IP Library Granted Patent US 9,111,857
Granted Patent B2
US 9,111,857 · App. 13/624,627 · Granted Aug 18, 2015

Method, system and device for recessed contact in memory array

Inventors: Fabio Pellizzer (Cornate D'Adda, IT); Antonino Rigano (Pioltello, IT); Marcello Mariani (Milan, IT); Augusto Benvenuti (Lallio, IT)
Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
H01L27/2445H01L21/762H01L45/06H01L45/1233G11C13/0004H01L21/3086H01L27/2463H01L45/1675
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,111,857
App. No.
13/624,627
Granted
Aug 18, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein may relate to forming a contact region for an interconnect between a selector transistor and a word-line electrode in a memory device.

Claims (22)

1. A memory device, comprising:

an array of memory cells each comprising a selector transistor, the array including a word-line contact region in a base component in substantially direct contact with an electrically conductive interconnect electrically coupled to a word-line electrode, the word-line contact region positioned between memory cells of the array,

wherein the word-line contact region has a width between a pair of selector transistors of the array that is greater than two times a width of each of the selector transistors.

2. The memory device of claim 1 , further comprising trenches having a depth to insulate select transistors of adjacent memory cells, wherein the word-line contact region has a depth substantially the same as the depth of the trenches.

3. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the selector transistors comprise bipolar junction transistors.

4. A memory device, comprising:

an array of memory cells each comprising a selector transistor, the array including a word-line contact region in a base component in substantially direct contact with an electrically conductive interconnect electrically coupled to a word-line electrode, the word-line contact region positioned between memory cells of the array,

wherein the selector transistors are regularly spaced along a word-line direction in accordance with a pitch multiplication pattern on either side of the word-line contact region, and the word-line contact region represents an interruption of the pitch multiplication pattern.

5. The memory device of claim 4 , wherein the word-line contact region has a width between a pair of selector transistors of the array that is greater than two times a width of each of the selector transistors.

6. The memory device of claim 5 , wherein the width of the word-line contact region is greater than four times a width of each of the selector transistors.

7. A memory device, comprising:

an array of memory cells each comprising a selector transistor, the array including a word-line contact region in a base component in substantially direct contact with an electrically conductive interconnect electrically coupled to a word-line electrode, the word-line contact region positioned between memory cells of the array,

wherein the base component comprises a cathode component common to a plurality of the selector transistors.

8. A memory device, comprising:

an array of memory cells each comprising a selector transistor, the array including a word-line contact region in a base component in substantially direct contact with an electrically conductive interconnect electrically coupled to a word-line electrode, the word-line contact region positioned between memory cells of the array,

wherein each selector transistor further comprises an emitter component electrically coupled to the base component, wherein the word-line contact region is recessed relative to the emitters.

9. The memory device of claim 8 , wherein each memory cell of the array of memory cells comprises a phase change memory storage element electrically coupled between the emitter and a bit-line electrode.

10. The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the word-line contact region has a width between a pair of emitters greater than four times a width of the phase change memory storage component in each memory cell.

11. A method, comprising:

energizing an electrode of a memory array to energize one or more selector transistors of the memory array by way of an electrically conductive interconnect in substantially direct contact with a recessed contact region formed in a cathode material of the one or more selector transistors, and to energize one or more phase change material storage cells electrically connected to the one or more selector transistors as part of a programming operation,

wherein emitters of the selector transistors are regularly spaced along a word-line direction in accordance with a pitch multiplication pattern on either side of the recessed word-line contact region, and the word-line contact region represents an interruption of the pitch multiplication pattern.

12. The memory device of claim 11 , wherein the word-line contact region has a width between a pair of selector transistors of the array that is greater than two times a width of each of the selector transistors.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050937/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 047243/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REPLACE ERRONEOUSLY FILED PATENT #7358718 WITH THE CORRECT PATENT #7358178 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038669 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jun 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043079/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038954/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038669/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2012
From: PELLIZZER, FABIO; RIGANO, ANTONINO; MARIANI, MARCELLO; BENVENUTI, AUGUSTO
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 029073/0550 →
Continuity (1)
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