Micron Technology Incorporated

Madison D Drake

Darwin A Clampitt

John David Hopkins

Matthew J King

Albert Fayrushin

Rosa M Avila-Hernandez

Lisa R Copenspire-Ross

Kristina Lauren Ming

A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers, strings of memory cells vertically extending through the stack structure, the strings of memory cells individually comprising a channel material vertically extending through the stack structure, a conductive contact structure vertically overlying and in electrical communication with the channel material of a string of memory cells of the strings of memory cells, and a void laterally neighboring the conductive contact structure, the conductive contact structure separated from a laterally neighboring conductive contact structure by the void, a dielectric material, and an additional void laterally neighboring the laterally neighboring conductive contact structure. Related memory devices, electronic systems, and methods are also described.

Microelectronic devices including voids neighboring conductive contacts, and related memory devices, electronic systems, and methods

A variety of applications can include memory devices designed to provide enhanced gate-induced-drain-leakage (GIDL) current during memory erase operations. The enhanced operation can be provided by enhancing the electric field in the channel structures of select gate transistors to strings of memory cells. The channel structures can be implemented as a segmented portion for drains and a portion opposite a gate. The segmented portion includes one or more fins and one or more non-conductive regions with both fins and non-conductive regions extending vertically from the portion opposite the gate. Variations of a border region for the portion opposite the gate with the segmented portion can include fanged regions extending from the fins into the portion opposite the gate or rounded border regions below the non-conductive regions. Such select gate transistors can be formed using a single photo mask process. Additional devices, systems, and methods are discussed.

Select gate transistor with segmented channel fin

Methods, apparatuses, and non-transitory machine-readable media associated with data transmission are described. Data transmission and remote activity monitoring can include detecting a triggering event and determining an output data type associated with the triggering event, wherein the output data type is a first type for display at a second device or a second type to initiate communication between the first device and one or more second devices. Data transmission can include transmitting the output data to the second device via a device-to-device data link in response to determining the output data type comprises the first type. In response to determining the output data type comprises the second type, data transmission can include initiating a two-way communication path with the second device, the two-way communication path comprising a device-to-device data link or a data link with a base station or access point and transmitting the output data to the second device.

Data transmission and remote activity monitoring

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Boise, ID, United States of America

Madison D Drake