Patents by Inventor Si-Woo Lee

Si-Woo Lee 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: 20240357794
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for two transistor cells for vertical three-dimensional memory. The memory has pairs of serially connected transistors, each pair of serially connected transistors having an independent first source/drain region and a shared second source/drain region separated by channel regions; horizontally oriented access lines separated from the channel regions by a gate dielectric material; and vertically oriented digit lines electrically coupled to the first source/drain regions of the serially connected transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: Litao Yang, Haitao Liu, Kamal M. Karda, Si-Woo Lee
  • Publication number: 20240315001
    Abstract: Memory circuitry comprises vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells. The memory cells individually comprising a transistor comprise a first source/drain region, a second source/drain region, and a channel region between the first and second source/drain regions. A gate is operatively-proximate the channel region. A capacitor comprises a first capacitor electrode, a second capacitor electrode, and a capacitor insulator between the first and second capacitor electrodes. The first capacitor electrode is directly electrically coupled to the first source/drain region. The second capacitor electrode of multiple of the capacitors is directly electrically coupled with one another. Digitlines extend elevationally through the vertically-alternating tiers. Individual of the second source/drain regions of individual of the transistors that are in different memory-cell tiers are directly electrically coupled to individual of the digitlines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, David Daycock, Albert Liao, Si-Woo Lee, Haitao Liu
  • Publication number: 20240274194
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses in which one of the apparatuses includes a first conductive structure, a second conductive structure, a third conductive structure, and a memory cell. The memory cell includes a semiconductor portion located on a first level of the apparatus and coupled to the first conductive structure, and a charge storage structure located on the first level coupled to the semiconductor portion and separated from the second conductive structure. The third conductive structure is located on a second level of the apparatus adjacent the semiconductor portion, and including first, second, and third conductive regions. The third conductive region is located between the first and second conductive regions and has a material different from a material of the first conductive region and a material of the second conductive region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2024
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Si-Woo Lee, Haitao Liu
  • Publication number: 20240260254
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems related to a memory device having transistor body contacts that extend vertically across stacked circuit layers and connect to body portions of data access transistors are described. A memory device may include storage cells and corresponding access circuits on each of the stacked layers. The vertically extending transistor body contacts may provide a route for leakage away from data storage circuits when the data access transistors are off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2024
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Haitao Liu, Si-Woo Lee, Chandra Mouli
  • Publication number: 20240244820
    Abstract: A microelectronic device includes memory array regions of memory cells each including a vertical stack structure comprising conductive structures vertically spaced from one another and horizontally extending through a vertical stack of memory cells. A staircase region is horizontally between two of the memory array regions horizontally neighboring one another and includes a first staircase structure horizontally extending from the vertical stack structure of a first of the two of the memory array regions and a second staircase structure horizontally extending from the vertical stack structure of a second of the two of the memory array regions. Lateral conductive contacts provide a conductive path between the first steps of the first staircase structure and the second steps of the second staircase structure. Related microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2023
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: Scott E. Sills, Si-Woo Lee`, Richard E. Fackenthal, Hiroki Fujisawa
  • Publication number: 20240206152
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for a hybrid gate dielectric access device for vertical three-dimensional (3D) memory. The memory cell has a first horizontally oriented access device having a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region separated by a first channel region. The first access device is operatively controlled by a first gate. A hybrid gate dielectric separates the gate from the channel region and a horizontally oriented storage node coupled to the second source/drain region of the access device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2023
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Haitao Liu, Scott E. Sills, Si-Woo Lee
  • Publication number: 20240188280
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for a twin channel access device, twin storage node memory cell in a vertical three-dimensional memory. The memory cell has a horizontally oriented access device having a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region separated by a first channel region. The first channel is actuated by a first gate separated from the first channel region by a first gate dielectric. The access device further includes a third source/drain region and a fourth source/drain region separated by a second channel region. The second channel is actuated by a second gate separated from the second channel region by a second gate dielectric. The first and the second gate are connected. A horizontally oriented storage node is coupled to the second and/or fourth source/drain regions of the twin channel access device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Si-Woo Lee, Scott E. Sills, Haitao Liu
