Patents by Inventor Shiqian SHAO

Shiqian SHAO 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: 11973044
    Abstract: An integrated memory assembly comprises a control die bonded to a memory die. The memory die includes multiple non-volatile memory structures (e.g., planes, arrays, groups of blocks, etc.), each comprising a stack of alternating conductive and dielectric layers forming staircases at one or more edges of the non-volatile memory structures. The non-volatile memory structures are positioned with gaps between the non-volatile memory structures such that the gaps separate the staircases of adjacent non-volatile memory structures. Metal interlayer segments positioned in the gaps are connected to a top metal layer positioned above non-volatile memory structures and to one or more electrical circuits on the control die via zero, one or more other metal layers/segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Shiqian Shao, Fumiaki Toyama, Tuan Pham
  • Patent number: 11894056
    Abstract: A three dimensional non-volatile memory structure includes word lines connected to non-volatile memory cells arranged in blocks. A plurality of word line switches are connected to the word lines and one or more sources of voltage. The word line switches are arranged in groups of X word line switches such that each group of X word line switches is positioned in a line under Y blocks of non-volatile memory cells and has a length that is equal to the width of the Y blocks of non-volatile memory cells, where X>Y.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Shiqian Shao, Fumiaki Toyama
  • Publication number: 20240006310
    Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, a first three-dimensional memory array located in a first memory array region, and a second three-dimensional memory array located in a second memory array region that is laterally spaced from the first memory array region along a first horizontal direction by an inter-array region. The alternating stack is laterally bounded by two trench fill structures that are laterally spaced apart along a second horizontal direction by an inter-trench spacing. The inter-array region includes a stepped cavity having vertical steps of the alternating stack that laterally extend along different horizontal directions. Multiple rows of contact via structures may contact different electrically conductive layers in the stepped cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Tomohiro KUBO, Hirofumi TOKITA, Shiqian SHAO, Fumiaki TOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240005990
    Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, a first three-dimensional memory array located in a first memory array region, and a second three-dimensional memory array located in a second memory array region that is laterally spaced from the first memory array region along a first horizontal direction by an inter-array region. The alternating stack is laterally bounded by two trench fill structures that are laterally spaced apart along a second horizontal direction by an inter-trench spacing. The inter-array region includes a stepped cavity having vertical steps of the alternating stack that laterally extend along different horizontal directions. Multiple rows of contact via structures may contact different electrically conductive layers in the stepped cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Hirofumi TOKITA, Tomohiro KUBO, Shiqian SHAO, Fumiaki TOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20230386576
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory apparatus comprises a stack of integrated memory assemblies. Each integrated memory assembly includes a memory die bonded to a control die and a set of power pads connected to metal lines in the respective memory die and control die. The memory dies comprise a non-volatile memory structure and a top metal layer for transmitting power signals above the memory structure. The control dies comprise a substrate, a control circuit positioned on the substrate for performing memory operations on a corresponding memory structure and a set of metals layers above the control circuit. The substrate comprises a set of conductive vias through the substrate that connect at one end to the top metal layer of the memory die of an adjacent integrated memory assembly and connect at a second end to the set of metals layers above the control circuit for routing signals between integrated memory assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Shiqian Shao, Tuan Pham, Fumiaki Toyama
  • Patent number: 11817150
    Abstract: To overcome a shortage of area for horizontal metal lines to connect word line switch transistors to corresponding word lines and for pass through signal lines, it is proposed to implement multiple architectures for the word line hook up regions. For example, some areas of a die will be designed to provide extra horizontal metal lines to connect word line switch transistors to word lines and other areas of the die will be designed to provide extra pass through signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Sandisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Shiqian Shao, Fumiaki Toyama
  • Publication number: 20230268001
    Abstract: A three dimensional non-volatile memory structure includes word lines connected to non-volatile memory cells arranged in blocks. A plurality of word line switches are connected to the word lines and one or more sources of voltage. The word line switches are arranged in groups of X word line switches such that each group of X word line switches is positioned in a line under Y blocks of non-volatile memory cells and has a length that is equal to the width of the Y blocks of non-volatile memory cells, where X>Y.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Shiqian Shao, Fumiaki Toyama
  • Patent number: 11728305
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a bonded assembly of a first semiconductor die including first metal bonding pads and a second semiconductor die including second metal bonding pads, and a capacitor structure including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a node dielectric. The first electrode includes first bonded pairs of metal bonding pads. The second electrode includes second bonded pairs of metal bonding pads. The node dielectric includes portions dielectric material layers laterally surrounding the metal bonding pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Shiqian Shao, Fumiaki Toyama, Peter Rabkin
