IP Library Granted Patent US 10,176,870
Granted Patent B1
US 10,176,870 · App. 15/641,736 · Granted Jan 8, 2019

Multifunctional memory cells

Inventor: Arup Bhattacharyya (Essex Junction, VT)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C14/0018H01L27/1157H01L27/11582G11C16/0466G11C16/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,176,870
App. No.
15/641,736
Granted
Jan 8, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present disclosure includes multifunctional memory cells. A number of embodiments include a gate element, a charge transport element, a first charge storage element configured to store a first charge transported from the gate element and through the charge transport element, wherein the first charge storage element includes a nitride material, and a second charge storage element configured to store a second charge transported from the gate element and through the charge transport element, wherein the second charge storage element includes a gallium nitride material.

Claims (63)

1. A memory cell, comprising:

a gate element;

a charge transport element;

a first charge storage element configured to store a first charge transported from the gate element and through the charge transport element, wherein the first charge storage element includes a nitride material; and

a second charge storage element configured to store a second charge transported from the gate element and through the charge transport element, wherein the second charge storage element includes a gallium nitride material.

2. The memory cell of claim 1 , wherein:

the first charge storage element is a volatile charge storage element; and

the second charge storage element is a non-volatile charge storage element.

3. The memory cell of claim 1 , wherein:

the first charge storage element is a first non-volatile charge storage element; and

the second charge storage element is a second non-volatile charge storage element.

4. The memory cell of claim 1 , wherein the charge transport element includes a silicon-rich nitride material.

5. The memory cell of claim 1 , wherein the charge transport element includes a hafnium oxynitride material.

6. The memory cell of claim 1 , wherein the gate element includes a tantalum nitride material.

7. The memory cell of claim 1 , wherein the second charge storage element includes a silicon-rich nitride material.

8. A method of operating a memory cell, comprising:

transporting a charge from a gate element of the memory cell through a charge transport element of the memory cell to:

a first charge storage element of the memory cell having a nitride material; or

a second charge storage element of the memory cell having a gallium nitride material; and

storing, by the charge storage element to which the charge is transported, the charge.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method includes, subsequent to storing the charge:

transporting the charge from the charge storage element in which the charge is stored through the charge transport element to the gate element.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein transporting the charge through the charge transport element includes tunneling an electron through the charge transport element.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method includes transporting the charge from the gate element through the charge transport element during a program operation performed on the memory cell.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein transporting the charge through the charge transport element includes transporting the charge through a progressive band offset tunnel barrier.

13. A memory cell, comprising:

a gate element;

a charge transport element;

a plurality of charge storage elements, wherein:

each respective charge storage element is configured to store a charge transported from the gate element and through the charge transport element to that respective charge storage element; and

each respective charge storage element includes a nitride material and a silicon-rich nitride material; and

an additional charge storage element, wherein the additional charge storage element includes a gallium nitride material.

14. The memory cell of claim 13 , wherein the memory cell includes a charge blocking element configured to prevent leakage of the charge stored by each respective charge storage element, wherein the charge blocking element includes:

a hafnium oxynitride material; and

a silicon dioxide material.

15. The memory cell of claim 13 , wherein the nitride material of each respective charge storage element is a silicon oxynitride material.

16. The memory cell of claim 13 , wherein the charge transport element includes:

a hafnium oxynitride material; and

an oxide material.

17. The memory cell of claim 16 , wherein the charge transport element includes an oxygen-rich silicon oxynitride material.

18. The memory cell of claim 16 , wherein the charge transport element includes a silicon-rich nitride material.

19. A memory cell, comprising:

a gate element;

a charge transport element adjacent the gate element;

a volatile charge storage element configured to store a first charge transported from the gate element and through the charge transport element, wherein the volatile charge storage element includes a nitride material;

a non-volatile charge storage element configured to store a second charge transported from the gate element and through the charge transport element, wherein the non-volatile charge storage element includes a gallium nitride material; and

a charge blocking element configured to prevent leakage of the first charge stored by the volatile charge storage element and leakage of the second charge stored by the non-volatile storage element.

20. The memory cell of claim 19 , wherein the memory cell includes a silicon substrate element adjacent the charge blocking element.

21. The memory cell of claim 19 , wherein the charge blocking element includes:

a hafnium oxynitride material; and

an oxygen-rich silicon oxynitride material.

22. The memory cell of claim 21 , wherein the charge blocking element includes:

a silicon-rich nitride material; and

an aluminum oxide material.

23. The memory cell of claim 19 , wherein the charge blocking element includes:

a hafnium oxynitride material; and

an oxide material.

24. The memory cell of claim 19 , wherein the charge transport element includes:

a hafnium oxynitride material; and

a silicon-rich nitride material.

25. The memory cell of claim 24 , wherein the charge transport element includes:

an additional silicon-rich nitride material; and

a nitride material.

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 10, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050700/0535 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046597/0393 →
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 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 5 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 043482/0776 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 5 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 043483/0686 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2017
From: BHATTACHARYYA, ARUP
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 042904/0909 →