Patents by Inventor Michael A. Smith
Michael A. Smith 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).
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Patent number: 12278286Abstract: High voltage isolation devices for semiconductor devices and associated systems, are disclosed herein. The isolation device may support operations of a 3-dimensional NAND memory array of the semiconductor device. In some embodiments, during high voltage operations (e.g., erase operations), the isolation device may provide a high voltage to the memory array while isolating other circuitry supporting low voltage operations of the memory array from the high voltage. The isolation device may include a set of narrow active areas separating the low voltage circuitry from the high voltage and a gate over the narrow active areas. In a further embodiment, the isolation device includes interdigitated narrow active areas and a common gate over the interdigitated narrow active areas to reduce an area occupied by the isolation devices.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2024Date of Patent: April 15, 2025Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Michael A. Smith
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Patent number: 12274057Abstract: Method of forming an isolation structure might include forming a first conductive region in a first section of a semiconductor material, forming a first trench in a second section of the semiconductor material adjacent a first side of the first section of the semiconductor material and forming a second trench in a third section of the semiconductor material adjacent a second side of the first section of the semiconductor material, extending the first and second trenches to a depth below the first conductive region and removing a portion of the first section of the semiconductor material overlying the first conductive region, forming second and third conductive regions in the semiconductor material below bottoms of the first and second trenches, respectively, and forming a dielectric material overlying the first conductive region and filling the first and second trenches.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2023Date of Patent: April 8, 2025Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Michael A. Smith
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Patent number: 12237278Abstract: Active protection circuits for semiconductor devices, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. The active protection circuits may protect various components of the semiconductor devices from process induced damageāe.g., stemming from process charging effects. In some embodiments, the active protection circuit includes an FET and a resistor coupled to certain nodes (e.g., source plates for 3D NAND memory arrays) of the semiconductor devices, which may be prone to accumulate the process charging effects. The active protection circuits prevent the nodes from reaching a predetermined voltage during process steps utilizing charged particles. Subsequently, metal jumpers may be added to the active protection circuits to deactivate the FETs for normal operations of the semiconductor devices. Further, the FET and the resistor of the active protection circuit may be integrated with an existing component of the semiconductor device.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2023Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Michael A. Smith, Kenneth W. Marr
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Publication number: 20240428859Abstract: A memory device includes a first string driver circuit and a second string driver circuit that are disposed laterally adjacent to each other in a length direction of a memory subsystem. The first and the second string driver circuits are disposed in an interleaved layout configuration such that the first connections of the first string driver are offset from the second connections of the second string driver in a width direction. For a same effective distance between the corresponding opposing first and second connections, a first pitch length corresponding to the interleaved layout configuration of the first and second string drivers is less by a predetermined reduction amount than a second pitch length between the first and second string drivers when disposed in a non-interleaved layout configuration in which each of the first connections is in-line with the corresponding second connection.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2024Publication date: December 26, 2024Inventors: Michael A. Smith, Martin W. Popp
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Publication number: 20240390693Abstract: To distribute electrical treatment to a treatment area of a patient, described herein are electrical apparatuses, methods of their operation and methods for delivery of the electrical treatment to the patient. In some embodiments, the treatment applicator comprises an electrode assembly that includes at least two electrodes, and a conductive spacer positioned between the electrodes. Methods of treatment and methods of operation of the apparatuses and systems of the present disclosure are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2024Publication date: November 28, 2024Inventors: Cameron D. HINMAN, Michael A. SMITH, Kenneth R. KRIEG
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Patent number: 12112804Abstract: A memory device includes a first string driver circuit and a second string driver circuit that are disposed laterally adjacent to each other in a length direction of a memory subsystem. The first and the second string driver circuits are disposed in an interleaved layout configuration such that the first connections of the first string driver are offset from the second connections of the second string driver in a width direction. For a same effective distance between the corresponding opposing first and second connections, a first pitch length corresponding to the interleaved layout configuration of the first and second string drivers is less by a predetermined reduction amount than a second pitch length between the first and second string drivers when disposed in a non-interleaved layout configuration in which each of the first connections is in-line with the corresponding second connection.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2023Date of Patent: October 8, 2024Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Michael A. Smith, Martin W. Popp