  • Publication number: 20230207504
    Abstract: An integrated memory assembly comprises a control die bonded to a memory die. The memory die includes multiple non-volatile memory structures (e.g., planes, arrays, groups of blocks, etc.), each comprising a stack of alternating conductive and dielectric layers forming staircases at one or more edges of the non-volatile memory structures. The non-volatile memory structures are positioned with gaps between the non-volatile memory structures such that the gaps separate the staircases of adjacent non-volatile memory structures. Metal interlayer segments positioned in the gaps are connected to a top metal layer positioned above non-volatile memory structures and to one or more electrical circuits on the control die via zero, one or more other metal layers/segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Shiqian Shao, Fumiaki Toyama, Tuan Pham
  • Publication number: 20220367393
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a bonded assembly of a first semiconductor die including first metal bonding pads and a second semiconductor die including second metal bonding pads, and a capacitor structure including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a node dielectric. The first electrode includes first bonded pairs of metal bonding pads. The second electrode includes second bonded pairs of metal bonding pads. The node dielectric includes portions dielectric material layers laterally surrounding the metal bonding pads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Shiqian SHAO, Fumiaki TOYAMA, Peter RABKIN
  • Publication number: 20220319603
    Abstract: To overcome a shortage of area for horizontal metal lines to connect word line switch transistors to corresponding word lines and for pass through signal lines, it is proposed to implement multiple architectures for the word line hook up regions. For example, some areas of a die will be designed to provide extra horizontal metal lines to connect word line switch transistors to word lines and other areas of the die will be designed to provide extra pass through signal lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Shiqian Shao, Fumiaki Toyama
  • Patent number: 11424207
    Abstract: To overcome a shortage of area for horizontal metal lines to connect word line switch transistors to corresponding word lines and for pass through signal lines, it is proposed to implement multiple architectures for the word line hook up regions. For example, some areas of a die will be designed to provide extra horizontal metal lines to connect word line switch transistors to word lines and other areas of the die will be designed to provide extra pass through signal lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Shiqian Shao, Fumiaki Toyama
  • Patent number: 11404123
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory includes a non-volatile memory array comprising blocks of non-volatile memory cells, bit lines connected to the memory cells and word lines connected to the memory cells. Word line switch transistors connect the word lines to voltage sources. The word line switch transistors are positioned in triple wells. Multiple triple wells are utilized and the word line switch transistors are grouped into triple wells based on word line voltage ranges used during the programming process. In one embodiment, for a given block, the word line switch transistors connected to data word lines are positioned in a first triple well and the word line switch transistors connected to selection and dummy word lines are positioned in a second triple well. This structure allows the triple wells to be biased differently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Shiqian Shao, Fumiaki Toyama, Yuki Mizutani, Mohan Dunga, Peter Rabkin
  • Patent number: 11139237
    Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device includes forming a vertically alternating sequence of insulating layers and spacer material layers over a substrate, where the spacer material layers are formed as, or are subsequently replaced with, electrically conductive layers, forming multiple sets of stepped surfaces in terrace regions of the vertically alternating sequence, forming memory stack structures through memory array regions of the vertically alternating sequence, and forming a metal interconnect structure which electrically connects a portion of a topmost electrically conductive layer in the first memory array region and a portion of a topmost electrically conductive layer in the second memory array region, and which extends above a horizontal plane of the topmost electrically conductive layer in the first memory array region and a portion of a topmost electrically conductive layer in the second memory array region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Shiqian Shao, Jee-Yeon Kim, Fumiaki Toyama, Hirofumi Tokita
  • Publication number: 20210057336
    Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional memory device includes forming a vertically alternating sequence of insulating layers and spacer material layers over a substrate, where the spacer material layers are formed as, or are subsequently replaced with, electrically conductive layers, forming multiple sets of stepped surfaces in terrace regions of the vertically alternating sequence, forming memory stack structures through memory array regions of the vertically alternating sequence, and forming a metal interconnect structure which electrically connects a portion of a topmost electrically conductive layer in the first memory array region and a portion of a topmost electrically conductive layer in the second memory array region, and which extends above a horizontal plane of the topmost electrically conductive layer in the first memory array region and a portion of a topmost electrically conductive layer in the second memory array region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Shiqian SHAO, Jee-Yeon KIM, Fumiaki TOYAMA, Hirofumi TOKITA