Patent ID: 11955330
Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Field: Semiconductors (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A microelectronic device, comprising:
a first deck structure comprising alternating levels of an insulative material and a conductive material;
an interdeck region adjacent to the first deck structure and comprising alternating levels of the insulative material and an other insulative material, the insulative material and the other insulative material the interdeck region defining tapered sidewalls;
a second deck structure adjacent to the interdeck region and comprising alternating additional levels of the insulative material and the conductive material; and
pillars individually comprising a channel material extending continuously through the first deck structure, the interdeck region, and the second deck structure, wherein:
portions of the pillars within the interdeck region respectively have diameters that progressively decrease from a first, larger diameter proximate a lower boundary of the second deck structure to a second, smaller diameter proximate an upper boundary of the first deck structure; and
portions of the channel material within the interdeck region comprise:
horizontally extending surfaces physically contacting dielectric material covering horizontally extending surfaces and vertically extending surfaces of the conductive material of a lowermost one of the additional levels of the conductive material; and
sidewalls physically contacting the tapered sidewalls of the insulative material and the other insulative material the interdeck region.