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Publication number: 20240322049Abstract: A semiconductor device including a first semiconductor device that includes a substrate, a memory array disposed above the substrate and below a frontside surface of the first semiconductor device, a plurality of source region contact (SRC) nodes disposed under the memory array, and a plurality of high-voltage (HV) diodes disposed in the substrate, each of the plurality of HV diodes being connected to corresponding one of the plurality of SRC nodes; and a second semiconductor device including a plurality of complementary-metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices, each of the plurality of CMOS devices being connected to, through a backside surface of the second semiconductor device and the frontside surface of the first semiconductor device, corresponding bond pad of the memory array, wherein fusion bonding exists between the backside surface of the second semiconductor device and the frontside surface of the first semiconductor device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2024Publication date: September 26, 2024Inventors: Shyam Surthi, Haitao Liu, Michael A. Smith
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Publication number: 20240290787Abstract: A string driver device including a substrate; and a plurality of string driver array blocks that are disposed above the substrate, each of the plurality of string driver array blocks including a plurality of active regions that are parallelly aligned along a length direction, a plurality of shared gates that are disposed above the plurality of active regions and along a width direction, the width direction being perpendicular to the length direction, a through silicon isolation (TSI) region that surrounds the plurality of active regions on the substrate and that is disposed between neighboring active regions of the plurality of active regions, and a plurality of shallow trench isolation (STI) regions that are disposed adjacent to one or more channel regions of each of the plurality of active regions and below the plurality of shared gates respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2024Publication date: August 29, 2024Inventor: Michael A. Smith
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Publication number: 20240274594Abstract: A semiconductor device including a substrate; a plurality of active regions that are disposed on the substrate and that are parallelly aligned; a plurality of first type of trench isolations having a first top critical dimension (CD), each of the plurality of the first type of trench isolations including sidewalls that taper towards one another along a depth direction; and a plurality of second type of trench isolations having a second top CD, the second top CD being larger than the first top CD and each of the plurality of the second type of trench isolations having a flat bottom trench surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2024Publication date: August 15, 2024Inventors: Shyam Surthi, Michael A. Smith
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Publication number: 20240274533Abstract: A semiconductor device assembly including a first wafer having complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices, the CMOS devices including a plurality of string drivers, wherein each of the plurality of string drivers includes a field effect transistor (FET), a global word line connected to a source of the FET, and a local word line vertically passing through the FET; and a second wafer having a memory array including a plurality of word lines, each of the word lines being connected to a corresponding one of the string drivers of the first wafer through a local word line of the corresponding string driver, wherein a backside surface of the first wafer is bonded to a frontside surface of the second wafer to form a wafer-on-wafer (WOW) bonding.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2024Publication date: August 15, 2024Inventors: Michael A. Smith, Martin W. Popp, Richard J. Hill
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Publication number: 20240234311Abstract: A memory device includes an array of memory cells and a plurality of bit-lines with each bit-line connected to a respective set of memory cells of the array of memory cells. The memory device includes a memory subsystem having first and second memory circuits. Each first memory circuit can be disposed laterally adjacent to a second memory circuit. Each first memory circuit includes a first bit-line connection and each second memory circuit including a second bit-line connection, the first and second bit-line connections can connect to respective bit-lines. Each first bit-line connection is disposed on a first bit-line connection line of the memory subsystem and each second bit-line connection is disposed on a second bit-line connection line of the memory subsystem, and the second bit-line connection line can be offset from the first bit-line connection line by a predetermined distance that is greater than zero.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2024Publication date: July 11, 2024Inventors: Michael A. Smith, Haitao Liu, Vladimir Mikhalev
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Patent number: 12015026Abstract: Methods of forming a circuit-protection device include forming a dielectric having a first thickness and a second thickness greater than the first thickness over a semiconductor, forming a conductor over the dielectric, and patterning the conductor to retain a portion of the conductor over a portion of the dielectric having the second thickness, and to retain substantially no portion of the conductor over a portion of the dielectric having the first thickness, wherein the retained portion of the conductor defines a control gate of a field-effect transistor of the circuit-protection device.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2021Date of Patent: June 18, 2024Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Michael A. Smith, Kenneth W. Marr
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Publication number: 20240154033Abstract: High voltage isolation devices for semiconductor devices and associated systems, are disclosed herein. The isolation device may support operations of a 3-dimensional NAND memory array of the semiconductor device. In some embodiments, during high voltage operations (e.g., erase operations), the isolation device may provide a high voltage to the memory array while isolating other circuitry supporting low voltage operations of the memory array from the high voltage. The isolation device may include a set of narrow active areas separating the low voltage circuitry from the high voltage and a gate over the narrow active areas. In a further embodiment, the isolation device includes interdigitated narrow active areas and a common gate over the interdigitated narrow active areas to reduce an area occupied by the isolation devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2024Publication date: May 9, 2024Inventor: Michael A. Smith
