Patents by Inventor M. Jared Barclay

M. Jared Barclay 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: 20230207010
    Abstract: A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers directly above a conductor tier. Strings of memory cells comprise channel-material strings that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The channel-material strings directly electrically couple to conductor material of the conductor tier. A through-array-via (TAV) region comprises TAVs that individually extend through a lowest of the conductive tiers. Insulative rings are in the lowest conductive tier in the TAV region. Individual of the insulative rings encircle individual of the TAVs. The insulative rings extend through the lowest conductive tier and into the conductor tier. Outer rings are in the lowest conductive tier that individually encircle one of the individual insulative rings that encircle the individual TAVs. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alyssa N. Scarbrough, M. Jared Barclay, John D. Hopkins
  • Publication number: 20230057852
    Abstract: Integrated circuitry comprising a memory array comprises strings of memory cells comprising laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a first vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers above a conductor tier. Strings of memory cells comprise channel-material strings that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The channel-material strings directly electrically couple with conductor material of the conductor tier. The conductive tiers individually comprise a horizontally-elongated conductive line. A second vertical stack is aside the first vertical stack. The second vertical stack comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion comprises vertically-alternating first insulating tiers and second insulating tiers that are of different insulative compositions relative one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Collin Howder, M. Jared Barclay, Bhavesh Bhartia, Chet E. Carter, John D. Hopkins, Andrew Li, Haoyu Li, Alyssa N. Scarbrough, Grady S. Waldo
  • Publication number: 20230055422
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a conductor tier comprising conductor material on a substrate. Laterally-spaced memory-block regions are formed that individually comprise a vertical stack comprising alternating first tiers and second tiers are formed directly above the conductor tier. Material of the first tiers is sacrificial and of different composition from material of the first tiers. Channel-material strings extend through the first tiers and the second tiers. Conducting material in a lowest of the first tiers is formed that directly electrically couples together the channel material of individual of the channel-material strings and the conductor material of the conductor tier. A horizontally-elongated trench is formed between immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory-block regions. The trenches extend downwardly into the conducting material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan D. Greenlee, John D. Hopkins, M. Jared Barclay, Andrew Li, Aireus Christensen
  • Publication number: 20230052468
    Abstract: A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers above a conductor tier. Strings of memory cells comprise channel-material strings that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The channel-material strings directly electrically couple with conductor material of the conductor tier by conducting material that is in a lowest of the conductive tiers and that is directly against multiple of the channel-material strings. The channel-material strings in the laterally-spaced memory blocks comprise part of a memory plane. A wall in the lowest conductive tier is aside the conducting material. The wall is in a region that is edge-of-plane relative to the memory plane. The edge-of-plane region comprises a TAV region. The wall is horizontally-elongated relative to an edge of the TAV region that is in the edge-of-plane region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: M. Jared Barclay, John D. Hopkins, Richard J. Hill, Indra V. Chary, Kar Wui Thong
  • Publication number: 20230052332
    Abstract: A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers above a conductor tier. The conductor tier is directly above a lower tier that comprises conductive lines that are horizontally elongated. An insulator tier is vertically between the conductor tier and the lower tier. Strings of memory cells comprise channel-material strings that extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The channel-material strings directly electrically couple to the conductor material of the conductor tier. A through-array-via (TAV) region comprises TAVs that individually directly electrically couple to one of the conductive lines. Insulator walls are in the TAV region. The insulator walls extend vertically through the conductor tier and the insulator tier to the lower tier and are horizontally elongated. Methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alyssa N. Scarbrough, M. Jared Barclay, John D. Hopkins, Jordan D. Greenlee
  • Publication number: 20220199644
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a base (e.g., a monocrystalline silicon wafer), and having memory cells over the base and along channel-material-pillars. A conductive structure is between the memory cells and the base. The channel-material-pillars are coupled with the conductive structure. A foundational structure extends into the base and projects upwardly to a level above the conductive structure. The foundational structure locks the conductive structure to the base to provide foundational support to the conductive structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Darwin A. Clampitt, Matthew J. King, John D. Hopkins, M. Jared Barclay
  • Publication number: 20220157844
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a construction comprising a stack that have vertically-alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers. An array of openings is formed in an uppermost portion of upper material that is above the stack, and the openings comprise channel openings and dummy openings. At least the uppermost portion of the upper material is used as a mask while etching the channel openings and the dummy openings into a lower portion of the upper material. The channel openings are etched into the insulative and wordline tiers. The channel openings are etched deeper into the construction than the dummy openings, and channel material is formed in the channel openings after the etching. Structures independent of method are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: M. Jared Barclay, Merri L. Carlson, Saurabh Keshav, George Matamis, Young Joon Moon, Kunal R. Parekh, Paolo Tessariol, Vinayak Shamanna
