IP Library Granted Patent US 10,163,908
Granted Patent B2
US 10,163,908 · App. 15/005,360 · Granted Dec 25, 2018

Array of conductive lines individually extending transversally across and elevationally over a mid-portion of individual active area regions

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,163,908
App. No.
15/005,360
Granted
Dec 25, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An array of recessed access gate lines includes active area regions having dielectric trench isolation material there-between. The trench isolation material comprises dielectric projections extending into opposing ends of individual active area regions under an elevationally outermost surface of material of the active area regions. The active area material is elevationally over the dielectric projections. Recessed access gate lines individually extend transversally across the active area regions and extend between the ends of immediately end-to-end adjacent active area regions within the dielectric trench isolation material. Other arrays are disclosed, as are methods.

Claims (25)

1. An array of recessed access gate lines and conductive lines, comprising:

active area regions having dielectric trench isolation material there-between, the trench isolation material comprising dielectric end projections extending into opposing ends of individual active area regions under an elevationally outermost surface of material of the active area regions, the active area material being elevationally over the dielectric end projections, the trench isolation material comprising dielectric lateral projections extending laterally into opposing sides proximate the opposing ends under an elevationally outermost surface of the active area material proximate the opposing ends, the active area material being elevationally over the dielectric end projections proximate the opposing ends;

recessed access gate lines individually extending transversally across the active area regions and extending between the ends of immediately end-to-end adjacent active area regions within the dielectric trench isolation material; and

conductive lines individually extending transversally across and elevationally over a mid-portion of the individual active area regions, conductive material being directly against a mid-portion surface of the active area material of the individual active area regions and being conductively coupled to the conductive line transversally crossing thereover, the mid-portion surface being elevationally inward relative to the elevationally outermost surface of the active area material in the individual active area regions proximate the opposing ends.

2. An array of recessed access gate lines and conductive lines, comprising:

active area regions having dielectric trench isolation material there-between, the trench isolation material comprising dielectric end projections extending into opposing ends of individual active area regions under an elevationally outermost surface of material of the active area regions, the active area material being elevationally over the dielectric end projections, the trench isolation material comprising dielectric lateral projections extending laterally into opposing sides proximate the opposing ends under an elevationally outermost surface of the active area material proximate the opposing ends, the active area material being elevationally over the dielectric end projections proximate the opposing ends;

recessed access gate lines individually extending transversally across the active area regions and extending between the ends of immediately end-to-end adjacent active area regions within the dielectric trench isolation material; and

conductive lines individually extending transversally across and elevationally over a mid-portion of the individual active area regions, conductive material being directly against a mid-portion surface of the active area material of the individual active area regions and being conductively coupled to the conductive line transversally crossing thereover, the individual active area regions being longitudinally elongated along a straight longitudinal axis, the mid-portion surface being laterally narrower perpendicular to the longitudinal axis than the elevationally outermost surfaces proximate the opposing ends.

3. An array of conductive lines, comprising:

active area regions having dielectric trench isolation material there-between, the trench isolation material comprising dielectric projections extending laterally into opposing sides proximate opposing ends of individual active area regions under an elevationally outermost surface of material of the active area regions proximate the opposing ends, the active area material being elevationally over the dielectric projections proximate the opposing ends; and

conductive lines individually extending transversally across and elevationally over a mid-portion of the individual active area regions, conductive material being directly against a mid-portion surface of the active area material of the individual active area regions and being conductively coupled to the conductive line transversally crossing thereover, the individual active area regions being longitudinally elongated along a straight longitudinal axis, the mid-portion surface being laterally narrower perpendicular to the longitudinal axis than the elevationally outermost surfaces proximate the opposing ends.

4. The array of claim 3 wherein the dielectric trench isolation material between the ends of immediately end-to-end adjacent active area regions comprises opposing sidewalls that taper laterally inward elevationally inward of furthest extents of the dielectric projections into the ends of those immediately end-to-end adjacent active area regions.

5. The array of claim 3 wherein the dielectric trench isolation material between the ends of immediately end-to-end adjacent active area regions comprises opposing sidewalls that are substantially vertical elevationally outward of furthest extents of the dielectric projections into the ends of those immediately end-to-end adjacent active area regions.

6. The array of claim 3 wherein projecting distance of the dielectric projections longitudinally into the respective ends is from about 5 to 10 nanometers from respective furthest longitudinal extents of the active area material.

7. The array of claim 3 wherein the dielectric projections start longitudinally projecting into the respective active area material ends at a depth of from about 10 to 20 nanometers from the elevationally outermost surface of the active area material.

8. An array of conductive lines, comprising:

active area regions having dielectric trench isolation material there-between, the trench isolation material comprising dielectric projections extending laterally into opposing sides proximate opposing ends of individual active area regions under an elevationally outermost surface of material of the active area regions proximate the opposing ends, the active area material being elevationally over the dielectric projections proximate the opposing ends; and

conductive lines individually extending transversally across and elevationally over a mid-portion of the individual active area regions, conductive material being directly against a mid-portion surface of the active area material of the individual active area regions and being conductively coupled to the conductive line transversally crossing thereover, the mid-portion surface being elevationally inward relative to the elevationally outermost surface of the active area material in the individual active area regions proximate the opposing ends.

9. The array of claim 8 wherein projecting distance of the respective dielectric projections laterally into the respective opposing sides is from about 5 to 10 nanometers from furthest lateral extents of the active area material.

10. The array of claim 8 wherein the dielectric projections start laterally projecting at from about 10 to 20 nanometers from the elevationally outermost surface of the active area material.

11. The array of claim 8 the dielectric trench isolation material between sides of immediately side-to-side adjacent active area regions comprises opposing sidewalls that taper laterally inward elevationally inward of furthest extents of the dielectric projections into the sides of those immediately side-to-side adjacent active area regions.

12. The array of claim 8 wherein the dielectric trench isolation material between the sides of immediately side-to-side adjacent active area regions comprises opposing sidewalls that are substantially vertical elevationally outward of furthest extents of the dielectric projections into the sides of those immediately side-to-side adjacent active area regions.

13. The array of claim 8 wherein the individual active area regions are longitudinally elongated along a straight longitudinal axis, the individual active area regions having their mid-portion surface laterally narrower perpendicular to the longitudinal axis than the elevationally outermost surfaces proximate the opposing ends.

14. A plurality of memory cells of memory circuitry incorporating the conductive lines of claim 8 .

15. Memory circuitry according to claim 14 wherein the memory cells are DRAM cells individually comprising a capacitor.

Assignments (7)
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 →