Micron Technology Incorporated

Intel Corporation

Changhan Kim

John David Hopkins

Richard J Hill

Collin Howder

Gianpietro Carnevale

Chet E Carter

Jie Li

Cole Smith

Woohee Kim

Kunal Shrotri

Darwin Franseda Fan

Scott M Pook

Some embodiments include a memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels. Channel material extends along the stack. Conductive segments are along the wordline levels. Each of the conductive segments has, along a cross-section, first and second ends in opposing relation to one another. The conductive segments include gates and wordlines adjacent the gates. The wordlines encompass the second ends, and the gates have rounded (e.g., substantially parabolic) noses which encompass the first ends. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.

Memory arrays, and methods of forming memory arrays

Some embodiments include a method of forming an assembly (e.g., a memory array). A first opening is formed through a stack of alternating first and second levels. The first levels contain silicon nitride, and the second levels contain silicon dioxide. Some of the silicon dioxide of the second levels is replaced with memory cell structures. The memory cell structures include charge-storage regions adjacent charge-blocking regions. Tunneling material is formed within the first opening, and channel material is formed adjacent the tunneling material. A second opening is formed through the stack. The second opening extends through remaining portions of the silicon dioxide, and through the silicon nitride. The remaining portions of the silicon dioxide are removed to form cavities. Conductive regions are formed within the cavities. The silicon nitride is removed to form voids between the conductive regions. Some embodiments include memory arrays.

Some embodiments include a memory cell having a conductive gate, and having a charge-blocking region adjacent the conductive gate. The charge-blocking region includes silicon oxynitride and silicon dioxide. A charge-storage region is adjacent the charge-blocking region. Tunneling material is adjacent the charge-storage region. Channel material is adjacent the tunneling material. The tunneling material is between the channel material and the charge-storage region. Some embodiments include memory arrays. Some embodiments include methods of forming assemblies (e.g., memory arrays).

Memory cells, memory arrays, and methods of forming memory arrays

A memory array comprises a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers. The wordline tiers comprise gate regions of individual memory cells. The gate regions individually comprise part of a wordline in individual of the wordline tiers. Channel material extends elevationally through the insulative tiers and the wordline tiers. The individual memory cells comprise a memory structure laterally between the gate region and the channel material. Individual of the wordlines comprise opposing laterally-outer longitudinal edges. The longitudinal edges individually comprise a longitudinally-elongated recess extending laterally into the respective individual wordline. Methods are disclosed.

Memory array and a method used in forming a memory array

Memory cells and memory arrays

Some embodiments include a memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and wordline levels. The wordline levels include conductive wordline material having terminal ends. Charge blocking material is along the terminal ends of the conductive wordline material and has first vertical faces. The insulative levels have terminal ends with second vertical faces. The second vertical faces are laterally offset relative to the first vertical faces. Charge-trapping material is along the first vertical faces, and extends partially along the second vertical faces. The charge-trapping material is configured as segments which are vertically spaced from one another by gaps. Charge-tunneling material extends along the segments of the charge-trapping material. Channel material extends vertically along the stack, and is spaced from the charge-trapping material by the charge-tunneling material. The channel material extends into the gaps. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.

Integrated assemblies having charge-trapping material arranged in vertically-spaced segments, and methods of forming integrated assemblies

Some embodiments include an assembly having a channel to conduct current. The channel includes a first channel portion and a second channel portion. A first memory cell structure is between a first gate and the first channel portion. The first memory cell structure includes a first charge-storage region and a first charge-blocking region. A second memory cell structure is between a second gate and the second channel portion. The second memory cell structure includes a second charge-storage region and a second charge-blocking region. The first and second charge-blocking regions include silicon oxynitride. A void is located between the first and second gates, and between the first and second memory cell structures. Some embodiments include memory arrays (e.g., NAND memory arrays), and some embodiments include methods of forming memory arrays.

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

Changhan Kim