Abstract: The semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a first plurality of normal memory cells and a second plurality of dummy memory cells in a stacked configuration over a substrate, a first plurality of normal word lines electrically coupled to the first plurality of normal memory cells, and a second plurality of dummy word lines electrically coupled to the second plurality of dummy memory cells, wherein the first plurality of normal memory cells includes at least one bad memory cell and each of the at least one bad memory cells are is replaced with a dummy memory cell from among the second plurality of dummy memory cells.
Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, a peripheral circuit performing a program operation or erase operation of the memory cell array; and a control logic controlling the peripheral circuit. The control logic controls the peripheral circuit such that a first program allowable voltage applied to bit lines of the memory cell array during a first program operation of the program operation and a second program allowable voltage applied during a second program operation of the program operation are different from each other.
Abstract: To provide a memory cell for storing multilevel data that is less likely to be affected by variations in characteristics of transistors and that is capable of easily writing multilevel data in a short time and accurately reading it out. In writing, a current corresponding to multilevel data is supplied to the transistor in the memory cell and stored as the gate-drain voltage of the transistor in the memory cell. In reading, a current is supplied to the transistor in the transistor with the stored gate-drain voltage, and the multilevel data is obtained from the voltage supplied to generate a current that is equal to the current.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 27, 2015
Date of Patent:
June 13, 2017
Assignee:
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Abstract: An electronic device is provided. An electronic device according to an example of the disclosed technology includes a semiconductor memory, the semiconductor memory including: a substrate including a recess formed in the substrate; a gate including at least a portion that is buried in the substrate; a junction formed at both sides of the gate in the substrate; and a memory element electrically connected to the junction at one side of the gate, wherein the junction includes: a barrier layer formed over the recess such that a thickness of the barrier layer formed over a bottom surface of the recess is different from that of the barrier layer formed over a side surface of the recess; a contact pad formed over the barrier layer so as to fill the recess; and an impurity region formed in the substrate and located under the contact pad.
Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a memory array, a ring oscillator and a speed determination circuit. The memory array is defined by a plurality of memory cells that are based on a memory cell design. The ring oscillator has a plurality of inversion stages formed of a plurality of modified memory cells based on the memory cell design. The speed determination circuit is configured to determine a speed of the ring oscillator.
Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing and using stacked vertical memory array architectures. A first NAND string may be formed or arranged above a second NAND string. The first NAND string may include a first drain-side select gate connected to a first set of memory cell transistors connected to a first source-side select gate. The second NAND string may include a second drain-side select gate connected to a second set of memory cell transistors connected to a second source-side select gate. The first NAND string and the second NAND string may comprise portions of the same or different memory array architectures (e.g., the first NAND string may be part of a memory array that uses U-shaped NAND strings and the second NAND string may be part of a memory array that uses single vertical NAND strings).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 26, 2016
Date of Patent:
June 6, 2017
Assignee:
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Inventors:
Xiying Costa, Henry Chien, Yao-Sheng Lee, Yanli Zhang
Abstract: In some embodiments, a system includes a bit-cell circuit and a body voltage control circuit. During a sleep mode, the bit-cell circuit receives, via a source node of a transistor, a retention voltage. During an active mode, the bit-cell receives, via the source node, an operating voltage. The body voltage control circuit includes a first transistor that connects a body node of the transistor of the bit-cell circuit to the source node such that during the sleep mode, the body node receives the retention voltage. The body voltage control circuit further includes a second transistor that connects the body node to a voltage source such that during the active mode, the body node receives the operating voltage.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 3, 2016
Date of Patent:
June 6, 2017
Assignee:
Apple Inc.
Inventors:
Yildiz Sinangil, Mohamed H. Abu-Rahma, Jaroslav Raszka
Abstract: A system including a configurable memory controller, a memory interface, and a configurable high speed communications fabric comprising a plurality of interconnect stations arranged in an array and operable to implement a plurality of pipelined buses, where the configurable memory controller is operably coupled to the configurable high speed communications fabric using a first interconnect station of the plurality of interconnect stations, where the memory interface is operably coupled to the configurable high speed communications fabric using a second interconnect station of the plurality of interconnect stations, where the plurality of interconnect stations are configured to satisfy a timing requirement of the memory interface, and where the configurable memory controller, the memory interface, and the configurable high speed communications fabric are associated with a configurable integrated circuit.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 3, 2015
Date of Patent:
May 30, 2017
Assignee:
Agate Logic, Inc.
Inventors:
Suresh Subramanian, Mukunda Krishnappa, Pohrong R. Chu, Jason Golbus, Dana L. How
Abstract: A memory stack includes a number of memory dies including a master die and one or more slave dies. The slave die can be converted to a master die by further processing. The slave die includes a memory core having memory cell arrays. The slave die also includes first and second metal layers that form first and second distribution lines in the memory core, respectively. An interface circuit in the slave die is decoupled from the first and second metal layers.
Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of first memory cells included in a first memory cell group and coupled to a plurality of first bit lines, respectively, a plurality of first switches coupled to the first bit lines, respectively, and coupled to a voltage node, a driver configured to supply a constant voltage to the voltage node for a write operation, and a switch control unit configured to selectively turn on one or more of the first switches when the write operation is performed.
Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for threshold voltage analysis are described. One or more methods for threshold voltage analysis include storing expected state indicators corresponding to a group of memory cells, applying a first sensing voltage to a selected access line to which the group of memory cells is coupled, sensing whether at least one of the memory cells of the group conducts responsive to the first sensing voltage, determining whether a discharge indicator for the at least one of the memory cells has changed responsive to application of the first sensing voltage, and determining that the first sensing voltage is the threshold voltage for a particular program state of the at least one of the memory cells.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 23, 2016
Date of Patent:
May 23, 2017
Assignee:
Micron Technology, Inc.
Inventors:
William C. Filipiak, Violante Moschiano
Abstract: A power management circuit for an electronic device sequentially activates and/or deactivates electronic circuits of the electronic device. The power management circuit provides a first group of one or more circuit power management signals to activate and/or deactivate a first electronic circuit from among the electronic circuits. Thereafter, the power management circuit provides a corresponding power management signal from among a second group of the one or more circuit power management signals that corresponds to a portion of the first electronic circuit that has been activated and/or deactivated by the first group of the one or more circuit power management signals to activate and/or deactivate a portion of a second electronic circuit from among the electronic circuits. The power management circuit continues to sequentially provide each of the one or more circuit power management signals in a similar manner until the electronic circuits of the electronic device have been activated and/or deactivated.
Abstract: In some embodiments, a circuit comprises a plurality of memory banks, a column line tracking loop and/or a row line tracking loop, and a tracking circuit. The plurality of memory banks are arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of memory building blocks. The column line tracking loop traverses at least a portion of the plurality of rows. The row line tracking loop traverses at least a portion of the plurality of columns. The tracking circuit is configured to receive a first edge of a first signal, cause the first edge of a first signal to be propagated through the column line tracking loop and/or through the row line tracking loop and cause a second edge of the first signal when receiving the propagated first edge of the first signal. The first signal is associated with accessing of the plurality of memory banks.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 26, 2015
Date of Patent:
May 9, 2017
Assignee:
TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
Inventors:
Ming-En Bu, Xiuli Yang, He-Zhou Wan, Mu-Jen Huang, Jie Cai
Abstract: A three-dimensional array adapted for memory elements that reversibly change a level of electrical conductance in response to a voltage difference being applied across them. Memory elements are formed across a plurality of planes positioned different distances above a semiconductor substrate. Bit lines to which the memory elements of all planes are connected are oriented vertically from the substrate and through the plurality of planes.
Abstract: Methods of biasing in memory devices facilitate memory device programming operations. In at least one embodiment, a first string of memory cells comprising a selected memory cell and a second string of memory cells are coupled to a common data line and a common source, where the data line is biased to a potential greater than a potential to which the source is biased during a programming operation performed on the selected memory cell.
Abstract: A circuit includes a first power node that receives a first operational voltage having a first operational voltage level and a second power node that receives a second operational voltage having a second operational voltage level different from the first operational voltage level. A memory cell is coupled with the first power node, the memory cell configured to store a logic value, and a tracking cell is coupled with the second power node, the tracking cell configured to generate a signal having a timing responsive to the second operational voltage level. The circuit is configured to read the logic value of the memory cell based on the signal.
Abstract: Semiconductor memory devices are provided. The semiconductor memory device includes an input/output (I/O) drive controller, a data I/O unit and a data transmitter. The data I/O unit selectively drives a first global I/O line and first/second global I/O lines according to the first or second test modes. The data transmitter selectively transfers the data on the first global I/O line onto first and second local I/O lines to store the data on the first global I/O line, and the data on the first and second global I/O lines onto the first and second local I/O lines according to the first or second test modes.
Abstract: A program method of a nonvolatile memory device includes a pre-program verify step for verifying a threshold voltage of a selected memory cell; a step of setting a bit line voltage of the selected memory cell according to the threshold voltage of the selected memory cell which is determined through the pre-program verify step; a step of applying a program voltage to the selected memory cell set with the bit line voltage; and a post-program verify step for verifying a programmed state of the selected memory cell applied with the program voltage.
Abstract: Providing for programming a two-terminal memory cell array with low sneak path current is described herein. Groups of two-terminal memory cells can be arranged into blocks or sub-blocks, along sets of bitlines and local wordlines. Further, groups of local wordlines within a given sub-block can be electrically isolated from bitlines outside the sub-block. A programming signal can be applied to the two-terminal memory cells from an associated local wordline thereof. Sneak path currents can be mitigated or avoided with respect to bitlines outside a particular sub-block, or on non-selected wordlines of the sub-block. This can significantly reduce a magnitude of combined sneak path current within the sub-block in response to the programming operation.
Abstract: A memory device includes a semiconductor memory unit, and a controller configured to communicate with a host through a serial interface and access the memory semiconductor unit in response to commands received through the serial interface. The controller, in response to a first read command received through the serial interface to read data in a first page of the semiconductor memory unit, issues a first command to the semiconductor memory unit to read data in the first page and, in addition, a second command to read data in a second page that is consecutive to the first page and not specified in the first read command.