  • Patent number: 11302710
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a base (e.g., a monocrystalline silicon wafer), and having memory cells over the base and along channel-material-pillars. A conductive structure is between the memory cells and the base. The channel-material-pillars are coupled with the conductive structure. A foundational structure extends into the base and projects upwardly to a level above the conductive structure. The foundational structure locks the conductive structure to the base to provide foundational support to the conductive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Darwin A. Clampitt, Matthew J. King, John D. Hopkins, M. Jared Barclay
  • Patent number: 11271002
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a construction comprising a stack that have vertically-alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers. An array of openings is formed in an uppermost portion of upper material that is above the stack, and the openings comprise channel openings and dummy openings. At least the uppermost portion of the upper material is used as a mask while etching the channel openings and the dummy openings into a lower portion of the upper material. The channel openings are etched into the insulative and wordline tiers. The channel openings are etched deeper into the construction than the dummy openings, and channel material is formed in the channel openings after the etching. Structures independent of method are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: M. Jared Barclay, Merri L. Carlson, Saurabh Keshav, George Matamis, Young Joon Moon, Kunal R. Parekh, Paolo Tessariol, Vinayak Shamanna
  • Patent number: 11114379
    Abstract: A method used in forming integrated circuitry comprises forming a stack of vertically-alternating tiers of different composition materials. A stair-step structure is formed into the stack and an upper landing is formed adjacent and above the stair-step structure. The stair-step structure is formed to comprise vertically-alternating tiers of the different composition materials. A plurality of stairs individually comprise two of the tiers of different composition materials. At least some of the stairs individually have only two tiers that are each only of a different one of the different composition materials. An upper of the stairs that is below the upper landing comprises at least four of the tiers of different composition materials. Structure independent of method is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Gossman, M. Jared Barclay, Matthew J. King, Eldon Nelson, Matthew Park, Jason Reece, Lifang Xu, Bo Zhao
  • Publication number: 20210217766
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a base (e.g., a monocrystalline silicon wafer), and having memory cells over the base and along channel-material-pillars. A conductive structure is between the memory cells and the base. The channel-material-pillars are coupled with the conductive structure. A foundational structure extends into the base and projects upwardly to a level above the conductive structure. The foundational structure locks the conductive structure to the base to provide foundational support to the conductive structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Darwin A. Clampitt, Matthew J. King, John D. Hopkins, M. Jared Barclay
  • Publication number: 20200328222
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a construction comprising a stack that have vertically-alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers. An array of openings is formed in an uppermost portion of upper material that is above the stack, and the openings comprise channel openings and dummy openings. At least the uppermost portion of the upper material is used as a mask while etching the channel openings and the dummy openings into a lower portion of the upper material. The channel openings are etched into the insulative and wordline tiers. The channel openings are etched deeper into the construction than the dummy openings, and channel material is formed in the channel openings after the etching. Structures independent of method are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: M. Jared Barclay, Merri L. Carlson, Saurabh Keshav, George Matamis, Young Joon Moon, Kunal R. Parekh, Paolo Tessariol, Vinayak Shamanna
  • Patent number: 10756105
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprises forming a tier comprising conductor material above a substrate. Sacrificial islands comprising etch-stop material are formed directly above the conductor material of the tier comprising the conductor material. A stack comprising vertically-alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers is formed above the sacrificial islands and the tier comprising the conductor material. Etching is conducted through the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers to the etch-stop material of individual of the sacrificial islands to form channel openings that have individual bases comprising the etch-stop material. The sacrificial islands are removed through individual of the channel openings to extend the individual channel openings to the tier comprising the conductor material. Channel material is formed in the extended-channel openings to the tier comprising the conductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, M. Jared Barclay, Emilio Camerlenghi, Paolo Tessariol
  • Patent number: 10727249
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory cell which has, in the following order; a control gate, charge-blocking material, charge-trapping material, a first oxide, a charge-passage structure, a second oxide, and channel material. The charge-passage structure has a central region sandwiched between first and second regions. The central region has a lower probability of trapping charges and/or a lower rate of trapping charges than the first and second regions. Some embodiments include an integrated structure having a vertical stack of alternating conductive levels and insulative levels, and having a charge-passage structure extending vertically along the vertical stack. Some embodiments include a NAND memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels, and having a charge-passage structure extending vertically along the vertical stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris M. Carlson, M. Jared Barclay
