Patents by Inventor Shawn D. Lyonsmith

Shawn D. Lyonsmith 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: 11869178
    Abstract: A method of predicting virtual metrology data for a wafer lot that includes receiving first image data from an imager system, the first image data relating to at least one first wafer lot, receiving measured metrology data from metrology equipment relating to the at least one first wafer lot, applying one or more machine learning techniques to the first image data and the measured metrology data to generate at least one predictive model for predicting at least one of virtual metrology data or virtual cell metrics data of wafer lots, and utilizing the at least one generated predictive model to generate at least one of first virtual metrology data or first virtual cell metrics data for the first wafer lot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Qianlan Liu, Pradeep Ramachandran, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Steve K. McCandless, Ted L. Taylor, Ahmed N. Noemaun, Gordon A. Haller
  • Publication number: 20230117100
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatuses includes a first deck located over a substrate, and a second deck located over the first deck, and pillars extending through the first and second decks. The first deck includes first memory cells, first control gates associated with the first memory cells, and first conductive paths coupled to the first control gates. The second conductive paths include second conductive pads located on a first level of the apparatus over the substrate. The second deck includes second memory cells, second control gates associated with the second memory cells, and second conductive paths coupled to the second control gates. The second conductive paths include second conductive pads located on a second level of the apparatus. The first and second conductive pads having lengths in a direction perpendicular to a direction from the first deck to the second deck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Darwin A. Clampitt, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Matthew J. King, Lise M. Clampitt, John Hopkins, Kevin Y. Titus, Indra V. Chary, Martin Jared Barclay, Anilkumar Chandolu, Pavithra Natarajan, Roger W. Lindsay
  • Publication number: 20230043786
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatus includes a first conductive contact; a second conductive contact; levels of conductive materials stacked over one another and located over the first and second conductive contacts; levels of dielectric materials interleaved with the levels of the conductive materials, the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials formed a stack of materials; a first conductive structure located on a first side of the stack of materials and contacting the first conductive contact and a first level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials; and a second conductive structure located on a second side of the stack of materials and contacting the second conductive contact and a second level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Darwin A. Clampitt, Roger W. Lindsay, Christopher R. Ritchie, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Matthew J. King, Lisa M. Clampitt
  • Patent number: 11532638
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatuses includes a first deck located over a substrate, and a second deck located over the first deck, and pillars extending through the first and second decks. The first deck includes first memory cells, first control gates associated with the first memory cells, and first conductive paths coupled to the first control gates. The second conductive paths include second conductive pads located on a first level of the apparatus over the substrate. The second deck includes second memory cells, second control gates associated with the second memory cells, and second conductive paths coupled to the second control gates. The second conductive paths include second conductive pads located on a second level of the apparatus. The first and second conductive pads having lengths in a direction perpendicular to a direction from the first deck to the second deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Darwin A. Clampitt, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Matthew J. King, Lisa M. Clampitt, John Hopkins, Kevin Y. Titus, Indra V. Chary, Martin Jared Barclay, Anilkumar Chandolu, Pavithra Natarajan, Roger W. Lindsay
  • Patent number: 11508746
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatus includes a first conductive contact; a second conductive contact; levels of conductive materials stacked over one another and located over the first and second conductive contacts; levels of dielectric materials interleaved with the levels of the conductive materials, the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials formed a stack of materials; a first conductive structure located on a first side of the stack of materials and contacting the first conductive contact and a first level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials; and a second conductive structure located on a second side of the stack of materials and contacting the second conductive contact and a second level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Darwin A. Clampitt, Roger W. Lindsay, Christopher R. Ritchie, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Matthew J. King, Lisa M. Clampitt
  • Publication number: 20220068956
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatuses includes a first deck located over a substrate, and a second deck located over the first deck, and pillars extending through the first and second decks. The first deck includes first memory cells, first control gates associated with the first memory cells, and first conductive paths coupled to the first control gates. The second conductive paths include second conductive pads located on a first level of the apparatus over the substrate. The second deck includes second memory cells, second control gates associated with the second memory cells, and second conductive paths coupled to the second control gates. The second conductive paths include second conductive pads located on a second level of the apparatus. The first and second conductive pads having lengths in a direction perpendicular to a direction from the first deck to the second deck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Darwin A. Clampitt, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Matthew J. King, Lisa M. Clampitt, John Hopkins, Kevin Y. Titus, Indra V. Chary, Martin Jared Barclay, Anilkumar Chandolu, Pavithra Natarajan, Roger W. Lindsay
