Electrically Programmable Rom (epo) Patents (Class 257/E27.103)
  • Patent number: 11968833
    Abstract: A memory device includes a source element, a drain element, channel layers, control electrode layers, and a memory layer. The channel layers are individually electrically connected between the source element and the drain element. Memory cells are defined in the memory layer between the control electrode layers and the channel layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Chen Chen, Hang-Ting Lue
  • Patent number: 11963467
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a semiconductor memory. A method for fabricating the electronic device includes forming a first memory cell extending vertically from a surface of substrate and having a first upper portion that protrudes laterally, forming a second memory cell extending vertically from the surface of the substrate and having a second upper portion that protrudes laterally towards the first upper portion, and forming a liner layer over the first and second memory cells, the liner layer having a first portion disposed over the first upper portion and a second portion disposed over the second upper portion, the first and second portions of the liner layer contacting each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Hyo-June Kim, Hyun-Seok Kang, Chi-Ho Kim, Jae-Geun Oh
  • Patent number: 11934480
    Abstract: A circuit for in-memory multiply-and-accumulate functions includes a plurality of NAND blocks. A NAND block includes an array of NAND strings, including B columns and S rows, and L levels of memory cells. W word lines are coupled to (B*S) memory cells in respective levels in the L levels. A source line is coupled to the (B*S) NAND strings in the block. String select line drivers supply voltages to connect NAND strings on multiple string select lines to corresponding bit lines simultaneously. Word line drivers are coupled to apply word line voltages to a word line or word lines in a selected level. A plurality of bit line drivers apply input data to the B bit lines simultaneously. A current sensing circuit is coupled to the source line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hang-Ting Lue, Hung-Sheng Chang, Yi-Ching Liu
  • Patent number: 11935603
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory has an array of non-volatile memory cells, first reference word lines and second reference word lines, and sense amplifiers. The sense amplifiers read system data, that has been written to supplemental non-volatile memory cells of the first reference word lines, using comparison of the supplemental non-volatile memory cells of the first reference word lines to supplemental non-volatile memory cells of the second reference word lines. Status of erasure of the non-volatile memory cells of the array is determined based on reading the system data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Amichai Givant, Idan Koren, Shivananda Shetty, Pawan Singh, Yoram Betser, Kobi Danon, Amir Rochman
  • Patent number: 11923011
    Abstract: A storage device including a nonvolatile memory device that includes a nonvolatile memory cell array including a string including first and second memory cells stacked sequentially, and an OTP memory cell array that stores reference count values, the first and second memory cells respectively connected to first and second word lines; a controller including a processor that generates a read command for the first memory cell; a read level generator including a counter that receives the read command and calculates an off-cell count value of memory cells connected to the second word line, and a comparator that receives a first reference count value from the OTP memory cell array, compares the off-cell count value with the first reference count value to determine a threshold voltage shift of the second memory cell, and determines a read level of the first memory cell based on the threshold voltage shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-Ho Seo, Suk-Eun Kang, Do Gyeong Lee, Ju Won Lee
  • Patent number: 11871561
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, word lines, bit line contact plugs, and first isolation layers. The word lines are located in the substrate. A bit line contact hole is provided between two adjacent word lines. The bit line contact plugs are located in the bit line contact holes. The first isolation layers are located on side walls of the bit line contact holes and cover side walls of the bit line contact plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Chun-Sheng Juan Lu
  • Patent number: 11855126
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a circuit layer over the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a test line electrically connected to the circuit layer. The semiconductor device further includes a capacitor on the substrate. The capacitor includes a first conductor, wherein the first conductor is on a portion of the substrate exposed by the circuit layer. The capacitor further includes an insulator surrounding the first conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yan-Jhih Huang, Chun-Yuan Hsu, Chien-Chung Chen, Yung-Hsieh Lin
  • Patent number: 11854621
    Abstract: A memory device and method of making the same are disclosed. The memory device includes transistor devices located in both a memory region and a logic region of the device. Transistor devices in the memory region include sidewall spacers having a first oxide layer over a side surface of a gate structure, a first nitride layer over the first oxide layer, a second oxide layer over the first nitride layer, and a second nitride layer over the second oxide layer. Transistor devices in the logic region include sidewall spacers having a first oxide layer over a side surface of a gate structure, a first nitride layer over the first oxide layer, and a second nitride layer over the first nitride layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Chen-Ming Huang, Wen-Tuo Huang, ShihKuang Yang, Yu-Chun Chang, Shih-Hsien Chen, Yu-Hsiang Yang, Yu-Ling Hsu, Chia-Sheng Lin, Po-Wei Liu, Hung-Ling Shih, Wei-Lin Chang
