Micron Technology Incorporated

Intel Corporation

Anna Maria Conti

Agostino Pirovano

Andrea Redaelli

Fabio Pellizzer

Innocenzo Tortorelli

Kolya Yastrebenetsky

Marcello Mariani

Mattia Boniardi

Davide Fugazza

Johannes A Kalb

Sara Vigano

Alessandro Grossi

Karthik Sarpatwari

Dale Collins

Stephen W Russell

Swapnil Lengade

Mattia Robustelli

Andrea Gotti

Giulio Albini

Mario Allegra

Fred Daniel Gealy, Iii

Paolo Tessariol

Roberto Gastaldi

Cristina Casellato

Raj K Bansal

Pavan Reddy K Aella

Umberto Maria Meotto

Methods, systems, and devices for techniques for forming a device with scribe asymmetry are described. Circuits (e.g., arrays of memory cells) may be printed on a wafer and separated by scribes of various widths to increase an array efficiency of a fabrication process. For example, a scribe that extends in a first direction may have a width in a second direction. A first subset of scribes may have a first width, where one or more structures may be placed in the first subset of scribes to facilitate die testing and integration. A second subset of scribes may have a second width. In some examples, the structures may not be placed in the second subset of scribes and, accordingly, the second width may be less than the first width.

Techniques for forming a device with scribe asymmetry

A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure overlying a source tier. The stack structure comprises a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers. The microelectronic device comprises a staircase structure within the stack structure and having steps comprising lateral edges of the tiers, conductive contacts within a horizontal area of the staircase structure and vertically extending through the stack structure to the source tier, and strapping structures laterally adjacent to the conductive contacts and having upper surfaces substantially coplanar with upper surfaces of the conductive contacts. Each of the strapping structures are in contact with one of the conductive contacts and with one of the conductive structures of the stack structure at one of the steps of the staircase structure. Related memory devices, electronic systems, and methods of forming the microelectronic devices are also described.

Microelectronic devices including staircase structures, and related memory devices, electronic systems, and methods

Methods, systems, and devices for techniques for manufacturing a double electrode memory array are described. A memory device may be fabricated using a sequence of fabrication steps that include depositing a first stack of materials including a conductive layer, an interface layer, and a first electrode layer. The first stack of materials may be etched to form a first set of trenches. A second stack of materials may be deposited on top of the first stack of materials. The second stack may include a second electrode layer in contact with the first electrode layer, a storage layer, and a third electrode layer. The second stack of materials may be etched to form a second set of trenches above the first set of trenches, and filled with a sealing layer and a dielectric material. The sealing layer may not extend substantially into the first set of trenches.

Techniques for manufacturing a double electrode memory array

Methods, systems, and devices for access line formation for a memory array are described. The techniques described herein may be used to fabricate access lines for one or more decks of a memory array. In some examples, one or more access lines of a deck may be formed using an independent processing step. For example, different fabrication processes may be used to form a plurality of access lines in a deck and to form the pillars (e.g., the memory cells) that are coupled with the access lines. In some examples, an offset between the access lines and the pillars may exist due to the components being fabricated in different processing steps.

Access line formation for a memory array

Methods, systems, and devices for memory cells with asymmetrical electrode interfaces are described. A memory cell with asymmetrical electrode interfaces may mitigate shorts in adjacent word lines, which may be leveraged for accurately reading a stored value of the memory cell. The memory device may include a self-selecting memory component with a top surface area in contact with a top electrode and a bottom surface area in contact with a bottom electrode, where the top surface area in contact with the top electrode is a different size than the bottom surface area in contact with the bottom electrode.

Memory cells with asymmetrical electrode interfaces

Methods, systems, devices, and other implementations to store fuse data in memory devices are described. Some implementations may include an array of memory cells with different portions of cells for storing data. A first portion of the array may store fuse data and may contain a chalcogenide storage element, while a second portion of the array may store user data. Sense circuitry may be coupled with the array, and may determine the value of the fuse data using various signaling techniques. In some cases, the sense circuitry may implement differential storage and differential signaling to determine the value of the fuse data stored in the first portion of the array.

