Micron Technology Incorporated

Intel Corporation

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Nan Ya Technology Corporation

Jin Lu

Hongqi Li

Shyam Ramalingam

Anurag Jindal

Gowrisankar Damarla

Zailong Bian

Chris M Carlson

Kevin J Torek

Roger W Lindsay

Matthew J King

Robert J Hanson

Alex J Schrinsky

Silvia Borsari

Ramey M Abdelrahaman

David Daycock

Prasanna Srinivasan

Cole Smith

Thy Tran

Rita J Klein

Irina V Vasilyeva

Diem Thy N Tran

Andrey V Zagrebelny

Sony Varghese

Zhiqiang Xie

Muralikrishnan Balakrishnan

Gregory C Herdt

Siddartha Kondoju

Mikhail A Treger

Kozaburo Sakai

Xiaoyun Zhu

Andrew Dennis Watson Carswell

Wayne Hai-Wei Huang

Suresh Ramakrishnan

A method used in forming a memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating first tiers and second tiers. Horizontally-elongated trenches are formed into the stack to form laterally-spaced memory-block regions. A wall is formed in individual of the trenches laterally-between immediately-laterally-adjacent of the memory-block regions. The forming of the wall comprises lining sides of the trenches with insulative material comprising at least one of an insulative nitride and elemental-form boron. A core material is formed in the trenches to span laterally-between the at least one of the insulative nitride and the elemental-form boron. Structure independent of method is disclosed.

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

Semiconductor devices having interconnects incorporating negative expansion (NTE) materials are disclosed herein. In one embodiment a semiconductor device includes a substrate having an opening that extends at least partially through the substrate. A conductive material having a positive coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) partially fills the opening. A negative thermal expansion (NTE) having a negative CTE also partially fills the opening. In one embodiment, the conductive material includes copper and the NTE material includes zirconium tungstate.

Conductive interconnect structures incorporating negative thermal expansion materials and associated systems, devices, and methods

A semiconductor device in accordance with some embodiments includes a substrate structure and a conductive interconnect extending through at least a portion of the substrate structure. The conductive interconnect can include a through-silicon via and a stress-relief feature that accommodates thermal expansion and/or thermal contraction of material to manage internal stresses in the semiconductor device. Methods of manufacturing the semiconductor device in accordance with some embodiments includes removing material of the conductive interconnect to form the stress-relief gap.

Interconnect assemblies with through-silicon vias and stress-relief features

Semiconductor device interconnect structures comprising nitrided barriers are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an interconnect structure includes a conductive material at least partially filling an opening in a semiconductor substrate, and a nitrided barrier between the conductive material and a sidewall in the opening. The nitrided barrier comprises a nitride material and a barrier material, such as tantalum, between the nitride material and the sidewall of the substrate.

Interconnect structure with nitrided barrier

A three dimensional or stacked circuit device includes a conductive channel cap on a conductor channel. The channel cap can be created via selective deposition or other process to prevent polishing down the conductive material to isolate the contacts. The conductor channel extends through a deck of multiple tiers of circuit elements that are activated via a gate. The gate is activated by electrical potential in the conductor channel. The conductive cap on the conductor channel can electrically connect the conductor channel to a bitline or other signal line, and/or to another deck of multiple circuit elements.

Capping poly channel pillars in stacked circuits

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed herein for densification of through substrate insulating liners. An example method may include forming a through substrate via through at least a portion of a substrate, forming a first liner layer in the through substrate via, and densifying the first liner layer. The example method may further include forming a second liner layer on the first liner layer, and densifying the second liner layer.

Through substrate via liner densification

Semiconductor device interconnect structures having low capacitance and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing an interconnect structure includes forming an opening in a surface of a semiconductor device and forming an interconnect structure at least within the opening. Forming the interconnect structure includes depositing a first insulator material on both the surface and a sidewall of the opening, selectively removing a first portion of the first insulator material on the surface over a second portion of the first insulator material on the sidewall, depositing a second insulator material on the second portion, and depositing a conductive material on the second insulator material. The method further includes selecting the thickness of the first and second insulators materials based on a threshold level of capacitance between the sidewall and the conductive material.

Low capacitance interconnect structures and associated systems and methods

Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions having first and second electrically conductive lines that intersect with one another at an intersection. The first line has primarily a first width, and has narrowed regions directly against the second line and on opposing sides of the second line from one another. Electrically conductive contacts are along the first line and directly electrically coupled to the first line, and one of the electrically conductive contacts is directly against the intersection. Some embodiments include methods of forming intersecting lines of material. First and second trenches are formed, and intersect with one another at an intersection. The first trench has primarily a first width, and has narrowed regions directly against the second trench and on opposing sides of the second trench from one another. Material is deposited within the first and second trenches to substantially entirely fill the first and second trenches.

Semiconductor constructions and methods of forming intersecting lines of material

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed towards a method for fabricating a semiconductor memory device comprising selectively depositing a material to form a cap above a recessed cell structure in order to prevent degradation of components inside the cell structure in oxidative or corrosive environments.

Method for forming a metal cap in a semiconductor memory device

Semiconductor constructions

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

Jin Lu