  • Publication number: 20210126007
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatus includes a first conductive contact; a second conductive contact; levels of conductive materials stacked over one another and located over the first and second conductive contacts; levels of dielectric materials interleaved with the levels of the conductive materials, the levels of conductive materials and the levels of dielectric materials formed a stack of materials; a first conductive structure located on a first side of the stack of materials and contacting the first conductive contact and a first level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials; and a second conductive structure located on a second side of the stack of materials and contacting the second conductive contact and a second level of conductive material of the levels of conductive materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Darwin A. Clampitt, Roger W. Lindsay, Christopher R. Ritchie, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Matthew J. King, Lisa M. Clampitt
  • Publication number: 20210090246
    Abstract: A method of predicting virtual metrology data for a wafer lot that includes receiving first image data from an imager system, the first image data relating to at least one first wafer lot, receiving measured metrology data from metrology equipment relating to the at least one first wafer lot, applying one or more machine learning techniques to the first image data and the measured metrology data to generate at least one predictive model for predicting at least one of virtual metrology data or virtual cell metrics data of wafer lots, and utilizing the at least one generated predictive model to generate at least one of first virtual metrology data or first virtual cell metrics data for the first wafer lot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Qianlan Liu, Pradeep Ramachandran, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Steve K. McCandless, Ted L. Taylor, Ahmed N. Noemaun, Gordon A. Haller
  • Patent number: 10872403
    Abstract: A method of predicting virtual metrology data for a wafer lot that includes receiving first image data from an imager system, the first image data relating to at least one first wafer lot, receiving measured metrology data from metrology equipment relating to the at least one first wafer lot, applying one or more machine learning techniques to the first image data and the measured metrology data to generate at least one predictive model for predicting at least one of virtual metrology data or virtual cell metrics data of wafer lots, and utilizing the at least one generated predictive model to generate at least one of first virtual metrology data or first virtual cell metrics data for the first wafer lot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Qianlan Liu, Pradeep Ramachandran, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Steve K. McCandless, Ted L. Taylor, Ahmed N. Noemaun, Gordon A. Haller
  • Patent number: 10672500
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for non-contact measurement of memory cell threshold voltage, including at one or more intermediate stages of fabrication, are described. One access line may be grounded and coupled with one or more memory cells. Each of the one or more memory cells may be coupled with a corresponding floating access line. A floating access line may be scanned with an electron beam configured to set the floating access line to a particular surface voltage at the scanned bit line, and the threshold voltage of the corresponding memory cell may be determined based on whether setting the scanned bit line to the surface voltage causes a detectable amount current to flow through the corresponding memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Rajesh Kamana, Hongmei Wang, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Ervin T. Hill, Zengtao T. Liu, Marlon W. Hug
  • Patent number: 10650891
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for non-contact electron beam probing techniques, including at one or more intermediate stages of fabrication, are described. One subset of first access lines may be grounded and coupled with one or more memory cells. A second subset of first access lines may be floating and coupled with one or more memory cells. A second access line may correspond to each first access line and may be configured to be coupled with the corresponding first access line, by way of one or more corresponding memory cells, when scanned with an electron beam. A leakage path may be determined by comparing an optical pattern generated in part by determining a brightness of each scanned access line and comparing the generated optical pattern with a second optical pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Rajesh Kamana, Hongmei Wang, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Ervin T. Hill, Zengtao T. Liu, Marlon W. Hug
  • Publication number: 20200051235
    Abstract: A method of predicting virtual metrology data for a wafer lot that includes receiving first image data from an imager system, the first image data relating to at least one first wafer lot, receiving measured metrology data from metrology equipment relating to the at least one first wafer lot, applying one or more machine learning techniques to the first image data and the measured metrology data to generate at least one predictive model for predicting at least one of virtual metrology data or virtual cell metrics data of wafer lots, and utilizing the at least one generated predictive model to generate at least one of first virtual metrology data or first virtual cell metrics data for the first wafer lot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Qianlan Liu, Pradeep Ramachandran, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Steve K. McCandless, Ted L. Taylor, Ahmed N. Noemaun, Gordon A. Haller
  • Publication number: 20190355418
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for non-contact electron beam probing techniques, including at one or more intermediate stages of fabrication, are described. One subset of first access lines may be grounded and coupled with one or more memory cells. A second subset of first access lines may be floating and coupled with one or more memory cells. A second access line may correspond to each first access line and may be configured to be coupled with the corresponding first access line, by way of one or more corresponding memory cells, when scanned with an electron beam. A leakage path may be determined by comparing an optical pattern generated in part by determining a brightness of each scanned access line and comparing the generated optical pattern with a second optical pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Rajesh Kamana, Hongmei Wang, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Ervin T. Hill, Zengtao T. Liu, Marlon W. Hug
