Patents by Inventor Nancy M. Lomeli

Nancy M. Lomeli 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: 11706925
    Abstract: Device, systems, and structures include a stack of vertically-alternating tiers of materials arranged in one or more decks of tiers. A channel opening, in which a channel pillar may be formed, extends through the stack. The pillar includes a “shoulder portion” extending laterally into an “undercut portion” of the channel opening, which undercut portion is defined along at least a lower tier of at least one of the decks of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Nancy M. Lomeli, Justin B. Dorhout, Damir Fazil
  • Publication number: 20230209831
    Abstract: A microelectronic device includes a source stack, a source contact vertically adjacent to the source stack, a semiconductor material vertically adjacent to the source contact, tiers of alternating conductive materials and dielectric materials vertically adjacent to the semiconductor dielectric material, a dielectric structure within a slot structure and extending through the tiers of the microelectronic device to the source contact of the microelectronic device, oxide cap structures laterally between the semiconductor material and the dielectric structure, and pillars extending through the tiers, the semiconductor material, and the source contact and into the source stack. Related electronic systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Alyssa N. Scarbrough, Jordan D. Greenlee, Nancy M. Lomeli
  • Publication number: 20230207470
    Abstract: A microelectronic device is disclosed, comprising: a stack structure comprising vertically 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, the stack structure having blocks separated from one another by filled slot structures; a source tier structure underlying the stack structure and comprising: a merged conductive structure adjacent a first discrete conductive structure in a first direction; and a second discrete conductive structure in the first direction that is spaced apart from the merged conductive by the first discrete conductive structure; a first support contact structure on the first discrete conductive structure; and a subsequent support contact structure on the merged conductive structure and adjacent the first support contact in the first direction, wherein one of the filled slot structures is vertically directly above at least a portion of the merged co
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Nancy M. Lomeli
  • Publication number: 20230209819
    Abstract: A microelectronic device includes a stack structure including insulative structures and conductive structures vertically alternating with the insulative structures. At least one of the insulative structures includes interfacial regions proximate interfaces between the at least one of the insulative structures and two of the conductive structures vertically neighboring the at least one of the insulative structures; and an intermediate region interposed between the interfacial regions. The intermediate region has a different material composition and relatively greater strength than the interfacial regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Nancy M. Lomeli, Jiewei Chen, Naiming Liu
  • Publication number: 20230207631
    Abstract: A memory array comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. A ring is around individual of the channel-material strings in at least one of a lowest of the conductive tiers or a lowest of the insulative tiers. Individual of the rings have a top that is below all of the memory cells. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Nancy M. Lomeli
  • Publication number: 20230209818
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. Horizontally-elongated trenches are between immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory blocks. Conductor material is in and extends elevationally along sidewalls of the trenches laterally-over the conductive tiers and the insulative tiers and directly electrically couples together conducting material of individual of the conductive tiers. The conductor material is exposed to oxidizing conditions to form an insulative oxide laterally-through the conductor material laterally-over individual of the insulative tiers to separate the conducting material of the individual conductive tiers from being directly electrically coupled together by the conductor material. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiewei Chen, Jordan D. Greenlee, Mithun Kumar Ramasahayam, Nancy M. Lomeli
  • Publication number: 20230207469
    Abstract: A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprise 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 with conductor material of the conductor tier. A through-array-via (TAV) region comprises TAV constructions that individually extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers into the conductor tier. Individual of the TAV constructions comprise an upper portion directly above and joined with a lower portion. The individual TAV constructions comprise at least one external jog surface in a vertical cross-section where the upper and lower portions join. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Damir Fazil, Indra V. Chary, Nancy M. Lomeli, Rajasekhar Venigalla
  • Patent number: 11690234
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a microelectronic device structure having a memory array region and a staircase region. The microelectronic device structure comprises a stack structure having tiers each comprising a conductive structure and an insulative structure; staircase structures confined within the staircase region and having steps comprising edges of the tiers of the stack structure within the deck and the additional deck; and semiconductive pillar structures confined within the memory array region and extending through the stack structures. The stack structure comprises a deck comprising a group of the tiers; an additional deck overlying the deck and comprising an additional group of the tiers; and an interdeck section between the deck and the additional deck and comprising a dielectric structure confined within the memory array region, and another group of the tiers within vertical boundaries of the dielectric structure and confined within the staircase region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Zhao, Nancy M. Lomeli, Lifang Xu, Adam L. Olson
  • Publication number: 20230170024
    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 with conductor material of the conductor tier. A through-array-via (TAV) region comprises TAVs that individually extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers into the conductor tier. Individual of the TAVs comprise an upper portion directly above and joined with a lower portion. The individual TAVs comprise at least one external jog surface in a vertical cross-section where the upper and lower portions join. The lower portion is wider in the vertical cross-section than the upper portion where the upper and lower portions join. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Nancy M. Lomeli, Rajasekhar Venigalla
  • Publication number: 20230171960
    Abstract: A memory array comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. Dummy pillars extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. A lowest of the conductive tiers comprises conducting material and dummy-region material that is aside and of different composition from that of the conducting material. The channel-material strings extend through the conducting material of the lowest conductive tier. The dummy pillars extend through the dummy-region material of the lowest conductive tier. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Jordan D. Greenlee, Nancy M. Lomeli, Alyssa N. Scarbrough