  • Patent number: 12004341
    Abstract: A variety of applications can include apparatus having a recessed channel FinFET. The recessed channel FinFET can include one or more fin structures between the source region and the drain region, where the one or more fin structures are recessed from a top level of the source region and from a top level of the drain region. The recessed channel FinFET can include a gate recessed from the top level of a source region and a drain region, where the gate can be separated from tip regions of the fin structures by a gate dielectric defining a channel between the source region and the drain region. Recessed channel FinFETs can be structured in a periphery to an array of a memory device and can be fabricated in a process merged with forming access lines to the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sangmin Hwang, Si-Woo Lee
  • Publication number: 20240172420
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for an array of vertically stacked memory cells having horizontally oriented access devices and access lines and vertically oriented digit lines having a first source/drain region and a second source drain region separated by a channel region, and gates opposing the channel region formed fully around every surface of the channel region as gate all around (GAA) structures, horizontal oriented access lines coupled to the gates and separated from a channel region by a gate dielectric. The memory cells have horizontally oriented storage nodes coupled to the second source/drain region and vertically oriented digit lines coupled to the first source/drain regions. A vertical body contact is formed in direct electrical contact with a body region of one or more of the horizontally oriented access devices and separate from the first source/drain region and the vertically oriented digit lines by a dielectric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2024
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Si-Woo Lee, Sangmin Hwang
  • Publication number: 20240153813
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for single crystalline silicon stack formation and bonding to a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafer for formation of vertical three dimensional (3D) memory. An example method for forming arrays of vertically stacked layers for formation of memory cells includes providing a silicon substrate, forming a layer of single crystal silicon germanium onto a surface of the substrate, epitaxially growing the silicon germanium to form a thicker silicon germanium layer, forming a layer of single crystal silicon onto a surface of the silicon germanium, epitaxially growing the silicon germanium to form a thicker silicon layer, and forming, in repeating iterations, layers of silicon germanium and silicon to form a vertical stack of alternating silicon and silicon germanium layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2024
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Si-Woo Lee, Byung Yoon Kim
  • Publication number: 20240147693
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus including conductive line contact regions having multiple multi-direction conductive lines and staircase conductive line contact structures for semiconductor devices. One memory device comprises arrays of vertically stacked memory cells, having multiple multi-direction conductive lines arrays of vertically stacked memory cells, including a vertical stack of layers formed from repeating iterations of a group of layers, the group of layers comprising: a first dielectric material layer, a semiconductor material layer, and a second dielectric material layer, the second dielectric material layer having a conductive line formed in a horizontal plane therein, and the vertical stack of layers having multiple multi-direction conductive lines in an interconnection region with a first portion of the interconnection region formed in an array region and a second portion formed in a conductive line contact region that is spaced from the array region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Byung Yoon Kim, Sheng Wei Yang, Si-Woo Lee, Mark Zaleski
  • Publication number: 20240098969
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for an array of vertically stacked memory cells having horizontally oriented access devices and storage nodes formed in tiers. And, more particularly, to multiple, alternating silicon germanium (SiGe) and single crystalline silicon (Si) in different thicknesses to form tiers in which to form the horizontal access devices in vertical three-dimensional (3D) memory. The horizontally oriented access devices can have a first source/drain regions and a second source drain regions separated by single crystalline silicon (Si) channel regions. The single crystalline silicon (Si) channel regions can include a dielectric material to provide support structure to the single crystalline channel regions when forming the horizontal access devices in vertical three-dimensional (3D) memory. Horizontally oriented access lines can connect to gate structures opposing the channel regions. Vertical digit lines coupled to the first source/drain regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: David K. Hwang, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Scott E. Sills, Si-Woo Lee, Yuanzhi Ma, Glen H. Walters
  • Publication number: 20240098970
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for an array of vertically stacked memory cells having horizontally oriented access devices and storage nodes. The horizontally oriented access devices having a first source/drain regions and a second source drain regions separated by silicon (Si) channel regions. A digit line having a global digit line (GDL) contact is formed in a trench adjacent to the first source/drain regions. In one example, the digit line is electrically isolated from a neighboring digit line at the bottom of the trench. In another example, the digit line is formed continuously along a bottom surface of trench to form shared digit lines between horizontal access devices, in two separate arrays, on opposing second vertical surfaces. The memory cells have horizontally oriented storage nodes coupled to the second source/drain regions and vertical digit lines coupled to the first source/drain regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Scott E. Sills, Si-Woo Lee, David K. Hwang, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Yuanzhi Ma, Glen H. Walters
