Patents by Inventor Swapnil Lengade

Swapnil Lengade 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: 20240074177
    Abstract: Microelectronic devices include a region with a tiered stack that includes insulative, conductive, and non-conductive structures arranged in tiers. The insulative structures vertically alternate with both the conductive and the non-conductive structures. Each of the conductive structures is vertically spaced from another of the conductive structures by at least one of the non-conductive structures and at least two of the insulative structures. A composition of the non-conductive structures differs from a composition of the insulative structures. In methods of fabrication, a precursor stack is formed to include the insulative structures vertically alternating with first and second non-conductive structures. In a region of the precursor stack, the first non-conductive structures are removed, forming voids between multi-structure tier groups. Conductive structures are formed in the voids. Electronic systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: David H. Wells, Justin D. Shepherdson, Swapnil A. Lengade, Collin Howder, Dheeraj Kumar, Andrew L. Li
  • Publication number: 20230422503
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming an upper stack directly above a lower stack. The lower stack comprises vertically-alternating lower-first-tiers and lower-second-tiers. The upper stack comprises vertically-alternating upper-first-tiers and upper-second-tiers. Lower channel openings extend through the lower-first-tiers and the lowers-second-tiers. The lower channel openings have sacrificial material therein. An upper of the lower-first-tiers or a lower of the upper-first-tiers comprises non-stoichiometric silicon nitride comprising (a) or (b), where (a): a nitrogen-to-silicon atomic ratio greater than 1.33 and less than 1.5; and (b): a nitrogen-to-silicon atomic ratio greater than or equal to 1.0 and less than 1.33. A higher of the upper-first-tiers that is above said lower upper-first-tier comprises silicon nitride not having either the (a) or the (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Billingsley, Jordan D. Greenlee, John D. Hopkins, Yongjun Jeff Hu, Swapnil Lengade
  • Patent number: 11792983
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming an upper stack directly above a lower stack. The lower stack comprises vertically-alternating lower-first-tiers and lower-second-tiers. The upper stack comprises vertically-alternating upper-first-tiers and upper-second-tiers. Lower channel openings extend through the lower-first-tiers and the lowers-second-tiers. The lower channel openings have sacrificial material therein. An upper of the lower-first-tiers or a lower of the upper-first-tiers comprises non-stoichiometric silicon nitride comprising (a) or (b), where (a): a nitrogen-to-silicon atomic ratio greater than 1.33 and less than 1.5; and (b): a nitrogen-to-silicon atomic ratio greater than or equal to 1.0 and less than 1.33. A higher of the upper-first-tiers that is above said lower upper-first-tier comprises silicon nitride not having either the (a) or the (b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Billingsley, Jordan D. Greenlee, John D. Hopkins, Yongjun Jeff Hu, Swapnil Lengade
  • Publication number: 20230292510
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and conductive levels. The insulative levels have a same primary composition as one another. At least one of the insulative levels is compositionally different relative to others of the insulative levels due to said at least one of the insulative levels including dopant dispersed within the primary composition. An opening extends vertically through the stack. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramey M. Abdelrahaman, Jeslin J. Wu, Chandra Tiwari, Kunal Shrotri, Swapnil Lengade
  • Patent number: 11706924
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and conductive levels. The insulative levels have a same primary composition as one another. At least one of the insulative levels is compositionally different relative to others of the insulative levels due to said at least one of the insulative levels including dopant dispersed within the primary composition. An opening extends vertically through the stack. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramey M. Abdelrahaman, Jeslin J. Wu, Chandra Tiwari, Kunal Shrotri, Swapnil Lengade
  • Publication number: 20230099418
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming an upper stack directly above a lower stack. The lower stack comprises vertically-alternating lower-first-tiers and lower-second-tiers. The upper stack comprises vertically-alternating upper-first-tiers and upper-second-tiers. Lower channel openings extend through the lower-first-tiers and the lower-second-tiers. The lower channel openings have sacrificial material therein. An upper of the lower-second-tiers or a lower of the upper-second-tiers comprises non-stoichiometric silicon dioxide that has a silicon-to-oxygen atomic ratio greater than 0.5. A higher of the upper-second-tiers that is above said lower upper-second-tier comprises silicon dioxide that has a silicon-to-oxygen atomic ratio less than or equal to 0.5. Upper channel openings are etched through the upper-first-tiers and the upper-second-tiers to stop on said upper lower-second-tier or said lower upper-second-tier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Billingsley, Jordan D. Greenlee, John D. Hopkins, Yongjun Jeff Hu, Swapnil Lengade
