Arrays of Vertically-Oriented Transistors, Memory Arrays including Vertically-Oriented Transistors, and Memory Cells

Memory is one type of integrated circuitry, and is used in computer systems for storing data. Memory may be fabricated in one or more arrays of individual memory cells. Memory cells may be written to, or read from, using digit lines (which may also be referred to as bit lines, data lines, or sense lines) and access lines (which may also be referred to as word lines). The digit lines may electrically interconnect memory cells along columns of the array, and the access lines may electrically interconnect memory cells along rows of the array. Each memory cell may be uniquely addressed through the combination of a digit line and an access line.

Memory cells may be volatile or nonvolatile. Nonvolatile memory cells can store data for extended periods of time, in many instances including when the computer is turned off. Volatile memory dissipates and therefore requires being refreshed/rewritten, in many instances multiple times per second. Regardless, memory cells are configured to retain or store memory in at least two different selectable states. In a binary system, the states are considered as either a "0" or a "1". In other systems, at least some individual memory cells may be configured to store more than two levels or states of information.

A field effect transistor is one type of electronic component that may be used in a memory cell. These transistors comprise a pair of conductive source/drain regions having a semiconductive channel region there-between. A conductive gate is adjacent the channel region and separated there-from by a thin dielectric. Application of a suitable voltage to the gate allows current to flow from one of the source/drain regions to the other through the channel region. When the voltage is removed from the gate, current is largely prevented from flowing through the channel region. Field-effect transistors may also include additional structure, for example reversibly programmable charge storage regions as part of the gate construction. Transistors other than field-effect transistors, for example bipolar transistors, may additionally or alternately be used in memory cells.

A field effect transistor is one type of electronic component that may be used in a memory cell. These transistors comprise a pair of conductive source/drain regions having a semi-conductive channel region there-between. A conductive gate is adjacent the channel region and separated there-from by a thin dielectric. Application of a suitable voltage to the gate allows current to flow from one of the source/drain regions to the other through the channel region. When the voltage is removed from the gate, current is largely prevented from flowing through the channel region. Field-effect transistors may also include additional structure, for example reversibly programmable charge storage regions as part of the gate construction. Transistors other than field-effect transistors, for example bipolar transistors, may additionally or alternately be used in memory cells.

One type of volatile memory is dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Some DRAM memory cells may comprise a field effect transistor coupled with a charge-storage device, such as a capacitor. Other example memory cells may lack capacitors, and instead may utilize electrically floating transistor bodies. Memory which utilizes electrically floating transistor bodies to store data may be referred to as zero-capacitor-one-transistor (0C1T) memory, as capacitor-less memory, or as ZRAMTM (zero capacitance DRAM), and may be formed to much higher levels of integration than DRAM.

The gates of the transistors may interconnect along rows of the memory cells and form the access lines. The digit or data/sense lines may interconnect with one of the source/ drains of each transistor along columns of the memory cells. The data/sense lines may connect with individual sense amplifiers outside of the memory array. Access lines and data/sense lines may be used in memory arrays wherein the individual memory cells include transistors in addition to or other than field effect transistor. Regardless, it is desirable that the data/sense lines be of high conductivity.

Transistors may be used in memory other than DRAM and in other than volatile memory. Further, transistors may be formed in arrays other than memory.

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