18437549. MICROELECTRONIC DEVICES AND RELATED MEMORY DEVICES simplified abstract (Lodestar Licensing Group LLC)

MICROELECTRONIC DEVICES AND RELATED MEMORY DEVICES

Organization Name

Lodestar Licensing Group LLC

Inventor(s)

Darwin A. Clampitt of Wilder ID (US)

Roger W. Lindsay of Boise ID (US)

Jeffrey D. Runia of Boise ID (US)

Matthew Holland of Victor NY (US)

Chamunda N. Chamunda of Boise ID (US)

MICROELECTRONIC DEVICES AND RELATED MEMORY DEVICES - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18437549 titled 'MICROELECTRONIC DEVICES AND RELATED MEMORY DEVICES

Simplified Explanation

The microelectronic device described in the patent application comprises a stack structure with a stadium structure within it, along with conductive contact structures. The stack structure consists of a vertically alternating sequence of conductive and insulative structures arranged in tiers, with each tier containing one of each type of structure. The stadium structure includes a forward staircase structure and a reverse staircase structure, both made up of steps formed by the edges of the tiers. The conductive contact structures extend vertically to the upper boundaries of some of the conductive structures in the stack structure, at the steps of the forward and reverse staircase structures, and are continuous with the conductive structures.

• The microelectronic device has a stack structure with alternating conductive and insulative structures in tiers.
• The stadium structure within the stack consists of forward and reverse staircase structures made up of steps formed by the edges of the tiers.
• Conductive contact structures extend vertically to the upper boundaries of some conductive structures in the stack, at the steps of the staircases, and are continuous with the conductive structures.

Potential Applications

This technology could be applied in:

• Memory devices
• Electronic systems

Problems Solved

This technology helps in:

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

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include:

• Increased conductivity
• Enhanced structural integrity
• Improved overall functionality of microelectronic devices

Potential Commercial Applications

Optimizing Microelectronic Devices for Enhanced Performance

Possible Prior Art

There may be prior art related to:

• Microelectronic devices with stack structures and stadium configurations

Unanswered Questions

How does this technology impact the size of microelectronic devices?

The article does not provide information on whether this technology affects the size of microelectronic devices.

What materials are used in the conductive and insulative structures of the stack?

The article does not specify the materials used in the conductive and insulative structures of the stack.

Original Abstract Submitted

A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure, a stadium structure within the stack structure, and conductive contact structures. The stack structure comprises a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers. Each of the tiers comprises one of the conductive structures and one of the insulative structures. The stadium structure comprises a forward staircase structure having steps comprising edges of the tiers, and a reverse staircase structure opposing the forward staircase structure and having additional steps comprising additional edges of the tiers. The conductive contact structures vertically extend to upper vertical boundaries of at least some of the conductive structures of the stack structure at the steps of the forward staircase structure and the additional steps of the reverse staircase structure, and are each integral and continuous with one of the conductive structures. Memory devices, electronic systems, and methods of forming microelectronic devices are also described.