  • Patent number: 11552090
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming an upper stack directly above a lower stack. The lower stack comprises vertically-alternating lower-first-tiers and lower-second-tiers. The upper stack comprises vertically-alternating upper-first-tiers and upper-second-tiers. Lower channel openings extend through the lower-first-tiers and the lower-second-tiers. The lower channel openings have sacrificial material therein. An upper of the lower-second-tiers or a lower of the upper-second-tiers comprises non-stoichiometric silicon dioxide that has a silicon-to-oxygen atomic ratio greater than 0.5. A higher of the upper-second-tiers that is above said lower upper-second-tier comprises silicon dioxide that has a silicon-to-oxygen atomic ratio less than or equal to 0.5. Upper channel openings are etched through the upper-first-tiers and the upper-second-tiers to stop on said upper lower-second-tier or said lower upper-second-tier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Billingsley, Jordan D. Greenlee, John D. Hopkins, Yongjun Jeff Hu, Swapnil Lengade
  • Publication number: 20220293625
    Abstract: A method of forming a microelectronic device comprises forming a stack structure comprising a vertically alternating sequence of insulative structures and additional insulative structures, at least some of the additional insulative structures comprising silicon nitride having a ratio of nitrogen atoms to silicon atoms greater than about 1.58:1.00, forming openings through the stack structure, and forming cell pillar structures within the openings, the cell pillar structures individually comprising a semiconductor channel material vertically extending through the stack structure. Related methods, microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Swapnil Lengade, Jeremy Adams, Naiming Liu, Jeslin J. Wu, Kadir Abdul, Carlo Mendoza Orofeo
  • Publication number: 20220238553
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and conductive levels. The insulative levels have a same primary composition as one another. At least one of the insulative levels is compositionally different relative to others of the insulative levels due to said at least one of the insulative levels including dopant dispersed within the primary composition. An opening extends vertically through the stack. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramey M. Abdelrahaman, Jeslin J. Wu, Chandra Tiwari, Kunai Shrotri, Swapnil Lengade
  • Patent number: 11329064
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and conductive levels. The insulative levels have a same primary composition as one another. At least one of the insulative levels is compositionally different relative to others of the insulative levels due to said at least one of the insulative levels including dopant dispersed within the primary composition. An opening extends vertically through the stack. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramey M. Abdelrahaman, Jeslin J. Wu, Chandra Tiwari, Kunal Shrotri, Swapnil Lengade
  • Publication number: 20220068959
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming an upper stack directly above a lower stack. The lower stack comprises vertically-alternating lower-first-tiers and lower-second-tiers. The upper stack comprises vertically-alternating upper-first-tiers and upper-second-tiers. Lower channel openings extend through the lower-first-tiers and the lowers-second-tiers. The lower channel openings have sacrificial material therein. An upper of the lower-first-tiers or a lower of the upper-first-tiers comprises non-stoichiometric silicon nitride comprising (a) or (b), where (a): a nitrogen-to-silicon atomic ratio greater than 1.33 and less than 1.5; and (b): a nitrogen-to-silicon atomic ratio greater than or equal to 1.0 and less than 1.33. A higher of the upper-first-tiers that is above said lower upper-first-tier comprises silicon nitride not having either the (a) or the (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Billingsley, Jordan D. Greenlee, John D. Hopkins, Yongjun Jeff Hu, Swapnil Lengade
  • Publication number: 20220068945
    Abstract: A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming an upper stack directly above a lower stack. The lower stack comprises vertically-alternating lower-first-tiers and lower-second-tiers. The upper stack comprises vertically-alternating upper-first-tiers and upper-second-tiers. Lower channel openings extend through the lower-first-tiers and the lower-second-tiers. The lower channel openings have sacrificial material therein. An upper of the lower-second-tiers or a lower of the upper-second-tiers comprises non-stoichiometric silicon dioxide that has a silicon-to-oxygen atomic ratio greater than 0.5. A higher of the upper-second-tiers that is above said lower upper-second-tier comprises silicon dioxide that has a silicon-to-oxygen atomic ratio less than or equal to 0.5. Upper channel openings are etched through the upper-first-tiers and the upper-second-tiers to stop on said upper lower-second-tier or said lower upper-second-tier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Billingsley, Jordan D. Greenlee, John D. Hopkins, Yongjun Jeff Hu, Swapnil Lengade
  • Publication number: 20210391352
