Patents by Inventor DerChang Kau

DerChang Kau has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8462577
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the fabrication of non-volatile memory devices. In at least one embodiment, a single transistor may be used to drive each address line, either a wordline or a bitline. Both an inhibit voltage and a selection voltage may be driven through these single transistor devices, which may be achieved with the introduction of odd and even designations for the address lines. In one operating embodiment, a selected address line may be driven to a selection voltage, and the address lines of the odd or even designation which is the same as the selected address line are allowed to float. The address lines of the odd or even designation with is different from the selected address lines are driven to an inhibit voltage, wherein adjacent floating address lines may act as shielding lines to the selected address line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond W. Zeng, DerChang Kau
  • Patent number: 8404514
    Abstract: In one or more embodiments, methods of fabricating current-confining stack structures in a phase-change memory switch (PCMS) cell are provided. One embodiment shows a method of fabricating a PCMS cell with current in an upper chalcogenide confined in the row and column directions. In one embodiment, methods of fabricating a PCMS cell with sub-lithographic critical dimension memory chalcogenide are shown. In another embodiment, methods of fabricating a PCMS cell with sub-lithographic critical dimension middle electrode heaters are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jong-Won Sean Lee, DerChang Kau, Gianpaolo Spadini
  • Patent number: 8385100
    Abstract: Embodiments of apparatus and methods for an energy efficient set write of phase change memory with switch are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Derchang Kau, Johannes Kalb, Elijah Karpov, Gianpaolo Spadini
  • Patent number: 8374022
    Abstract: A phase change memory using an ovonic threshold switch selection device may be programmed from one state to another by first turning on the ovonic threshold switch. After the voltage across the cell has fallen, the cell may then be biased to program the cell to the desired state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy C. Langtry, Richard Dodge, Hernan Castro, Derchang Kau, Stephen Tang, Jeremy Hirst
  • Publication number: 20120320670
    Abstract: A phase change memory with switch (PCMS) compensates for threshold voltage drift by utilizing a lower demarcation voltage for a verify operation after programming than for a read operation occurring at least a predetermined period of time after the programming operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventor: DerChang Kau
  • Publication number: 20120282752
    Abstract: In one or more embodiments, methods of fabricating current-confining stack structures in a phase change memory switch (PCMS) cell are provided. One embodiment shows a method of fabricating a PCMS cell with current in an upper chalcogenide confined in the row and column directions. In one embodiment, methods of fabricating a PCMS cell with sub-lithographic critical dimension memory chalcogenide are shown. In another embodiment, methods of fabricating a PCMS cell with sub-lithographic critical dimension middle electrode heaters are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Jong Won Lee, DerChang Kau, Gianpaolo Spadini
  • Patent number: 8289762
    Abstract: Double-pulse write for phase change memory including: writing a phase change material from a high RESET state to a weakened RESET state with a first step, writing the phase change material from the weakened RESET state to a SET state with a second step, the second step having a lower current than the first step, verifying a parameter of the phase change material wherein if the parameter is higher than a target for a SET state, then repeating the writing with the first step, the writing with the second step, and the verifying until the parameter is lower than the target wherein a current for the first step is decreased by a decrement with each iteration without becoming lower than a current for the second step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Derchang Kau, Johannes J. Kalb, Brett Klehn
  • Patent number: 8278641
    Abstract: In one or more embodiments, methods of fabricating current-confining stack structures in a phase change memory switch (PCMS) cell are provided. One embodiment shows a method of fabricating a PCMS cell with current in an upper chalcogenide confined in the row and column directions. In one embodiment, methods of fabricating a PCMS cell with sub-lithographic critical dimension memory chalcogenide are shown. In another embodiment, methods of fabricating a PCMS cell with sub-lithographic critical dimension middle electrode heaters are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jong-Won Sean Lee, DerChang Kau, Gianpaolo Spadini
  • Publication number: 20120236676
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the fabrication of non-volatile memory devices. In at least one embodiment, a single transistor may be used to drive each address line, either a wordline or a bitline. Both an inhibit voltage and a selection voltage may be driven through these single transistor devices, which may be achieved with the introduction of odd and even designations for the address lines. In one operating embodiment, a selected address line may be driven to a selection voltage, and the address lines of the odd or even designation which is the same as the selected address line are allowed to float. The address lines of the odd or even designation with is different from the selected address lines are driven to an inhibit voltage, wherein adjacent floating address lines may act as shielding lines to the selected address line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Raymond W. Zeng, DerChang Kau
  • Publication number: 20120225534
    Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein relates to a memory device, and more particularly to a self-aligned cross-point phase change memory-switch array and methods of fabricating same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jong Won Lee, Gianpaolo Spadini, Derchang Kau
  • Patent number: 8184469
    Abstract: A method for enhancing data storage may comprise storing two or more bits in a memory cell, wherein the stored bits may be characterized by two or more independent variables based, at least in part, on physical properties of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes A. Kalb, DerChang Kau, Gianpaolo Spadini
  • Publication number: 20120120722
    Abstract: An apparatus for data storage is presented. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a phase change memory device comprising phase change memory storage elements. The apparatus further includes control logic to control two or more set pipelines to serve memory requests in a staggered manner, such that set operations of the memory requests begin at different times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Rajesh Sundaram, Derchang Kau, David J. Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20120100688
    Abstract: A phase change memory may be formed with an upper electrode self-aligned to a phase change memory element. In some embodiments, patterning techniques may be used to form the elements of the memory. The memory element may be formed as a sidewall spacer formed on both opposed sides of an elongate strip of material. The resulting elongate strip of phase change memory element material may then be singulated in the same etching step that forms the upper electrodes extending in the column direction. Thus, the memory elements may be singulated in the row direction, while, at the same time, the top electrodes are defined to extend continuously in the column direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: DerChang Kau, Greg Atwood
  • Publication number: 20120075924
    Abstract: Techniques for determining access information describing an accessing of a phase change memory (PCM) device. In an embodiment, an initial read time for a PCM cell is determined based on a final read time for the PCM cell, set threshold voltage information and a reset threshold voltage drift, wherein the final read time and the initial read time define a time window for reading the PCM cell. In another embodiment, a time window extension is determined based on a reset threshold voltage drift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventors: Derchang Kau, Albert Fazio
  • Patent number: 8081506
    Abstract: A voltage memory switch may be formed of an amorphous semiconductor threshold switch and a select device. The amorphous threshold switch may be latched into one of two different current conducting levels. Then, in some embodiments, a relatively dense memory array can be achieved by maintaining an appropriate bias on the cell to prevent it from losing the programmed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Charles C. Kuo, Derchang Kau
  • Patent number: 8049197
    Abstract: One embodiment is a phase change memory that includes a heater element transversely contacting a storage element of phase change material. In particular, an end of the storage element contacts an end of the heater element. A first pair of dielectric spacers is positioned on opposite sides of the first heater element and a second pair of dielectric spacers is positioned on opposite sides of the first storage element. The storage element, heater element, and first and second pairs of dielectric spacers can be made by a spacer patterning technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: DerChang Kau
  • Patent number: 7986549
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for refreshing or toggling a phase-change memory cell are described. The apparatus includes a voltage ramp element coupled to the phase-change memory cell and provided for controlling voltage across the phase-change memory cell. A current control element is coupled to the phase-change memory cell and provided for controlling current through the phase-change memory cell. A current sensor element is coupled to the phase-change memory cell. A write-back timer and control element is coupled to the current sensor element and to the current control element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Tang, DerChang Kau
  • Publication number: 20110149628
    Abstract: A phase change memory using an ovonic threshold switch selection device may be programmed from one state to another by first turning on the ovonic threshold switch. After the voltage across the cell has fallen, the cell may then be biased to program the cell to the desired state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Timothy C. Langtry, Richard Dodge, Hernan Castro, Derchang Kau, Stephen Tang, Jeremy Hirst
  • Publication number: 20110147695
    Abstract: In one or more embodiments, methods of fabricating current-confining stack structures in a phase change memory switch (PCMS) cell are provided. One embodiment shows a method of fabricating a PCMS cell with current in an upper chalcogenide confined in the row and column directions. In one embodiment, methods of fabricating a PCMS cell with sub-lithographic critical dimension memory chalcogenide are shown. In another embodiment, methods of fabricating a PCMS cell with sub-lithographic critical dimension middle electrode heaters are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Jong-Won Sean Lee, Derchang Kau, Gianpaolo Spadini
  • Publication number: 20110141798
    Abstract: A voltage memory switch may be formed of an amorphous semiconductor threshold switch and a select device. The amorphous threshold switch may be latched into one of two different current conducting levels. Then, in some embodiments, a relatively dense memory array can be achieved by maintaining an appropriate bias on the cell to prevent it from losing the programmed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Charles C. Kuo, Derchang Kau