Oregon Patent of the Month – February 2025

MonolithIC 3D Inc. has redefined what’s possible in semiconductor design with their groundbreaking 3D memory device — a true monolithic integration of logic and memory layers, offering unprecedented vertical density and performance. Unlike traditional 3D stacking methods that rely on through-silicon vias and bonding separately fabricated layers, this innovation constructs multiple tiers of transistors and metal interconnects directly atop one another using shared lithography steps. The result? A fully integrated structure where logic circuits, cache memory, LUTs, DACs, and even error correction units coexist in a space-efficient, low-latency environment.

At the heart of this invention is a vertically tiered design, starting with a single crystal silicon logic layer, ascending through four stacked metal interconnect layers, and topped with high-density memory mini arrays—each comprising at least a 4×4 grid of memory cells. These cells are formed using advanced self-aligned transistor techniques and metal gates, ensuring high performance with reduced variability. Notably, some transistors are fabricated using Atomic Level Deposition (ALD), pushing precision and scaling limits even further.

What truly sets this device apart is its control: each memory mini array can be managed independently, allowing for parallelism, power efficiency, and dynamic reconfiguration. Vertical vias pass seamlessly through multiple active layers, preserving signal integrity and minimizing delay. And all of this is built without sacrificing the advantages of monocrystalline channels—a feat that rivals NAND innovations while addressing their limitations.

By collapsing the boundary between memory and logic, MonolithIC 3D Inc.’s invention not only extends Moore’s Law but reimagines it in three dimensions. This is more than just a device—it’s a platform for the next era of computing.

Are you developing new technology for an existing application? Did you know your development work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? Even if your development isn’t successful your work may still qualify for R&D credits (i.e. you don’t need to have a patent to qualify). To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes.

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.