US 12,125,786 B2
Devices including stair step structures, and related memory devices and electronic systems
Paolo Tessariol, Arcore (IT); Graham R. Wolstenholme, Boise, ID (US); and Aaron Yip, Los Gatos, CA (US)
Assigned to Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US)
Filed by Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US)
Filed on Aug. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/819,004.
Application 15/916,575 is a division of application No. 15/068,329, filed on Mar. 11, 2016, granted, now 9,941,209, issued on Apr. 10, 2018.
Application 17/819,004 is a continuation of application No. 17/134,930, filed on Dec. 28, 2020, granted, now 11,430,734.
Application 17/134,930 is a continuation of application No. 16/405,184, filed on May 7, 2019, granted, now 10,879,175, issued on Dec. 29, 2020.
Application 16/405,184 is a continuation of application No. 15/916,575, filed on Mar. 9, 2018, granted, now 10,290,581, issued on May 14, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0384341 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 23/528 (2006.01); H01L 21/768 (2006.01); H01L 23/522 (2006.01); H10B 41/00 (2023.01); H10B 41/35 (2023.01); H10B 41/50 (2023.01); H10B 43/35 (2023.01); H10B 43/50 (2023.01)
CPC H01L 23/5283 (2013.01) [H01L 21/76816 (2013.01); H01L 21/76877 (2013.01); H01L 23/5226 (2013.01); H10B 43/50 (2023.02); H10B 41/00 (2023.02); H10B 41/35 (2023.02); H10B 41/50 (2023.02); H10B 43/35 (2023.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device, comprising:
a stack comprising tiers each comprising conductive material and SiO2 vertically neighboring the conductive material;
stair step structures comprising steps defined by ends of at least some of the tiers;
a landing interposed between two of the stair step structures, the landing comprising:
an outer region comprising a portion of the stack comprising the tiers each comprising the conductive material and the SiO2 vertically adjacent the conductive material; and
an inner region horizontally surrounded by the outer region and comprising:
additional tiers each comprising Si3N4 and additional SiO2 vertically alternating with the Si3N4; and
vias vertically extending through the Si3N4 and the additional SiO2;
conductive contacts extending through the vias of the inner region of the landing, the conductive contacts electrically coupled to access lines electrically coupled to memory cells; and
a control unit for controlling the memory cells, the control unit positioned proximate the landing and electrically coupled to one or more of the conductive contacts within one or more of the vias within the landing.