  • Patent number: 11854625
    Abstract: A device is disclosed herein. The device includes at least two transmit portions and at least one contact portion. Each of the at least two transmit portions is configured to receive a bit line signal. The at least one contact portion is couple to the at least two transmit portions respectively and configured to transmit the bit line signals from the least two transmit portions to a source line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo-Pin Chang, Chien-Hung Liu, Chih-Wei Hung
  • Patent number: 11839076
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming first to third sacrificial layers on a substrate including a memory cell area and a peripheral area with a word line area. The second and third sacrificial layers in the word line area are removed to expose the top surface of the first sacrificial layer. The first sacrificial layer in the word line area and the third sacrificial layer in the memory cell area are removed. A word line dielectric layer and a first conductive layer are formed on the substrate in the word line area. The first and second sacrificial layers in the memory cell area are removed. A tunneling dielectric layer is formed on the substrate in the memory cell area. The thickness of the tunneling dielectric layer is smaller than the thickness of the word line dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Che-Fu Chuang, Hsiu-Han Liao
  • Patent number: 11817347
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a stack structure including conductive patterns spaced apart from each other, a channel structure penetrating the stack structure, and a slit insulating layer penetrating the stack structure. Air gaps are defined between the conductive patterns. The slit insulating layer includes a first interposition part covering a sidewall of one of the conductive patterns and a second interposition part covering one of the air gaps from the side. A smallest width of the second interposition part is smaller than a smallest width of the first interposition part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: In Ku Kang, Sung Hyun Yoon
  • Patent number: 11812615
    Abstract: There are provided a semiconductor memory device and a manufacturing method thereof. The semiconductor memory device includes: a cell stack structure surrounding a first channel structure and a second channel structure; a first source select line overlapping with a first region of the cell stack structure and surrounding the first channel structure; and a second source select line overlapping with a second region of the cell stack structure and surrounding the second channel structure. Each of the first source select line and the second source select line includes a first select gate layer overlapping with the cell stack structure, a second select gate layer disposed between the first select gate layer and the cell stack structure, and a third select gate layer disposed between the first select gate layer and the second select gate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Nam Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 11755807
    Abstract: Disclosed in the present invention is a method for predicting a delay at multiple corners for a digital integrated circuit, which is applicable to the problem of timing signoff at multiple corners. In the aspect of feature engineering, a path delay relationship at adjacent corners is extracted by using a dilated convolutional neural network (Dilated CNN), and learning is performed by using a bi-directional long short-term memory model (Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory, BLSTM) to obtain topology information of a path. Finally, prediction results of a path delay at a plurality of corners are obtained by using an output of a multi-gate mixture-of-experts network model (Multi-gate Mixture-of-Experts, MMoE).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Peng Cao, Kai Wang, Tai Yang, Wei Bao
  • Patent number: 11755899
    Abstract: Numerous embodiments of a precision programming algorithm and apparatus are disclosed for precisely and quickly depositing the correct amount of charge on the floating gate of a non-volatile memory cell within a vector-by-matrix multiplication (VMM) array in an artificial neural network. Selected cells thereby can be programmed with extreme precision to hold one of N different values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Hieu Van Tran, Steven Lemke, Vipin Tiwari, Nhan Do, Mark Reiten
  • Patent number: 11758717
    Abstract: A semiconductor die comprises: a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device comprises a first device portion comprising a first sub-array of memory devices, and a first interface portion located adjacent to the first device portion in a first direction. The first interface portion has a staircase profile in a vertical direction. The second semiconductor device comprises a second device portion adjacent to the first device portion in the first direction opposite the first interface portion. The second device portion comprises a second sub-array of memory devices, and a second interface portion located adjacent to the first device portion in the first direction opposite the first interface portion. The second interface portion also has a staircase profile in the vertical direction. The first semiconductor device is electrically isolated from the second semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Meng-Han Lin, Chia-En Huang
  • Patent number: 11749340
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods are provided. A semiconductor device of the present disclosure includes a bias source, a memory cell array including a first region adjacent to the bias source and a second region away from the bias source, and a conductive line electrically coupled to the bias source, a first memory cell in the first region and a second memory cell in the second region. The first memory cell is characterized by a first alpha ratio and the second memory cell is characterized by a second alpha ratio smaller than the first alpha ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Chuan Yang, Shih-Hao Lin