  • Patent number: 11659708
    Abstract: A memory array comprises a conductor tier comprising upper conductor material directly above and directly electrically coupled to lower conductor material. The upper and lower conductor materials comprise different compositions relative one another. Laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprise alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers, Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers and through the upper conductor material into the lower conductor material. The channel material of the channel-material strings is directly electrically coupled to the upper and lower conductor materials of the conductor tier. Intervening material is laterally-between and longitudinally-along immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory blocks. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Nancy M. Lomeli
  • Publication number: 20230137958
    Abstract: Memory circuitry comprising strings of memory cells comprising laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprise a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers in a memory-array region. The insulative tiers and the conductive tiers of the laterally-spaced memory blocks extend from the memory-array region into a stair-step region. Individual stairs in the stair-step region comprise one of the conductive tiers and a riser. Conductive vias are individually directly against conductive material that is in the one conductive tier in one of the individual stairs. Individual of the conductive vias where directly against the conductive material are horizontally-longitudinally-elongated at an angle of 0° to 60° horizontally from the riser of the one individual stair. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuangqiang Luo, Nancy M. Lomeli, Rui Zhang
  • Patent number: 11631740
    Abstract: A memory array comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. A ring is around individual of the channel-material strings in at least one of a lowest of the conductive tiers or a lowest of the insulative tiers. Individual of the rings have a top that is below all of the memory cells. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Nancy M. Lomeli
  • Publication number: 20230114572
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The conductive tiers comprise metal along sides of the memory blocks. Silicon is formed between the memory blocks over the metal of the conductive tiers. The silicon and the metal react to form metal silicide therefrom that is directly against and longitudinally-along the metal of individual of the conductive tiers. After the reacting, unreacted of the silicon is removed from between the memory blocks and intervening material is formed between and longitudinally-along the memory blocks. Other embodiments, including structure independent of method, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Nancy M. Lomeli
  • Publication number: 20230092501
    Abstract: Device, systems, and structures include a stack of vertically-alternating tiers of materials arranged in one or more decks of tiers. A channel opening, in which a channel pillar may be formed, extends through the stack. The pillar includes a “shoulder portion” extending laterally into an “undercut portion” of the channel opening, which undercut portion is defined along at least a lower tier of at least one of the decks of the stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Nancy M. Lomeli, Justin B. Dorhout, Damir Fazil
  • Patent number: 11600630
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a source structure, and having a stack of alternating conductive levels and insulative levels over the source structure. Cell-material-pillars pass through the stack. The cell-material-pillars are arranged within a configuration which includes a first memory-block-region and a second memory-block-region. The cell-material-pillars include channel material which is electrically coupled with the source structure. Memory cells are along the conductive levels and include regions of the cell-material-pillars. A panel is between the first and second memory-block-regions. The panel has a first material configured as a container shape. The container shape defines opposing sides and a bottom of a cavity. The panel has a second material within the cavity. The second material is compositionally different from the first material. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan D. Greenlee, Nancy M. Lomeli, John D. Hopkins, Jiewei Chen, Indra V. Chary, Jun Fang, Vladimir Samara, Kaiming Luo, Rita J. Klein, Xiao Li, Vinayak Shamanna
  • Publication number: 20230065187
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods may provide for technology for forming extended air gaps for bitline contacts. For example, such technology patterns and etches a dielectric layer and a bitline layer to create bitline contacts in a memory die. An air gap dielectric layer is deposited to form an air gap between adjacent bitline contacts, and wherein the air gap has a height dimension that extends past a height dimension of the bitline contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: John Hopkins, Nancy M. Lomeli
  • Publication number: 20230061327
    Abstract: A method of forming a microelectronic device comprises forming a sacrificial material over a base structure. Portions of the sacrificial material are replaced with an etch-resistant material. A stack structure is formed over the etch-resistant material and remaining portions of the sacrificial material. The stack structure comprises a vertically alternating sequence of insulative material and additional sacrificial material arranged in tiers, and at least one staircase structure horizontally overlapping the etch-resistant material and having steps comprising horizontal ends of the tiers. Slots are formed to vertically extend through the stack structure and the remaining portions of the sacrificial material. The sacrificial material and the additional sacrificial material are selectively replaced with conductive material after forming the slots to respectively form lateral contact structures and conductive structures. Microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Jordan D. Greenlee, Nancy M. Lomeli
  • Patent number: 11581330
    Abstract: A memory array comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. Dummy pillars extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. A lowest of the conductive tiers comprises conducting material and dummy-region material that is aside and of different composition from that of the conducting material. The channel-material strings extend through the conducting material of the lowest conductive tier. The dummy pillars extend through the dummy-region material of the lowest conductive tier. Other embodiments, including method, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Jordan D. Greenlee, Nancy M. Lomeli, Alyssa N. Scarbrough
  • Patent number: 11557597
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings of memory cells extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The conductive tiers comprise metal along sides of the memory blocks. Silicon is formed between the memory blocks over the metal of the conductive tiers. The silicon and the metal react to form metal silicide therefrom that is directly against and longitudinally-along the metal of individual of the conductive tiers. After the reacting, unreacted of the silicon is removed from between the memory blocks and intervening material is formed between and longitudinally-along the memory blocks. Other embodiments, including structure independent of method, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hopkins, Nancy M. Lomeli