IP Library Granted Patent US 11,631,678
Granted Patent B2
US 11,631,678 · App. 17/328,776 · Granted Apr 18, 2023

Memory arrays comprising memory cells

Inventors: Sanh D. Tang (Kuna, ID); Martin C. Roberts (Boise, ID); Gurtej S. Sandhu (Boise, ID)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
H01L27/1082H01L27/10858H01L29/78618H01L29/78642H01L29/78681H01L29/78696
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,631,678
App. No.
17/328,776
Granted
Apr 18, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Some embodiments include a memory array having vertically-stacked memory cells. Each of the memory cells includes a transistor coupled with a charge-storage device, and each of the transistors has channel material with a bandgap greater than 2 electron-volts. Some embodiments include a memory array having digit lines extending along a vertical direction and wordlines extending along a horizontal direction. The memory array includes memory cells, with each of the memory cells being uniquely addressed by combination of one of the digit lines and one of the wordlines. Each of the memory cells includes a transistor which has GaP channel material. Each of the transistors has first and second source/drain regions spaced from one another by the GaP channel material. The first source/drain regions are coupled with the digit lines, and each of the memory cells includes a capacitor coupled with the second source/drain region of the associated transistor. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims (21)

1. A memory array comprising:

a plurality of memory cells, with each of the memory cells comprising a transistor and a capacitor coupled with the transistor, the transistor comprising a gate region, a first source/drain region, a second source/drain region and a channel region between the first and second source/drain regions; the capacitor having an inner electrode and having an outer electrode spaced from the inner electrode by an insulator material; and

a conductive structure extending in a vertical direction, the inner electrode and the outer electrode each being configured as a ring surrounding the conductive structure, the outer electrode being along a top surface, a bottom surface and an outer lateral surface of the inner electrode and being directly coupled with the second source/drain region.

2. The memory array of claim 1 , wherein the memory cells comprised the plurality of memory cells are vertically stacked.

3. The memory array of claim 2 , wherein the conductive structure is associated with the capacitor of each of the memory cells comprised by the plurality.

4. The memory array of claim 1 wherein the transistors are configured as rings surrounding the conductive structure.

5. The memory array of claim 1 wherein the first and second source/drain regions are a same composition as one another.

6. The memory array of claim 1 wherein the first and second source/drain regions are different compositions relative to one another.

7. The memory array of claim 1 wherein the channel region comprises a GaP material.

8. A memory array comprising:

first conductive lines extending along a vertical direction;

second conductive lines extending along a horizontal direction;

a plurality of memory cells comprising a transistor, each of the transistors comprising first and second source/drain regions spaced from one another by a channel material, and a gate encircling the channel region the first source/drain regions being coupled with digit lines; and

each of the memory cells comprising a capacitor coupled with the second source/drain region of the transistor of the memory cell, the capacitor being configured as a ring surrounding a vertically extending conductive structure.

9. The memory array of claim 8 wherein the channel material comprises a semiconductor metal oxide.

10. A memory array comprising:

vertically-alternating tiers of insulative material and memory cells, the memory cells individually comprising a transistor and a capacitor, a source/drain region of the transistor being in direct electrical contact with an electrode of the capacitor; and

a conductive structure passing vertically through the stack, the conductive structure passing though and being laterally surrounded by each of the capacitors.

11. The memory array of claim 10 wherein the electrode is a first electrode and further comprising a second electrode separated from the first electrode by an insulative material, and wherein each of the first and second electrodes entirely encircle the conductive structure.

12. The memory array of claim 10 wherein the transistor comprises a gate, the gate comprising a ring in a straight-line cross-section.

13. The memory array of claim 10 wherein the gate entirely encircles the channel region.