  • Patent number: 11721741
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate including a semiconductor material. The semiconductor device includes a conduction channel of a transistor disposed above the substrate. The conduction channel and the substrate include a similar semiconductor material. The semiconductor device includes a source/drain region extending from an end of the conduction channel. The semiconductor device includes a dielectric structure. The source/drain region is electrically coupled to the conduction channel and electrically isolated from the substrate by the dielectric structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Chen-Ping Chen, Chih-Han Lin, Ming-Ching Chang, Chao-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11706921
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage device includes a substrate, a first wiring, a second wiring, a third wiring, a fourth wiring, a charge storage unit. The first wiring extends in a first direction along a surface of the substrate. The second wiring is aligned with the first wiring in a second direction intersecting with the first direction and extends in the first direction. The third wiring is in contact with the first wiring and the second wiring and includes a semiconductor. The fourth wiring is located between the first wiring and the second wiring, extends in a third direction intersecting with the first direction and the second direction, and is aligned with the third wiring in at least the first direction. The charge storage unit is located between the third wiring and the fourth wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yosuke Murakami, Satoshi Nagashima, Nobuyuki Momo, Takayuki Ishikawa, Yusuke Arayashiki
  • Patent number: 11696438
    Abstract: An EEPROM memory integrated circuit includes memory cells arranged in a memory plane. Each memory cell includes an access transistor in series with a state transistor. Each access transistor is coupled, via its source region, to the corresponding source line and each state transistor is coupled, via its drain region, to the corresponding bit line. The floating gate of each state transistor rests on a dielectric layer having a first part with a first thickness, and a second part with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness. The second part is located on the source side of the state transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventor: François Tailliet
  • Patent number: 11688462
    Abstract: Disclosed is a three-dimensional flash memory including a back gate, which includes word lines extended and formed in a horizontal direction on a substrate so as to be sequentially stacked, and strings penetrating the word lines and extended and formed in one direction on the substrate. Each of the strings includes a channel layer extended and formed in the one direction, and a charge storage layer extended and formed in the one direction to surround the channel layer, the channel layer and the charge storage layer constitute memory cells corresponding to the word lines, and the channel layer includes a back gate extended and formed in the one direction, with at least a portion of the back gate surrounded by the channel layer, and an insulating layer extended and formed in one direction between the back gate and the channel layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignees: IUCF-HYU (INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION HANYANG UNIVERSITY), PeDiSem Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun Heub Song, Chang Eun Song
  • Patent number: 11682461
    Abstract: A memory cell arrangement is provided that may include: a plurality of first control lines; a plurality of second control lines; a plurality of third control lines; each of a plurality of memory cell sets includes memory cells and is assigned to a corresponding one of the plurality of first control lines and includes at least a first memory cell subset addressable via the corresponding first control line, a corresponding one of the plurality of second control lines, and the plurality of third control lines, and at least a second memory cell subset addressable via the corresponding first control line, the plurality of second control lines, and a corresponding one of the plurality of third control lines. The corresponding one of the plurality of third control lines addresses the second memory cell subset of each memory cell set of the plurality of memory cell sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Ferroelectric Memory GmbH
    Inventors: Menno Mennenga, Johannes Ocker
  • Patent number: 11637113
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory includes a first dielectric layer disposed on a substrate, a floating gate disposed on the dielectric layer, a control gate, a second dielectric layer disposed between the floating gate and the control gate, sidewall spacers disposed on opposing sides of a stacked structure including the floating gate, the second dielectric layer and the control gate, and an erase gate and a select gate disposed on sides of the stacked structure, respectively. An upper surface of the erase gate and one of the sidewall spacers in contact with the erase gate form an angle ?1 at a contact point of the upper surface of the erase gate and the one of the sidewall spacers, where 90°<?1<115° measured from the upper surface of the erase gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: ShihKuang Yang, Yong-Shiuan Tsair, Po-Wei Liu, Hung-Ling Shih, Yu-Ling Hsu, Chieh-Fei Chiu, Wen-Tuo Huang
  • Patent number: 11631684
