual of the channel openings there-through. After extending the individual channel openings through the etch-stop tier, etching is conducted into and through the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers that are below the etch-stop tier to extend the individual channel openings deeper into the stack below the etch-stop tier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Gordon A. Haller, Tom J. John, Anish A. Khandekar, Christopher Larsen, Kunal Shrotri
  • Patent number: 11094705
    Abstract: A method of forming polysilicon comprises forming a first polysilicon-comprising material over a substrate, with the first polysilicon-comprising material comprising at least one of elemental carbon and elemental nitrogen at a total of 0.1 to 20 atomic percent. A second polysilicon-comprising material is formed over the first polysilicon-comprising material. The second polysilicon-comprising material comprises less, if any, total elemental carbon and elemental nitrogen than the first polysilicon-comprising material. Other aspects and embodiments, including structure independent of method of manufacture, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dimitrios Pavlopoulos, Kunal Shrotri, Anish A. Khandekar
  • Patent number: 11088017
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a sacrificial material over a stack comprising alternating levels of a dielectric material and another material, forming an opening through the sacrificial material and at least some of the alternating levels of the dielectric material and the another material, forming at least one oxide material in the opening and overlying surfaces of the sacrificial material, an uppermost surface of the at least one oxide material extending more distal from a surface of a substrate than an uppermost level of the dielectric material and the another material, planarizing at least a portion of the at least one oxide material to expose a portion of the sacrificial material, and removing the sacrificial material while the uppermost surface of the at least one oxide material remains more distal from the surface of the substrate than the uppermost level of the alternating levels of the dielectric material and the another material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Matovu, David S. Meyaard, Gowrisankar Damarla, Sri Sai Sivakumar Vegunta, Kunal Shrotri, Shashank Saraf, Kevin R. Gast, Jivaan Kishore Jhothiraman, Suresh Ramarajan, Lifang Xu, Rithu K. Bhonsle, Rutuparna Narulkar, Matthew J. King
  • Publication number: 20210210499
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising a stack structure comprising alternating conductive structures and insulating structures arranged in tiers, each of the tiers individually comprising one of the conductive structures and one of the insulating structures, staircase structures within the stack structure and having steps comprising edges of the tiers, and a doped dielectric material adjacent the steps of the staircase structures and comprising silicon dioxide doped with one or more of boron, phosphorus, carbon, and fluorine, the doped dielectric material having a greater ratio of Si—O—Si bonds to water than borophosphosilicate glass. Related methods of forming a microelectronic device and related electronic systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Jivaan Kishore Jhothiraman, Kunal Shrotri, Matthew J. King
  • Patent number: 11037797
    Abstract: A method used in forming an array of elevationally-extending strings of memory cells comprises forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers. The stack comprises an etch-stop tier between a first tier and a second tier of the stack. The etch-stop tier is of different composition from those of the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers. Etching is conducted into the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers that are above the etch-stop tier to the etch-stop tier to form channel openings that have individual bases comprising the etch-stop tier. The etch-stop tier is penetrated through to extend individual of the channel openings there-through. After extending the individual channel openings through the etch-stop tier, etching is conducted into and through the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers that are below the etch-stop tier to extend the individual channel openings deeper into the stack below the etch-stop tier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Gordon A. Haller, Tom J. John, Anish A. Khandekar, Christopher Larsen, Kunal Shrotri
  • Publication number: 20210175247
    Abstract: A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. The strings of memory cells in the stack comprise channel-material strings and storage-material strings extending through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. At least some of the storage material of the storage-material strings in individual of the insulative tiers are intrinsically less charge-transmissive than is the storage material in the storage-material strings in individual of the conductive tiers. Other aspects, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Manzar Siddik, Chris M. Carlson, Terry H. Kim, Kunal Shrotri, Srinath Venkatesan
  • Patent number: 11011538
    Abstract: A transistor comprises channel material having first and second opposing sides. A gate is on the first side of the channel material and a gate insulator is between the gate and the channel material. A first insulating material has first and second opposing sides, with the first side being adjacent the second side of the channel material. A second insulating material of different composition from that of the first insulating material is adjacent the second side of the first insulating material. The second insulating material has at least one of (a), (b), and (c), where, (a): lower oxygen diffusivity than the first material, (b): net positive charge, and (c): at least two times greater shear strength than the first material. In some embodiments, an array of elevationally-extending strings of memory cells comprises such transistors. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. Wells, Luan C. Tran, Jie Li, Anish A. Khandekar, Kunal Shrotri
