US 12,334,432 B2
Integrated assemblies and methods of forming integrated assemblies
Alyssa N. Scarbrough, Boise, ID (US); and John D. Hopkins, Meridian, ID (US)
Filed by Lodestar Licensing Group LLC, Evanston, IL (US)
Filed on Jun. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/844,565.
Application 17/844,565 is a division of application No. 16/872,691, filed on May 12, 2020, granted, now 11,398,427.
Prior Publication US 2022/0319985 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. H10B 43/27 (2023.01); H01L 23/522 (2006.01); H01L 23/528 (2006.01); H10B 41/10 (2023.01); H10B 41/27 (2023.01); H10B 41/35 (2023.01); H10B 41/41 (2023.01); H10B 43/10 (2023.01); H10B 43/35 (2023.01); H10B 43/40 (2023.01)
CPC H01L 23/5226 (2013.01) [H01L 23/5283 (2013.01); H10B 41/10 (2023.02); H10B 41/27 (2023.02); H10B 41/35 (2023.02); H10B 41/41 (2023.02); H10B 43/10 (2023.02); H10B 43/27 (2023.02); H10B 43/35 (2023.02); H10B 43/40 (2023.02)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An integrated assembly, comprising:
a stack of alternating first and second levels; the first levels comprising conductive material and the second levels comprising insulative material; the stack having an upper portion and a lower portion; at least some of the first and second levels within the lower portion being configured as steps; each of the steps comprising one of the second levels over an associated one of the first levels;
a layer over the steps and along the lower portion of the stack; the layer not being along the upper portion of the stack; the layer being spaced from the stack by an intervening insulative region;
insulative material over the layer;
conductive interconnects extending through the insulative material, through the layer, through the intervening insulative region and to the conductive material within the first levels of the steps, and
insulative spacers that are formed only within the layer and adjacent to the conductive interconnects to isolate the conductive interconnects from an etch-stop material that forms the layer.