  • Publication number: 20240072174
    Abstract: A variety of applications can include an apparatus having an electronic device including a number of transistors in a pair-wise arrangement that can address a floating body effect associated with the type of transistor implemented in the pair-wise arrangement. The transistors can be structured as thin film transistors having one-gate separated by a gate dielectric from a vertical channel structure. The pair-wise arrangement can include a conductive shield between a channel structure of a transistor of the pair and a channel structure of the other transistor of the other pair. A conductive body can be located below the conductive shield and shorted to the conductive shield, where the conductive body contacts the channel structures of the transistors of the pair-wise arrangement. The conductive shield can be coupled to node to be set at a constant voltage in operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Anthony J. Kanago, Haitao Liu, Si-Woo Lee, Soichi Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20240074144
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for an array of vertically stacked memory cells having a bottom electrode contact for an array of vertically stacked memory cells. The bottom electrode contact is formed in a periphery region. The bottom electrode contact is electrically coupled to a number of bottom electrodes of capacitors that are also formed in the periphery region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Yuichi Yokoyama, Si-Woo Lee
  • Publication number: 20240074141
    Abstract: Methods and devices for a lateral three-dimensional memory device, are described herein. One method includes forming a thin film transistor including a first thermal process having a first range of temperatures, forming a capacitor bottom electrode of a capacitor structure including a second thermal process having a second range of temperature, wherein a maximum temperature in the second range of temperatures is less than a maximum temperature in the first range of temperatures, forming a CMOS structure including a third thermal process having a third range of temperatures, wherein a maximum temperature in the third range of temperatures is less than a maximum temperature in the second range of temperatures, and forming at least one other part of the capacitor structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Nakamura, Yuanzhi Ma, Scott E. Sills, Si-Woo Lee, David K. Hwang
  • Publication number: 20240064966
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for an array of vertically stacked memory cells. The vertically stacked memory cells have horizontally oriented access devices having a first source/drain region, a channel region, and a second source drain and horizontally oriented storage nodes that are vertically separated from the access devices. Horizontally oriented access lines are coupled to gates, separated from the respective channel regions by gate dielectrics, and vertically oriented digit lines are coupled to respective first source/drain regions. The horizontally oriented storage nodes each have a first electrode coupled to the second source/drain regions of the access devices and each first electrode opposes two different sides of the horizontal access devices including an electrical contact with a vertical side of the second source/drain regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Litao Yang, Haitao Liu, Si-Woo Lee
  • Publication number: 20240063114
    Abstract: A variety of applications can include an apparatus having one or more antifuses, where the antifuses are structured using components of a FinFET architecture. An antifuse can include a gate, multiple source/drain regions, and one or more fins separated from the gate by a dielectric and individually connected to selected ones of the multiple source/drain regions. The one or more fins connect to and can extend from its associated source/drain region to a terminal fin location under the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventor: Si-Woo Lee
  • Publication number: 20240064956
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for an array of vertically stacked memory cells. The vertically stacked memory cells have horizontally oriented access devices having a first source/drain region, a channel region, and a second source drain and horizontally oriented storage nodes that are vertically separated from the access devices. Vertically oriented gates are separated from the respective channel regions by gate dielectrics, and horizontally oriented digit lines are coupled to respective first source/drain regions. The horizontally oriented storage nodes each have a first electrode coupled to the second source/drain regions of the access devices and each first electrode opposes two different sides of the horizontal access devices including an electrical contact with a vertical side of the second source/drain regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Kamal M. Karda, Si-Woo Lee, Haitao Liu
  • Publication number: 20240064972
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses. One of the apparatuses includes data lines; first structures located in a first region, electrically separated from each other, and including first conductive contacts coupled to the data lines; second conductive contacts located in the first region and coupled to memory elements of the apparatus; second structures located in a second region, electrically separated from each other, and including respective gates of transistors in the second region; a first dielectric material formed in the second region and including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion formed at a first side of a structure among the second structures, the second portion formed at a second side first of the structure; and a second dielectric material formed over the first structures and the second structure. A portion of the second dielectric material contacts the first portion of the first dielectric material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Si-Woo Lee, Terrence B. Mcdaniel, Guangjun Yang, Vinay Nair