  • Patent number: 10971360
    Abstract: A transistor comprises channel material having first and second opposing sides. A gate is on the first side of the channel material and a gate insulator is between the gate and the channel material. A first insulating material has first and second opposing sides, with the first side being adjacent the second side of the channel material. A second insulating material of different composition from that of the first insulating material is adjacent the second side of the first insulating material. The second insulating material has at least one of (a), (b), and (c), where, (a): lower oxygen diffusivity than the first material, (b): net positive charge, and (c): at least two times greater shear strength than the first material. In some embodiments, an array of elevationally-extending strings of memory cells comprises such transistors. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. Wells, Anish A. Khandekar, Kunal Shrotri, Jie Li
  • Publication number: 20210050364
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a structure having an opening extending into an integrated configuration. A first material is within the opening, and is configured to create an undulating topography relative to a sidewall of the opening. The undulating topography has a surface roughness characterized by a mean roughness parameter Rmean which is the mean peak-to-valley distance along the undulating topography. The Rmean is at least about 4 nm. A second material is within the opening and along at least a portion of the undulating topography. The first and second materials are compositionally different from one another. Some embodiments include integrated assemblies. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Applicant: Micro Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas R. Tapias, Andrew Li, Adam W. Saxler, Kunal Shrotri, Erik R. Byers, Matthew J. King, Diem Thy N. Tran, Wei Yeeng Ng, Anish A. Khandekar
  • Publication number: 20200321352
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated structure having vertically-stacked conductive levels alternating with dielectric levels. A layer over the conductive levels includes silicon, nitrogen, and one or more of carbon, oxygen, boron and phosphorus. In some embodiments the vertically-stacked conductive levels are wordline levels within a NAND memory array. Some embodiments include an integrated structure having vertically-stacked conductive levels alternating with dielectric levels. Vertically-stacked NAND memory cells are along the conductive levels within a memory array region. A staircase region is proximate the memory array region. The staircase region has electrical contacts in one-to-one correspondence with the conductive levels. A layer is over the memory array region and over the staircase region. The layer includes silicon, nitrogen, and one or more of carbon, oxygen, boron and phosphorus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin B. Dorhout, Fei Wang, Chet E. Carter, Ian Laboriante, John D. Hopkins, Kunal Shrotri, Ryan Meyer, Vinayak Shamanna, Kunal R. Parekh, Martin C. Roberts, Matthew Park
  • Patent number: 10749041
    Abstract: A method of forming Si3Nx, where “x” is less than 4 and at least 3, comprises decomposing a Si-comprising precursor molecule into at least two decomposition species that are different from one another, at least one of the at least two different decomposition species comprising Si. An outer substrate surface is contacted with the at least two decomposition species. At least one of the decomposition species that comprises Si attaches to the outer substrate surface to comprise an attached species. The attached species is contacted with a N-comprising precursor that reacts with the attached species to form a reaction product comprising Si3Nx, where “x” is less than 4 and at least 3. Other embodiments are disclosed, including constructions made in accordance with method embodiments of the invention and constructions independent of method of manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Fei Wang, Kunal Shrotri, Jeffery B. Hull, Anish A. Khandekar, Duo Mao, Zhixin Xu, Ee Ee Eng, Jie Li, Dong Liang
  • Publication number: 20200251347
    Abstract: A method used in forming an array of elevationally-extending strings of memory cells comprises forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers. The stack comprises an etch-stop tier between a first tier and a second tier of the stack. The etch-stop tier is of different composition from those of the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers. Etching is conducted into the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers that are above the etch-stop tier to the etch-stop tier to form channel openings that have individual bases comprising the etch-stop tier. The etch-stop tier is penetrated through to extend individual of the channel openings there-through. After extending the individual channel openings through the etch-stop tier, etching is conducted into and through the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers that are below the etch-stop tier to extend the individual channel openings deeper into the stack below the etch-stop tier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Gordon A. Haller, Tom J. John, Anish A. Khandekar, Christopher Larsen, Kunal Shrotri