    Abstract: Some embodiments include an integrated assembly with a semiconductor channel material having a boundary region where a more-heavily-doped region interfaces with a less-heavily-doped region. The more-heavily-doped region and the less-heavily-doped region have the same majority carriers. The integrated assembly includes a gating structure adjacent the semiconductor channel material and having a gating region and an interconnecting region of a common and continuous material. The gating region has a length extending along a segment of the more-heavily-doped region, a segment of the less-heavily-doped region, and the boundary region. The interconnecting region extends laterally outward from the gating region on a side opposite the semiconductor channel region, and is narrower than the length of the gating region. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin B. Dorhout, Kunal R. Parekh, Martin C. Roberts, Mohd Kamran Akhtar, Chet E. Carter, David Daycock
  • Patent number: 11605641
    Abstract: A flash device and a manufacturing method thereof. The method comprises: providing a substrate, and forming, on the substrate, a floating gate polycrystalline layer, a floating gate oxide layer, and a tunneling oxide layer; wherein the floating gate polycrystalline layer is formed on the substrate, the floating gate oxide layer is formed between the substrate and the floating gate polycrystalline layer, a substrate region at one side of the floating gate polycrystalline layer is a first substrate region, a substrate region at the other side of the floating gate polycrystalline layer is a second substrate region; forming, on the tunneling oxide layer, located in the first substrate region, a continuous non-conductive layer, the non-conductive layer extending to the tunneling oxide layer at a side wall of the floating gate polycrystalline layer; and forming, on the tunneling oxide layer, a polysilicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: CSMC TECHNOLOGIES FAB2 CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Song Zhang, Zhibin Liang, Yan Jin, Dejin Wang
  • Patent number: 11569255
    Abstract: Electronic apparatus and methods of forming the electronic apparatus may include one or more charge trap structures for use in a variety of electronic systems and devices, where each charge trap structure includes a dielectric barrier between a gate and a blocking dielectric on a charge trap region of the charge trap structure. In various embodiments, a void is located between the charge trap region and a region on which the charge trap structure is disposed. In various embodiments, a tunnel region separating a charge trap region from a semiconductor pillar of a charge trap structure, can be arranged such that the tunnel region and the semiconductor pillar are boundaries of a void. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris M. Carlson, Ugo Russo
  • Patent number: 11563019
    Abstract: In a semiconductor storage device including a plurality of memory cells formed at a laminated substrate including a support layer, an insulating layer on the support layer, and a semiconductor layer on the insulating layer, the plurality of memory cells each include a floating gate transistor and a selection transistor. The floating gate transistor includes a first source region, a first drain region, a first body region, a first body contact region, a floating gate insulating film, and a floating gate electrode, and the selection transistor includes a second source region, a second drain region, a second body region, a second body contact region insulated from the first body contact region, a selection gate insulating film, and a selection gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nakanishi, Susumu Akaishi
  • Patent number: 11551754
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell includes a floating body region configured to be charged to a level indicative of a state of the memory cell; a first region in electrical contact with said floating body region; a second region in electrical contact with said floating body region and spaced apart from said first region; and a gate positioned between said first and second regions. The cell may be a multi-level cell. Arrays of memory cells are disclosed for making a memory device. Methods of operating memory cells are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 11545220
    Abstract: Memory might include an array of memory cells having a plurality of strings of series-connected split-gate memory cells each including a primary memory cell portion and an assist memory cell portion, a plurality of primary access lines each connected to a control gate of the primary memory cell portion of a respective split-gate memory cell of each string of series-connected split-gate memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected split-gate memory cells, and a plurality of assist access lines each connected to a control gate of the assist memory cell portion of its respective split-gate memory cell of each string of series-connected split-gate memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected split-gate memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11537315
    Abstract: A memory system includes a memory device having a plurality of memory blocks for storing data, and a controller configured to perform an erase operation including plural unit erase operations to erase data stored in at least one target memory block included in the plurality of memory blocks. The controller can be configured to perform at least some of the plural unit erase operations onto the at least one target memory block before the at least one target memory block allocated for storing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Jong-Min Lee
  • Patent number: 11526279
    Abstract: Technologies for scrambling functions in a column-addressable memory architecture includes a device having a memory and a circuitry. The memory includes a matrix storing individually addressable bit data, and the matrix is formed by rows and columns. The circuitry is to receive a request to perform a write operation of one or more bit values to one of the columns. The circuitry is further to determine a scrambler state at each location of the column, the location corresponding to a respective row and column index. The scrambler state is indicative of a function used to determine a value at the respective column location. Each of the bit values is scrambled as a function of the scrambler state for the respective column location and written thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Zion Kwok, Jawad Khan, Richard Coulson