Implementations to store fuse data in memory devices

Methods, systems, and devices for memory cells for storing operational data are described. A memory device may include an array of memory cells with different sets of cells for storing data. A first set of memory cells may store data for operating the memory device, and the associated memory cells may each contain a chalcogenide storage element. A second set of memory cells may store host data. Some memory cells included in the first set may be programmed to store a first logic state and other memory cells in the first set may be left unprogrammed (and may represent a second logic state). Sense circuitry may be coupled with the array and may determine a value of data stored by the first set of memory cells.

Memory cells for storing operational data

A memory cell design is disclosed. In an embodiment, the memory cell structure includes at least one memory bit layer stacked between top and bottom electrodes. The memory bit layer provides a storage element for a corresponding memory cell. One or more additional conductive layers may be included between the memory bit layer and either, or both, of the top or bottom electrodes to provide a better ohmic contact. In any case, a dielectric liner structure is provided on sidewalls of the memory bit layer. The liner structure includes a dielectric layer, and may also include a second dielectric layer on a first dielectric layer. Either or both first dielectric layer or second dielectric layer comprises a high-k dielectric material. As will be appreciated, the dielectric liner structure effectively protects the memory bit layer from lateral erosion and contamination during the etching of subsequent layers beneath the memory bit layer.

Memory device with double protective liner

An example three-dimensional (3-D) memory array includes a first plurality of conductive lines separated from one other by an insulation material, a second plurality of conductive lines, and a plurality of pairs of conductive pillars arranged to extend substantially perpendicular to the first plurality of conductive lines and the second plurality of conductive lines. The conductive pillars of each respective pair are coupled to a same conductive line of the second plurality of conductive lines. A storage element material is formed partially around the conductive pillars of each respective pair.

Three-dimensional memory array

A multi-layer memory device with an array having multiple memory decks of self-selecting memory cells is provided in which N memory decks may be fabricated with N+1 mask operations. The multiple memory decks may be self-aligned and certain manufacturing operations may be performed for multiple memory decks at the same time. For example, patterning a bit line direction of a first memory deck and a word line direction in a second memory deck above the first memory deck may be performed in a single masking operation, and both decks may be etched in a same subsequent etching operation. Such techniques may provide efficient fabrication which may allow for enhanced throughput, additional capacity, and higher yield for fabrication facilities relative to processing techniques in which each memory deck is processed using two or more mask and etch operations per memory deck.

Self-aligned memory decks in cross-point memory arrays

Methods, systems, and devices for a tapered cell profile and fabrication are described. A memory storage component may contain multiple chalcogenide materials and may include a tapered profile. For example, a first chalcogenide material may be coupled with a second chalcogenide material. Each of the chalcogenide materials may be further coupled with a conductive material (e.g., an electrode). Through an etching process, the chalcogenide materials may tapered (e.g., step tapered). A pulse may be applied to the tapered chalcogenide materials resulting in a memory storage component that includes a mixture of the chalcogenide materials.

Tapered cell profile and fabrication

A method of forming an array of memory cells, where the array comprises an elevationally-inner tier of memory cells comprising spaced-inner-tier-lower-first-conductive lines and inner-tier-programmable material directly there-above, an elevationally-outer tier of memory cells comprising spaced-outer-tier-lower-first-conductive lines and outer-tier-programmable material directly there-above, and spaced-upper-second-conductive lines that are electrically shared by the outer-tier memory cells and the inner-tier memory cells, comprises depositing conductor material for all of the shared-spaced-upper-second-conductive lines. All of the conductor material for all of the shared-spaced-upper-second-conductive lines is patterned using only a single masking step. Other method embodiments and arrays of memory cells independent of method of manufacture are disclosed.

Arrays of memory cells and methods of forming an array of elevationally-outer-tier memory cells and elevationally-inner-tier memory cells

One embodiment provides a method of making a memory device. The method includes forming a via in a bit line, an interlayer and a dielectric region. The bit line is formed on the interlayer. The interlayer is formed partially on the dielectric region and partially on a plurality of memory cells. The via has a first end included in, and in direct contact with, the bit line and a second end to couple to an electrical contact.

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Milan, Italy

Anna Maria Conti