  • Publication number: 20200168622
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprises forming a tier comprising conductor material above a substrate. Sacrificial islands comprising etch-stop material are formed directly above the conductor material of the tier comprising the conductor material. A stack comprising vertically-alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers is formed above the sacrificial islands and the tier comprising the conductor material. Etching is conducted through the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers to the etch-stop material of individual of the sacrificial islands to form channel openings that have individual bases comprising the etch-stop material. The sacrificial islands are removed through individual of the channel openings to extend the individual channel openings to the tier comprising the conductor material. Channel material is formed in the extended-channel openings to the tier comprising the conductor material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, M. Jared Barclay, Emilio Camerlenghi, Paolo Tessariol
  • Publication number: 20190371728
    Abstract: A method used in forming integrated circuitry comprises forming a stack of vertically-alternating tiers of different composition materials. A stair-step structure is formed into the stack and an upper landing is formed adjacent and above the stair-step structure. The stair-step structure is formed to comprise vertically-alternating tiers of the different composition materials. A plurality of stairs individually comprise two of the tiers of different composition materials. At least some of the stairs individually have only two tiers that are each only of a different one of the different composition materials. An upper of the stairs that is below the upper landing comprises at least four of the tiers of different composition materials. Structure independent of method is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Gossman, M. Jared Barclay, Matthew J. King, Eldon Nelson, Matthew Park, Jason Reece, Lifang Xu, Bo Zhao
  • Publication number: 20190267397
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory cell which has, in the following order; a control gate, charge-blocking material, charge-trapping material, a first oxide, a charge-passage structure, a second oxide, and channel material. The charge-passage structure has a central region sandwiched between first and second regions. The central region has a lower probability of trapping charges and/or a lower rate of trapping charges than the first and second regions. Some embodiments include an integrated structure having a vertical stack of alternating conductive levels and insulative levels, and having a charge-passage structure extending vertically along the vertical stack. Some embodiments include a NAND memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels, and having a charge-passage structure extending vertically along the vertical stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris M. Carlson, M. Jared Barclay
  • Patent number: 10388667
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory cell which has, in the following order; a control gate, charge-blocking material, charge-trapping material, a first oxide, a charge-passage structure, a second oxide, and channel material. The charge-passage structure has a central region sandwiched between first and second regions. The central region has a lower probability of trapping charges and/or a lower rate of trapping charges than the first and second regions. Some embodiments include an integrated structure having a vertical stack of alternating conductive levels and insulative levels, and having a charge-passage structure extending vertically along the vertical stack. Some embodiments include a NAND memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels, and having a charge-passage structure extending vertically along the vertical stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris M. Carlson, M. Jared Barclay
  • Publication number: 20180358377
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory cell which has, in the following order; a control gate, charge-blocking material, charge-trapping material, a first oxide, a charge-passage structure, a second oxide, and channel material. The charge-passage structure has a central region sandwiched between first and second regions. The central region has a lower probability of trapping charges and/or a lower rate of trapping charges than the first and second regions. Some embodiments include an integrated structure having a vertical stack of alternating conductive levels and insulative levels, and having a charge-passage structure extending vertically along the vertical stack. Some embodiments include a NAND memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels, and having a charge-passage structure extending vertically along the vertical stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris M. Carlson, M. Jared Barclay
  • Patent number: 10128265
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a memory cell which has, in the following order; a control gate, charge-blocking material, charge-trapping material, a first oxide, a charge-passage structure, a second oxide, and channel material. The charge-passage structure has a central region sandwiched between first and second regions. The central region has a lower probability of trapping charges and/or a lower rate of trapping charges than the first and second regions. Some embodiments include an integrated structure having a vertical stack of alternating conductive levels and insulative levels, and having a charge-passage structure extending vertically along the vertical stack. Some embodiments include a NAND memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels, and having a charge-passage structure extending vertically along the vertical stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Carlson, M. Jared Barclay