  • Patent number: 11502179
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a ferroelectric transistor having an active region which includes a first source/drain region, a second source/drain region vertically offset from the first source/drain region, and a channel region between the first and second source/drain regions. A first conductive gate is operatively adjacent to the channel region of the active region. Insulative material is between the first conductive gate and the channel region. A second conductive gate is adjacent to the first conductive gate. Ferroelectric material is between the first and second conductive gates. Some embodiments include integrated memory. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Pankaj Sharma
  • Patent number: 11362175
    Abstract: A variety of applications can include memory devices designed to provide enhanced gate-induced-drain-leakage (GIDL) current during memory erase operations. The enhanced operation can be provided by enhancing the electric field in the channel structures of the topmost select gate transistors to strings of memory cells upon application of a voltage to the gates of the topmost select gate transistors. This electric field can be provided by using a dissected plug as a contact to the channel structure of the topmost select gate transistor, where the dissected plug has one or more conductive regions contacting the channel structure and one or more non-conductive regions contacting the channel structure. The dissected plug can be part of a contact between the data line and the channel structure. Additional devices, systems, and methods are discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Fayrushin, Haitao Liu, Matthew J. King
  • Patent number: 11362218
    Abstract: A memory device includes a semiconductor substrate with memory cell and logic regions. A floating gate is disposed over the memory cell region and has an upper surface terminating in opposing front and back edges and opposing first and second side edges. An oxide layer has a first portion extending along the logic region and a first thickness, a second portion extending along the memory cell region and has the first thickness, and a third portion extending along the front edge with the first thickness and extending along a tunnel region portion of the first side edge with a second thickness less than the first thickness. A control gate has a first portion disposed on the oxide layer second portion and a second portion vertically over the front edge and the tunnel region portion of the first side edge. A logic gate is disposed on the oxide layer first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jinho Kim, Elizabeth Cuevas, Yuri Tkachev, Parviz Ghazavi, Bernard Bertello, Gilles Festes, Bruno Villard, Catherine Decobert, Nhan Do, Jean Francois Thiery
  • Patent number: 11348634
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a memory string connected between a source line and a bit line. The memory string includes first memory cells stacked along a first channel layer, second memory cells stacked along a second channel layer, and at least one switching memory cell connected between the first memory cells and the second memory cells. A method for operating the semiconductor device includes programming a selected first memory cell among the first memory cells, selecting a second memory cell to be programmed among the second memory cells, applying a program voltage to a word line connected to the selected second memory cell, turning off the switching memory cell such that the first channel layer and the second channel layer are electrically isolated from each other, and applying a pass voltage to word lines connected to unselected memory cells among the first and second memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Byung In Lee, Eun Hong Kim
  • Patent number: 11342025
    Abstract: A memory unit includes a substrate and a floating gate memory cell. The floating gate memory cell includes an erase gate structure disposed on the substrate, floating gate structures select gates, a common source and drains. The common source is disposed in the substrate, and the erase gate structure is disposed on the common source. The floating gate structures protrude from recesses of the substrate at two opposite sides of the erase gate structure. A method for controlling the memory unit includes applying an erase gate programming voltage on the erase gate structure, applying a control gate programming voltage on the common source, applying a bit line programming voltage on the drains, and applying word line programming voltage on the select gates, in which the control gate programming voltage is greater than the erase gate programming voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Wen Tseng, Tsung-Yu Yang, Chung-Jen Huang
  • Patent number: 11276689
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes two cell rows, each of which is formed of a plurality of transistor cells aligned in parallel to each other. Each of the plurality of transistor cells includes a collector region, a base region, and an emitter region that are disposed above a substrate. A plurality of collector extended wiring lines are each connected to the collector region of a corresponding one of the plurality of transistor cells and are extended in a direction intersecting an alignment direction of the plurality of transistor cells. A collector integrated wiring line connects the plurality of collector extended wiring lines to each other. A collector intermediate integrated wiring line that is disposed between the two cell rows in plan view connects the plurality of collector extended wring lines extended from the plurality of transistor cells that belong to one of the two cell rows to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Sasaki, Masao Kondo, Shigeki Koya, Shinnosuke Takahashi, Yasunari Umemoto, Isao Obu, Takayuki Tsutsui
  • Patent number: 11249503
