18054291. MICROELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING STAIRCASE STRUCTURES, RELATED MEMORY DEVICES, ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS, AND METHODS simplified abstract (Micron Technology, Inc.)

MICROELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING STAIRCASE STRUCTURES, RELATED MEMORY DEVICES, ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS, AND METHODS

Organization Name

Micron Technology, Inc.

Inventor(s)

Yuichi Yokoyama of Boise ID (US)

MICROELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING STAIRCASE STRUCTURES, RELATED MEMORY DEVICES, ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS, AND METHODS - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18054291 titled 'MICROELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING STAIRCASE STRUCTURES, RELATED MEMORY DEVICES, ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS, AND METHODS

Simplified Explanation

The microelectronic device described in the patent application comprises a stack structure with an array region and a staircase region. The array region has vertically spaced first conductive structures, while the staircase region has second conductive structures coupled to the first ones, with portions extending in different horizontal directions. The staircase region also includes staircase structures with steps partially defined by the edges of the second conductive structures, some extending in one horizontal direction and others in a different direction.

• Array region with vertically spaced first conductive structures
• Staircase region with second conductive structures coupled to the first ones, extending in different horizontal directions
• Staircase structures with steps partially defined by the edges of the second conductive structures, extending in different horizontal directions

Potential Applications

The technology described in this patent application could be applied in:

• Memory devices
• Electronic systems

Problems Solved

This technology helps in:

• Increasing the efficiency of microelectronic devices
• Enhancing the performance of memory devices

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include:

• Improved data processing speed
• Enhanced memory storage capacity

Potential Commercial Applications

This technology could be commercially applied in:

• Semiconductor industry
• Electronics manufacturing

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art for this technology could be the use of staircase structures in microelectronic devices to optimize space and improve performance.

How does this technology compare to existing memory device designs in terms of efficiency and performance?

This article does not provide a direct comparison between this technology and existing memory device designs. Further research or analysis would be needed to determine the specific advantages of this innovation over current solutions.

What are the potential challenges in implementing this technology on a large scale for commercial production?

The article does not address the potential challenges in scaling up this technology for commercial production. Factors such as cost, manufacturing complexity, and compatibility with existing production processes could pose challenges that need to be explored further.

Original Abstract Submitted

A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising an array region comprising first conductive structures vertically spaced from one another, and a staircase region horizontally neighboring the array region and comprising second conductive structures vertically spaced from one another and coupled to the first conductive structures. The second conductive structures individually comprise portions extending in a first horizontal direction, and additional portions extending in a second horizontal direction transverse to the first horizontal direction. The staircase region comprises staircase structures having steps partially defined by edges of the second conductive structures. Some of the steps extend in the first horizontal direction and some others of the steps extend in the second horizontal direction. Related memory devices, electronic systems, and methods are also described.