Micron Technology Incorporated

Intel Corporation

Sri Sai Sivakumar Vegunta

Gowrisankar Damarla

John B Matovu

Gordon A Haller

Lifang Xu

Matthew J King

David A Daycock

Kunal Shrotri

Suresh Ramarajan

Matthew Park

Jivaan Kishore Jhothiraman

Prakash Rau Mokhna Rau

Rithu K Bhonsle

Jun Zhao

Rutuparna Narulkar

David S Meyaard

Kevin R Gast

Shashank Saraf

Hongqi Li

Kevin Lee Baker

James A Cultra

Efe Sinan Ege

Josiah Jebaraj Johnley Muthuraj

Jukuan Zheng

Jian Zhou

Gowrisankar Damaria

A device has memory cells located within a cell deck of the device. The device includes functional vias within the cell deck, and one or more floating vias within the cell deck. The functional vias are electrically coupled to conductive structures of the device and the one or more floating vias have at least one end electrically isolated from the conductive structures of the device. Methods of forming a device may include forming memory cells in a cell deck, and forming floating vias in a dielectric material adjacent to the memory cells. An overlying mask material is removed from the dielectric material, and at least some memory cells are protected from mechanical damage during the removal of the overlying mask material with the floating vias. Electronic systems may include such devices.

Devices including floating vias

Methods of manufacturing memory devices having memory cells and corresponding selectors, and associated systems and devices, are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a memory device includes (a) removing a protection layer formed over the memory cells and (b) forming a cap layer over the memory cells before forming a conductive via through the memory device. The cap layer is configured to protect the memory cells during operation and can comprise a resistive material. The protection layer can be more efficiently removed with improved process margin and less device health impact using a polishing process before the conductive via is formed, thus increasing the manufacturing margin of the memory device.

Methods for forming memory devices, and associated devices and systems

Devices including floating vias and related systems and methods

A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a sacrificial material over a stack comprising alternating levels of a dielectric material and another material, forming an opening through the sacrificial material and at least some of the alternating levels of the dielectric material and the another material, forming at least one oxide material in the opening and overlying surfaces of the sacrificial material, an uppermost surface of the at least one oxide material extending more distal from a surface of a substrate than an uppermost level of the dielectric material and the another material, planarizing at least a portion of the at least one oxide material to expose a portion of the sacrificial material, and removing the sacrificial material while the uppermost surface of the at least one oxide material remains more distal from the surface of the substrate than the uppermost level of the alternating levels of the dielectric material and the another material. Related methods of forming semiconductor structures and related semiconductor devices are disclosed.

Stair step structures including insulative materials, and related devices

A solid state memory component can include a plurality of bit lines, a source line, and a plurality of non-functional memory pillars. Each non-functional memory pillar is electrically isolated from one or both of the plurality of bit lines and the source line. A solid state memory component can include a plurality of pillars located in a periphery portion of the solid state memory component, and memory cells adjacent to each of the pillars. Associated systems and methods are also disclosed.

Solid state memory component

Semiconductor devices including a stair step structure, and related methods

Solid state memory technology is disclosed. A solid state memory component can include a plurality of bit lines, a source line, and a plurality of non-functional memory pillars. Each non-functional memory pillar is electrically isolated from one or both of the plurality of bit lines and the source line. A solid state memory component can include a plurality of pillars located in a periphery portion of the solid state memory component, and memory cells adjacent to each of the pillars. Associated systems and methods are also disclosed.

Methods of forming semiconductor structures having stair step structures

A three dimensional memory device is described having an array region and a periphery region. The array region has a three dimensional stack of storage cells. The periphery region has contacts that extend from above the three dimensional stack of storage cells to below the three dimensional stack of storage cells. The periphery region is substantially devoid of conducting and/or semi-conducting layers of the three dimensional stack of storage cells.

Three dimensional memory device having isolated periphery contacts through an active layer exhume process

A solid state memory component can include a plurality of bit lines, a source line, and a plurality of non-functional memory pillars. Each non-functional memory pillar is electrically isolated from one or both of the plurality of bit lines and the source line. A solid state memory component can also include a plurality of pillars located in a periphery portion of the solid state memory component, and memory cells adjacent to each of the pillars. Associated systems and methods can include or otherwise utilize such solid state memory components.

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

Sri Sai Sivakumar Vegunta