The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 13, 2026
Filed:
Aug. 31, 2022
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Tom George, Boise, ID (US);
Rita J. Klein, Boise, ID (US);
Daniel Billingsley, Meridian, ID (US);
Pengyuan Zheng, Boise, ID (US);
Yongjun Jeff Hu, Boise, ID (US);
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
A memory array comprising strings of memory cells comprises laterally-spaced memory blocks individually comprising a vertical stack comprising alternating insulative tiers and conductive tiers above a conductor tier. Strings of memory cells comprising channel-material strings extend through the insulative tiers and the conductive tiers. The conductor tier comprises upper conductor material directly above and directly against lower conductor material of different composition from that of the upper conductor material. A through-array-via (TAV) region is included and comprises TAVs individually comprising the upper conductor material, the lower conductor material, and a conducting material that is directly below the conductor tier. The lower conductor material is directly against the conducting material and comprises at least one of (a) and (b), where, (a): a metal-rich refractory metal nitride; and (b): a stoichiometric or non-stoichiometric refractory metal nitride directly above and directly against one of (1), (2), or (3), where: (1): an elemental metal; (2): an alloy of at least two elemental metals; and (3): a metal-rich refractory metal nitride of different composition from that of the stoichiometric or non-stoichiometric refractory metal nitride. Methods are also disclosed.