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a current source which is capable of suppressing an increase in circuit size and by which a highly accurate constant current extremely stable to manufacturing variations or temperature fluctuations can be obtained. A current source circuit is provided with a nonvolatile storage element having a control gate region and a source region and operating as a field-effect transistor, and is configured to output a current in a state where a bias is applied between the control gate region and the source region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Asahi Kasel Microdevices Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiro Sakamoto, Yuukou Tsushima
  • Patent number: 11139314
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes gate electrodes spaced apart from each other in a first direction perpendicular to a substrate's upper surface, and extending by different lengths in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The device further includes first and second channels penetrating the gate electrodes and extending in the first direction, a horizontal portion disposed in lower portions of the gate electrodes and connecting lower portions of the first and second channels to each other, and a source line disposed in an upper portion of the second channel and connected to the second channel. The gate electrodes include memory cell electrodes included in memory cells, a first ground select electrode disposed in lower portions of the memory cell electrodes, a second ground select electrode disposed in upper portions of the memory cell electrodes, and a string select electrode disposed in upper portions of the memory cell electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung Min Hwang, Joon Sung Lim, Woo Sung Yang, Dong Sik Lee
  • Patent number: 11120878
    Abstract: A method for programming a non-volatile memory (NVM) and an integrated circuit is disclosed. In an embodiment an integrated circuit includes a memory plane organized into rows and columns of memory words, each memory word comprising memory cells and each memory cell including a state transistor having a control gate and a floating gate and write circuitry configured to program a selected memory word during a programming phase by applying a first nonzero positive voltage to control gates of the state transistors of the memory cells that do not belong to the selected memory word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: François Tailliet, Marc Battista
  • Patent number: 11107535
    Abstract: A selection circuit includes: a first selection device coupled between a write IO line and a first node; a second selection device coupled between a read IO line and a second node; a third selection device controllable by a first address decode signal, and coupled between a first bit line and a third node; a fourth selection device controllable by a second address decode signal, and coupled between a second bit line and the third node; a first suppression device controllable by a write enable signal, and coupled between the second node and ground; a second suppression device controllable by a read enable signal, and coupled between the first node and ground; a first isolation device controllable by the write enable signal, and coupled between the first and third nodes; and a second isolation device controllable by the read enable signal, and coupled between the second and third nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Adesto Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John Dinh, Shane Hollmer
  • Patent number: 11088040
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present application are directed to an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a floating gate test device with a cell-like top layout, as well as a method for forming the IC. In some embodiments, the IC comprises a semiconductor substrate and the floating gate test device. The floating gate test device is on the semiconductor substrate, and comprises a floating gate electrode and a control gate electrode overlying the floating gate electrode. The floating gate electrode and the control gate electrode partially define an array of islands, and further partially define a plurality of bridges interconnecting the islands. The islands and the bridges define the cell-like top layout and may, for example, prevent process-induced damage to the floating gate test device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Meng-Han Lin, Chih-Ren Hsieh, Ya-Chen Kao, Chen-Chin Liu, Chih-Pin Huang
  • Patent number: 11081181
    Abstract: A flash memory of the invention has a plurality of planes, a controller, a switch unit, and a driving control circuit. The controller is configured to select at least one of the planes. The switch unit is configured to electrically connect bit lines of the unselected plane to a reference voltage. The driving control circuit is configured to commonly provide a gate select signal to select transistors of the selected planes and the unselected planes after the bit lines of the unselected plane is electrically connected to the reference voltage. A flash memory that can reliably seek stability of threshold distribution of memory is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: Sho Okabe
  • Patent number: 10984871
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a memory cell region including a first metal pad; a peripheral circuit region including a second metal pad and vertically connected to the memory cell region by the first metal pad and the second metal pad; a substrate in the memory cell region; a memory cell array in the memory cell region comprising a plurality of gate conductive layers stacked on the substrate and a plurality of pillars penetrating through the plurality of gate conductive layers and extending in a direction perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate, wherein at least one of the plurality of gate conductive layers is a ground select line; a control logic circuit in the peripheral circuit configured to output an erase enable signal for controlling an erase operation with respect to the memory cell array; a substrate bias circuit in the peripheral circuit configured to, in response to the erase enable signal, output a substrate bias voltage at a first target level to the substrate from a first time t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun-Gyu Lee, Sung-Whan Seo
