Patents by Inventor Stephen SHI

Stephen SHI 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: 9870945
    Abstract: A stack of alternating layers comprising first epitaxial semiconductor layers and second epitaxial semiconductor layers is formed over a single crystalline substrate. The first and second epitaxial semiconductor layers are in epitaxial alignment with a crystal structure of the single crystalline substrate. The first epitaxial semiconductor layers include a first single crystalline semiconductor material, and the second epitaxial semiconductor layers include a second single crystalline semiconductor material that is different from the first single crystalline semiconductor material. A backside contact opening is formed through the stack, and backside cavities are formed by removing the first epitaxial semiconductor layers selective to the second epitaxial semiconductor layers. A stack of alternating layers including insulating layers and electrically conductive layers is formed. Each insulating layer contains a dielectric material portion deposited within a respective backside cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Jayavel Pachamuthu, Matthias Baenninger, Stephen Shi, Johann Alsmeier, Henry Chien
  • Patent number: 9799671
    Abstract: Dielectric degradation and electrical shorts due to fluorine radical generation from metallic electrically conductive lines in a three-dimensional memory device can be reduced by forming composite electrically conductive layers and/or using of a metal oxide material for an insulating spacer for backside contact trenches. Each composite electrically conductive layer includes a doped semiconductor material portion in proximity to memory stack structures and a metallic material portion in proximity to a backside contact trench. Fluorine generated from the metallic material layers can escape readily through the backside contact trench. The semiconductor material portions can reduce mechanical stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Jayavel Pachamuthu, Matthias Baenninger, Stephen Shi, Johann Alsmeier
  • Publication number: 20170229472
    Abstract: A memory opening can be formed through a multiple tier structure. Each tier structure includes an alternating stack of sacrificial material layers and insulating layers. After formation of a dielectric oxide layer, the memory opening is filled with a sacrificial memory opening fill structure. The sacrificial material layers are removed selective to the insulating layers and the dielectric oxide layer to form backside recesses. Physically exposed portions of the dielectric oxide layer are removed. A backside blocking dielectric and electrically conductive layers are formed in the backside recesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Ching-Huang LU, Zhenyu LU, Jixin YU, Daxin MAO, Johann ALSMEIER, Wenguang Stephen SHI, Henry CHIEN
  • Patent number: 9728551
    Abstract: A memory opening can be formed through a multiple tier structure. Each tier structure includes an alternating stack of sacrificial material layers and insulating layers. After formation of a dielectric oxide layer, the memory opening is filled with a sacrificial memory opening fill structure. The sacrificial material layers are removed selective to the insulating layers and the dielectric oxide layer to form backside recesses. Physically exposed portions of the dielectric oxide layer are removed. A backside blocking dielectric and electrically conductive layers are formed in the backside recesses. Subsequently, the sacrificial memory opening fill structure is replaced with a memory stack structure including a plurality of charge storage regions and a semiconductor channel. Hydrogen or deuterium from a dielectric core may then be outdiffused into the semiconductor channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Ching-Huang Lu, Zhenyu Lu, Jixin Yu, Daxin Mao, Johann Alsmeier, Wenguang Stephen Shi, Henry Chien
  • Publication number: 20170047334
    Abstract: A monolithic three-dimensional memory device includes a first memory block containing a plurality of memory sub-blocks located on a substrate. Each memory sub-block includes a set of memory stack structures and a portion of alternating layers laterally surrounding the set of memory stack structures. The alternating layers include insulating layers and electrically conductive layers. A first portion of a neighboring pair of memory sub-blocks is laterally spaced from each other along a first horizontal direction by a backside contact via structure. A subset of the alternating layers contiguously extends between a second portion of the neighboring pair of memory sub-blocks through a gap in a bridge region between two portions of the backside contact via structure that are laterally spaced apart along a second horizontal direction to provide a connecting portion between the neighboring pair of memory sub-blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Zhenyu Lu, Johann Alsmeier, Daxin Mao, Stephen Shi, Sateesh Koka, Raghuveer S. Makala, George Matamis, Yao-Sheng Lee, Chun Ge
  • Patent number: 9530790
    Abstract: Peripheral devices for a three-dimensional memory device can be formed over an array of memory stack structures to increase areal efficiency of a semiconductor chip. First contact via structures and first metal lines are formed over an array of memory stack structures and an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers. A semiconductor material layer including a single crystalline semiconductor material or a polycrystalline semiconductor material is formed over first metal lines. After formation of semiconductor devices on or in the semiconductor material layer, metal interconnect structures including second metal lines and additional conductive via structures are formed to electrically connect nodes of the semiconductor devices to respective first metal lines and to memory devices underneath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Zhenyu Lu, Andrew Lin, Johann Alsmeier, Peter Rabkin, Wei Zhao, Wenguang Stephen Shi, Henry Chien, Jian Chen
  • Publication number: 20160300848
    Abstract: Dielectric degradation and electrical shorts due to fluorine radical generation from metallic electrically conductive lines in a three-dimensional memory device can be reduced by forming composite electrically conductive layers and/or use of a metal oxide material for an insulating spacer for backside contact trenches. Each composite electrically conductive layer includes a doped semiconductor material portion in proximity to memory stack structures and a metallic material portion in proximity to a backside contact trench. Fluorine generated from the metallic material layers can escape readily through the backside contact trench. The semiconductor material portions can reduce mechanical stress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Jayavel PACHAMUTHU, Matthias BAENNINGER, Stephen SHI, Johann ALSMEIER
  • Patent number: 9449987
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a memory device is provided. The method includes forming a first alternating stack of insulator layers and spacer material layers over a semiconductor substrate, etching the first alternating stack to expose a single crystalline semiconductor material, forming a first epitaxial semiconductor pedestal on the single crystalline semiconductor material, such that the first epitaxial semiconductor pedestal is in epitaxial alignment with the single crystalline semiconductor material, forming an array of memory stack structures through the first alternating stack, and forming at least one semiconductor device over the first epitaxial semiconductor pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Koji Miyata, Zhenyu Lu, Andrew Lin, Daxin Mao, Jixin Yu, Johann Alsmeier, Wenguang Stephen Shi
  • Publication number: 20160268209
    Abstract: A stack of alternating layers comprising first epitaxial semiconductor layers and second epitaxial semiconductor layers is formed over a single crystalline substrate. The first and second epitaxial semiconductor layers are in epitaxial alignment with a crystal structure of the single crystalline substrate. The first epitaxial semiconductor layers include a first single crystalline semiconductor material, and the second epitaxial semiconductor layers include a second single crystalline semiconductor material that is different from the first single crystalline semiconductor material. A backside contact opening is formed through the stack, and backside cavities are formed by removing the first epitaxial semiconductor layers selective to the second epitaxial semiconductor layers. A stack of alternating layers including insulating layers and electrically conductive layers is formed. Each insulating layer contains a dielectric material portion deposited within a respective backside cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Jayavel PACHAMUTHU, Matthias BAENNINGER, Stephen SHI, Johann ALSMEIER, Henry CHIEN