  • Publication number: 20190341122
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for non-contact measurement of memory cell threshold voltage, including at one or more intermediate stages of fabrication, are described. One access line may be grounded and coupled with one or more memory cells. Each of the one or more memory cells may be coupled with a corresponding floating access line. A floating access line may be scanned with an electron beam configured to set the floating access line to a particular surface voltage at the scanned bit line, and the threshold voltage of the corresponding memory cell may be determined based on whether setting the scanned bit line to the surface voltage causes a detectable amount current to flow through the corresponding memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Rajesh Kamana, Hongmei Wang, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Ervin T. Hill, Zengtao T. Liu, Marlon W. Hug
  • Patent number: 10403359
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for non-contact electron beam probing techniques, including at one or more intermediate stages of fabrication, are described. One subset of first access lines may be grounded and coupled with one or more memory cells. A second subset of first access lines may be floating and coupled with one or more memory cells. A second access line may correspond to each first access line and may be configured to be coupled with the corresponding first access line, by way of one or more corresponding memory cells, when scanned with an electron beam. A leakage path may be determined by comparing an optical pattern generated in part by determining a brightness of each scanned access line and comparing the generated optical pattern with a second optical pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Rajesh Kamana, Hongmei Wang, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Ervin T. Hill, Zengtao T. Liu, Marlon W. Hug
  • Patent number: 10381101
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for non-contact measurement of memory cell threshold voltage, including at one or more intermediate stages of fabrication, are described. One access line may be grounded and coupled with one or more memory cells. Each of the one or more memory cells may be coupled with a corresponding floating access line. A floating access line may be scanned with an electron beam configured to set the floating access line to a particular surface voltage at the scanned bit line, and the threshold voltage of the corresponding memory cell may be determined based on whether setting the scanned bit line to the surface voltage causes a detectable amount current to flow through the corresponding memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Rajesh Kamana, Hongmei Wang, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Ervin T. Hill, Zengtao T. Liu, Marlon W. Hug
  • Publication number: 20190189237
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for non-contact measurement of memory cell threshold voltage, including at one or more intermediate stages of fabrication, are described. One access line may be grounded and coupled with one or more memory cells. Each of the one or more memory cells may be coupled with a corresponding floating access line. A floating access line may be scanned with an electron beam configured to set the floating access line to a particular surface voltage at the scanned bit line, and the threshold voltage of the corresponding memory cell may be determined based on whether setting the scanned bit line to the surface voltage causes a detectable amount current to flow through the corresponding memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Rajesh Kamana, Hongmei Wang, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Ervin T. Hill, Zengtao T. Liu, Marlon W. Hug
  • Publication number: 20190189209
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for non-contact electron beam probing techniques, including at one or more intermediate stages of fabrication, are described. One subset of first access lines may be grounded and coupled with one or more memory cells. A second subset of first access lines may be floating and coupled with one or more memory cells. A second access line may correspond to each first access line and may be configured to be coupled with the corresponding first access line, by way of one or more corresponding memory cells, when scanned with an electron beam. A leakage path may be determined by comparing an optical pattern generated in part by determining a brightness of each scanned access line and comparing the generated optical pattern with a second optical pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Rajesh Kamana, Hongmei Wang, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Ervin T. Hill, Zengtao T. Liu, Marlon W. Hug
  • Patent number: 8563435
    Abstract: Methods for reducing electron beam induced damage on semiconductor substrates employ compositions such as small chain organic solvents and non-neutral pH solutions to reduce or eliminate charge imbalances on semiconductor substrates caused by electron beam inspection of the semiconductor substrates. Damage to semiconductor substrates by electron beam inspection processes may also be reduced by generating or otherwise forming passivation films on a semiconductor substrate following electron beam inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Daycock, Paul A. Morgan, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Curtis R. Olson
  • Publication number: 20130011940
    Abstract: Methods for reducing electron beam induced damage on semiconductor substrates employ compositions such as small chain organic solvents and non-neutral pH solutions to reduce or eliminate charge imbalances on semiconductor substrates caused by electron beam inspection of the semiconductor substrates. Damage to semiconductor substrates by electron beam inspection processes may also be reduced by generating or otherwise forming passivation films on a semiconductor substrate following electron beam inspection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: David A. Daycock, Paul A. Morgan, Shawn D. Lyonsmith, Curtis R. Olson