  • Patent number: 10964397
    Abstract: A memory device including at least one dummy word line over a substrate; a plurality of word lines over the dummy word line; and a plurality of vertical holes extending through the at least one dummy word line and the plurality of word lines in a direction perpendicular to the substrate and classified into channel holes and dummy holes, each of the channel holes being connected to a bit line. The method including performing an erase operation on dummy cells formed as the dummy word line and the dummy holes; verifying the erase operation; and performing a program operation on at least one of the dummy cells such that the at least one dummy cell has a higher threshold voltage than main cells formed as the dummy word line and the channel holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yo-han Lee
  • Patent number: 10957401
    Abstract: Methods for reducing read disturb using NAND strings with poly-silicon channels and p-type doped source lines are described. During a boosted read operation for a selected memory cell transistor in a NAND string, a back-gate bias or bit line voltage may be applied to a bit line connected to the NAND string and a source line voltage greater than the bit line voltage may be applied to a source line connected to the NAND string; with these bias conditions, electrons may be injected from the bit line and annihilated in the source line during the read operation. To avoid leakage currents through NAND strings in non-selected memory blocks, the threshold voltages of source-side select gate transistors of the NAND strings may be set to a negative threshold voltage that has an absolute voltage value greater than the source line voltage applied during the read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Kiyohiko Sakakibara, Ippei Yasuda, Ken Oowada, Masaaki Higashitani
  • Patent number: 10943913
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards an integrated memory chip comprising a memory array with a strap-cell architecture that reduces the number of distinct strap-cell types and that reduces strap-line density. In some embodiments, the memory array is limited to three distinct types of strap cells: a source line/erase gate (SLEG) strap cell; a control gate/word line (CGWL) strap cell; and a word-line strap cell. The small number of distinct strap-cell types simplifies design of the memory array and further simplifies design of a corresponding interconnect structure. Further, in some embodiments, the three distinct strap-cell types electrically couple word lines, erase gates, and control gates to corresponding strap lines in different metallization layers of an interconnect structure. By spreading the strap lines amongst different metallization layers, strap-line density is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Tuo Huang, Ping-Cheng Li, Hung-Ling Shih, Po-Wei Liu, Yu-Ling Hsu, Yong-Shiuan Tsair, Chia-Sheng Lin, Shih Kuang Yang
  • Patent number: 10902911
    Abstract: Threshold switching devices demonstrating transient current protection through both insulation and repair current mechanisms, including associated systems and methods, are provided and discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Davide Mantegazza, Sandeep Guliani, Balaji Srinivasan, Kiran Pangal
  • Patent number: 10868158
    Abstract: Charge storage and sensing devices having a tunnel diode operable to sense charges stored in a charge storage structure are provided. In some embodiments, a device includes a substrate, a charge storage device on the substrate, and tunnel diode on the substrate adjacent to the charge storage device. The tunnel diode includes a tunnel diode dielectric layer on the substrate, and a tunnel diode electrode on the tunnel diode dielectric layer. A substrate electrode is disposed on the doped region of the substrate, and the tunnel diode electrode is positioned between the charge storage device and the substrate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., National Taiwan University
    Inventors: Jenn-Gwo Hwu, Chien-Shun Liao, Wei-Chih Kao
  • Patent number: 10867672
    Abstract: In some example embodiments, a program pulse is applied to a resistive memory cell and a plurality of post pulses are applied to the resistive memory cell at a time point after a relaxation time from a time point when application of the program pulse is finished, the plurality of post pulses having voltage levels that increase sequentially. Programming speed and/or performance of the resistive memory device may be enhanced by accelerating resistance drift of the resistive memory cell using the plurality of post pulses having the voltage levels that increase sequentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Sung Cho, Moo-Sung Kim, Seung-You Baek, Jong-Min Baek, Bong-Kil Jung
  • Patent number: 10839747
    Abstract: A display device includes: a pixel array unit with pixel circuits disposed in matrix form, the pixel circuit including a driving transistor, an electro-optic element, a storage-capacitor, and a sampling transistor, with the electro-optic element emitting light by generating a driving current based on information stored in the storage-capacitor at the driving transistor to be applied to the electro-optic element; and a control unit, of which the output stage includes a buffer transistor, to output a pulse signal for driving the pixel array unit from the buffer transistor; wherein the pixel array unit and the control unit are formed with long laser beam irradiation to be scanned in the vertical direction; and with the control unit, buffer transistors for outputting a pulse signal for sampling to an input video signal to each signal line are arrayed in a column in the longitudinal direction of the laser beam irradiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Yamashita, Katsuhide Uchino