Micron Technology Incorporated

Intel Corporation

David Ross Economy

John Mark Meldrim

Yongjun Jeff Hu

Everett Allen McTeer

Jordan D Greenlee

Pengyuan Zheng

Rita J Klein

Christopher W Petz

Stephen W Russell

Brenda D Kraus

Daniel Billingsley

Anurag Jindal

Robert K Grubbs

Haoyu Li

Keen Wah Chow

Devesh Kumar Datta

Kent H Zhuang

Sudip Bandyopadhyay

Brian S Beatty

Andrew Leslie Beemer

John David Hopkins

Richard J Hill

Nancy M Lomeli

Sidhartha Gupta

Jiewei Chen

Naveen Kaushik

Kyle A Ritter

Aaron P Thurber

Methods, systems, and devices related to a memory device with a thermal barrier are described. The thermal barrier (e.g., a low density thermal barrier) may be positioned between an access line (e.g., a digit line or a word line) and a cell component. The thermal barrier may be formed on the surface of a barrier material by applying a plasma treatment to the barrier material. The thermal barrier may have a lower density than the barrier material and may be configured to thermally insulate the cell component from thermal energy generated in the memory device, among other benefits.

Memory device with low density thermal barrier

A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming memory block regions individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers. Channel-material strings extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The conductive tiers individually comprise a void-space extending laterally-across individual of the memory-block regions. At least one of conductive or semiconductive material is formed in the void-space laterally-outward of individual of the channel-material strings. Conductive molybdenum-containing metal material is formed in the void-space directly against the at least one of the conductive or the semiconductive material and a conductive line comprising the conductive molybdenum-containing metal material is formed therefrom. The at least one of the conductive or the semiconductive material is of different composition from that of the conductive molybdenum-containing metal material. Other embodiments, including structure independent of method, are disclosed.

Memory arrays comprising strings of memory cells and methods used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells

Methods, systems, and devices for access line grain modulation in a memory device are described. A memory cell stack in a cross-point memory array may be formed. In some examples, the memory cell stack may comprise a storage element. A barrier material may be formed above the memory cell stack. The barrier material may initially have an undulating top surface. In some cases, the top surface of the barrier material may be planarized. After the top surface of the barrier material is planarized, a metal layer for an access line may be formed on the top surface of the barrier material. Planarizing the top surface of the barrier material may impact the grain size of the metal layer. In some cases, planarizing the top surface of the barrier material may decrease the resistivity of access lines formed from the metal layer and thus increase current delivery throughout the memory device.

Access line grain modulation in a memory device

Methods, systems, and devices for via formation in a memory device are described. A memory cell stack for a memory array may be formed. In some examples, the memory cell stack may comprise a storage element. A via may also be formed in an area outside of the memory array, and the via may protrude from a material that surrounds the via. A material may then be formed above the memory cell stack and also above the via, and the top surface of the barrier material may be planarized until at least a portion of the via is exposed. A subsequently formed material may thereby be in direct contact with the top of the via, while a portion of the initially formed material may remain above the memory cell stack.

Memory cell stack and via formation for a memory device

Some embodiments include a memory array having a vertical stack of alternating insulative levels and control gate levels. Channel material extends vertically along the stack. The control gate levels comprising conductive regions. The conductive regions include at least three different materials. Charge-storage regions are adjacent the control gate levels. Charge-blocking regions are between the charge-storage regions and the conductive regions.

Assemblies having conductive structures with three or more different materials

Methods, systems, and devices for a memory device with a high resistivity thermal barrier are described. In some examples a barrier material may be positioned over a memory cell region, an oxide region, and/or a through-silicon via (TSV). The barrier may include a first region above the memory cell region and a second region above the TSV. A process, such as a plasma treatment, may be applied to the barrier, which may result in the first and second regions having different thermal resistivities (e.g., different densities). Accordingly, due to the different thermal resistivities, the memory cells may be thermally insulated from thermal energy generated in the memory device.

Memory device with high resistivity thermal barrier

Described are methods for forming a multilayer conductive structure for semiconductor devices. A seed layer is formed comprising a metal and an additional constituent that in combination with the metal inhibits nucleation of a fill layer of the metal formed over the seed layer. Tungsten may be doped or alloyed with silicon to form the seed layer, with a tungsten fill being formed over the seed layer.

Methods of forming tungsten structures

A method of forming an apparatus includes forming pillar structures extending vertically through a first isolation material, forming conductive lines operatively coupled to the pillar structures, forming dielectric structures overlying the conductive lines, and forming air gaps between neighboring conductive lines. The air gaps are laterally adjacent to the conductive lines with a portion of the air gaps extending above a plane of an upper surface of the laterally adjacent conductive lines and a portion of the air gaps extending below a plane of a lower surface of the laterally adjacent conductive lines. Apparatuses, memory devices, methods of forming a memory device, and electronic systems are also disclosed.

Methods of forming apparatuses including air gaps between conductive lines and related apparatuses, memory devices, and electronic systems

A memory cell can include a phase change material layer and a first electrode layer adjacent to the phase change material layer and having a phase change material layer side oriented toward the phase change material layer and a bit line side opposite the phase change material layer side. A carbon nitride layer can be on the bit line side surface of the first electrode layer. In some examples, a nonconductive separator material can have a word line end and a bit line end, and can have a portion contacting the phase change material layer. The bit line end surface of the nonconductive separator material can be at least partially free of contact with the carbon nitride layer.

Memory cells

A phase change memory structure () includes a phase change material layer (), a top electrode layer () above the phase change material layer, a metal silicon nitride layer () in contact with the top electrode layer opposite from the phase change material layer, a metal silicide layer () in contact with the metal silicon nitride layer opposite from the top electrode layer, and a conductive metal bit line () in contact with the metal silicide layer opposite from the metal silicon nitride layer.

Phase change memory structures

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Boise, ID, United States of America

David Ross Economy