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and conductive levels. The insulative levels have a same primary composition as one another. At least one of the insulative levels is compositionally different relative to others of the insulative levels due to said at least one of the insulative levels including dopant dispersed within the primary composition. An opening extends vertically through the stack. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramey M. Abdelrahaman, Jeslin J. Wu, Chandra Tiwari, Kunal Shrotri, Swapnil Lengade
  • Patent number: 11195998
    Abstract: A memory structure can include a memory cell and a first barrier layer having a maximum hydrogen diffusion coefficient of 1×10?17 cm2/s, said first barrier layer adjacent to the memory cell to minimize contaminant movement to or from the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Karthik Sarpatwari, Dale Collins, Anna Maria Conti, Fred Daniel Gealy, III, Andrea Gotti, Swapnil Lengade, Stephen Russell
  • Patent number: 11152427
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods related to or that employ chalcogenide memory components and compositions are described. A memory device, such as a selector device, may be made of a chalcogenide material composition. A chalcogenide material may have a composition that includes one or more elements from the boron group, such as boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium. A selector device, for instance, may have a composition of selenium, arsenic, and at least one of boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium. The selector device may also be composed of germanium or silicon, or both. The relative amount of boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium may affect a threshold voltage of a memory component, and the relative amount may be selected accordingly. A memory component may, for instance have a composition that includes selenium, arsenic, and some combination of germanium, silicon, and at least one of boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paolo Fantini, F. Daniel Gealy, Enrico Varesi, Swapnil A. Lengade
  • Patent number: 11133461
    Abstract: Devices and systems having a diffusion barrier for limiting diffusion of a phase change material including an electrode, a phase change material electrically coupled to the electrode, and a carbon and TiN (C:TiN) diffusion barrier disposed between the electrode and the phase change material to limit diffusion of the phase change material are disclosed and described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Petz, Dale Collins, Tsz-Wah Chan, Swapnil Lengade, Yongjun Hu, Allen McTeer
  • Patent number: 11114615
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods related to or that employ chalcogenide memory components and compositions are described. A component of a memory cell, such as a selector device, storage device, or self-selecting memory device, may be made of a chalcogenide material composition. A chalcogenide material may have a composition that includes one or more elements from the boron group, such as boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium. The chalcogenide material, for instance, may have a composition of selenium, germanium, and at least one of boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, or thallium. The chalcogenide material may in some cases also include arsenic, but may in some cases lack arsenic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Enrico Varesi, Paolo Fantini, Lorenzo Fratin, Swapnil A. Lengade
  • Patent number: 11081644
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of manufacture are disclosed for phase change memory cell electrodes having a conductive barrier material. In one example, apparatus includes a first chalcogenide structure and a second chalcogenide structure stacked together with the first chalcogenide structure. A first electrode portion is coupled to the first chalcogenide structure, and a second electrode portion is coupled to the second chalcogenide structure. An electrically conductive barrier material is disposed between the first and second electrode portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Swapnil A. Lengade, John M. Meldrim, Andrea Gotti
  • Patent number: 11038107
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a plurality of stack structures overlying a substrate. Each stack structure includes a first chalcogenide material over a conductive material overlying the substrate, an electrode over the first chalcogenide material, a second chalcogenide material over the electrode, a liner on sidewalls of at least one of the first chalcogenide material or the second chalcogenide material, and a dielectric material over and in contact with sidewalls of the electrode and in contact with the liner. Related semiconductor devices and systems, methods of forming the semiconductor structure, semiconductor device, and systems, and methods of forming the liner in situ are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale W. Collins, Andrea Gotti, F. Daniel Gealy, Tuman E. Allen, Swapnil Lengade
  • Patent number: 10957855
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of manufacture are disclosed for phase change memory cell electrodes having a conductive barrier material. In one example, an apparatus includes a first chalcogenide structure and a second chalcogenide structure stacked together with the first chalcogenide structure. A first electrode portion is coupled to the first chalcogenide structure, and a second electrode portion is coupled to the second chalcogenide structure. An electrically conductive barrier material is disposed between the first and second electrode portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Swapnil A. Lengade, John M. Meldrim, Andrea Gotti