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Patent number: 11973031Abstract: A memory device includes an array of memory cells and a plurality of bit-lines with each bit-line connected to a respective set of memory cells of the array of memory cells. The memory device includes a memory subsystem having first and second memory circuits. Each first memory circuit can be disposed laterally adjacent to a second memory circuit. Each first memory circuit includes a first bit-line connection and each second memory circuit including a second bit-line connection, the first and second bit-line connections can connect to respective bit-lines. Each first bit-line connection is disposed on a first bit-line connection line of the memory subsystem and each second bit-line connection is disposed on a second bit-line connection line of the memory subsystem, and the second bit-line connection line can be offset from the first bit-line connection line by a predetermined distance that is greater than zero.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Michael A. Smith, Haitao Liu, Vladimir Mikhalev
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Publication number: 20240107754Abstract: Method of forming an isolation structure might include forming a first conductive region in a first section of a semiconductor material, forming a first trench in a second section of the semiconductor material adjacent a first side of the first section of the semiconductor material and forming a second trench in a third section of the semiconductor material adjacent a second side of the first section of the semiconductor material, extending the first and second trenches to a depth below the first conductive region and removing a portion of the first section of the semiconductor material overlying the first conductive region, forming second and third conductive regions in the semiconductor material below bottoms of the first and second trenches, respectively, and forming a dielectric material overlying the first conductive region and filling the first and second trenches.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventor: Michael A. Smith
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Publication number: 20240072057Abstract: Semiconductor devices including an adjusted bottom/deep well embedded in a semiconductor substrate. The adjusted bottom/deep well having one or more characteristics resulting from being formed using or through a temporary masked layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2022Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventor: Michael A. Smith
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Patent number: 11901448Abstract: High voltage isolation devices for semiconductor devices and associated systems, are disclosed herein. The isolation device may support operations of a 3-dimensional NAND memory array of the semiconductor device. In some embodiments, during high voltage operations (e.g., erase operations), the isolation device may provide a high voltage to the memory array while isolating other circuitry supporting low voltage operations of the memory array from the high voltage. The isolation device may include a set of narrow active areas separating the low voltage circuitry from the high voltage and a gate over the narrow active areas. In a further embodiment, the isolation device includes interdigitated narrow active areas and a common gate over the interdigitated narrow active areas to reduce an area occupied by the isolation devices.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2022Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Michael A. Smith
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Publication number: 20240038904Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a capacitor structure comprising an active region comprising opposing field edges parallel to a first horizontal direction and a gate region comprising opposing gate edges parallel to a second horizontal direction transverse to the first horizontal direction. The semiconductor structure also comprises a first dielectric material adjacent at least one of the opposing field edges or the opposing gate edges and a second dielectric material adjacent the active area and abutting portions of the first dielectric material. A height of the second dielectric material in a vertical direction may be less than the height of the first dielectric material. Semiconductor devices and related methods are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2023Publication date: February 1, 2024Inventor: Michael A. Smith
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Patent number: 11889687Abstract: Integrated circuit structures might include a semiconductor material, a first active area in the semiconductor material, a second active area in the semiconductor material, and an isolation structure comprising a dielectric material deposited in a trench formed in the semiconductor material between the first active area and the second active area. The isolation structure might further include a first edge portion extending below a surface of the semiconductor material to a first depth, a second edge portion extending below the surface of the semiconductor material to the first depth, and an interior portion between the first edge portion and the second edge portion, and extending below the surface of the semiconductor material to a second depth, less than the first depth.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Michael A. Smith
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Patent number: 11881528Abstract: An apparatus includes a substrate and a transistor disposed on the substrate. The transistor includes a source and a source contact disposed on the source. The transistor also includes a drain and a drain contact disposed on the drain. A gate is disposed between the source contact and the drain contact, and a screened region is disposed adjacent the source contact or the drain contact. The screened region corresponds to a lightly doped region. The screened region includes an implant screen configured to reduce an effective dose in the screened region so as to shift an acceptable dose range of the screened region to a higher dose range. The acceptable dose range corresponds to acceptable breakdown voltage values for the screened region.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2022Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Michael A. Smith