Patents Assigned to Avalanche Technology, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10127960
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for sensing the resistance state of a memory cell, which includes a memory element and a two-terminal selector coupled in series between first and second conductive lines. The method includes the steps of precharging at least the first conductive line to attain a potential drop across the memory cell that is sufficiently large to turn on the two-terminal selector; allowing the voltage of the first conductive line to decay by discharging through the second conductive line; measuring the voltage of the first conductive line after a discharge period to determine the resistance state of the memory cell; concluding that the memory cell is in the high resistance state if the measured voltage is greater than a reference level; and concluding that the memory cell is in the low resistance state if the measured voltage is less than the reference level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dean K. Nobunaga
  • Patent number: 10108542
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a computer subsystem that includes a central processing unit (CPU); one or more byte-addressable memory modules having a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) form factor connected to the CPU via a first memory channel; and a master persistent memory module and one or more slave persistent memory modules having the DIMM form factor connected to the CPU via a second memory channel. The master persistent memory module and the one or more slave persistent memory modules are connected in a daisy chain configuration. The one or more slave persistent memory modules receive commands directly from the master persistent memory module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ngon Van Le, Berhanu Iman, Ravishankar Tadepalli
  • Patent number: 10101924
    Abstract: A method of writing to one or more solid state disks (SSDs) employed by a storage processor includes receiving a command, creating sub-commands from the command based on a granularity, and assigning the sub-commands to the one or more SSDs and creating a NVMe command structure for each sub-command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Asnaashari, Siamack Nemazie
  • Patent number: 10090456
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory element including a magnetic free layer structure and a magnetic reference layer structure with an insulating tunnel junction layer interposed therebetween; a magnetic fixed layer exchange coupled to the magnetic reference layer structure through an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer; a magnesium oxide layer formed adjacent to the magnetic fixed layer; and a metal layer comprising nickel and chromium formed adjacent to the magnesium oxide layer. The magnetic reference layer structure includes a first and a second magnetic reference layers with a first perpendicular enhancement layer (PEL) interposed therebetween. The first and second magnetic reference layers have a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof. The magnetic fixed layer has a second invariable magnetization direction opposite to the first invariable magnetization direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yiming Huai, Huadong Gan, Zihui Wang
  • Patent number: 10079338
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a magnetic memory element including a magnetic free layer structure having a variable magnetization direction perpendicular to a layer plane thereof; an oxide layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure; an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure opposite the oxide layer; a first magnetic reference layer formed adjacent to the insulating tunnel junction layer opposite the magnetic free layer structure; a second magnetic reference layer separated from the first magnetic reference layer by a perpendicular enhancement layer; an antiferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to the second magnetic reference layer; and a magnetic fixed layer structure formed adjacent to the antiferromagnetic coupling layer. The first and second magnetic reference layers have a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yiming Huai, Huadong Gan, Bing K. Yen
  • Patent number: 10050083
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an MTJ memory element, which comprises a magnetic fixed layer structure formed on top of a seed layer structure that includes a first seed layer and a second seed layer. The first seed layer includes one or more layers of nickel interleaved with one or more layers of a transition metal, which may be tantalum, titanium, or vanadium. The second seed layer is made of an alloy or compound comprising nickel and another transition metal, which may be chromium, tantalum, or titanium. The magnetic fixed layer structure has a first invariable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to a layer plane thereof and includes layers of a first type material interleaved with layers of a second type material with at least one of the first and second type materials being magnetic. The first and second type materials may be cobalt and nickel, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Huadong Gan, Bing K. Yen, Yiming Huai
  • Patent number: 10042758
    Abstract: A high-availability storage system includes a first storage system and a second storage system. The first storage system includes a first Central Processing Unit (CPU), a first physically-addressed solid state disk (SSD) and a first non-volatile memory module that is coupled to the first CPU. Similarly, the second storage system includes a second CPU and a second SSD. Upon failure of one of the first or second CPUs, or the storage system with the non-failing CPU continues to be operational and the storage system with the failed CPU is deemed inoperational and the first and second SSDs remain accessible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Asnaashari, Siamack Nemazie, Anilkumar Mandapuram
  • Patent number: 10037272
    Abstract: A storage system includes a central processing unit (CPU) subsystem including a CPU, a physically-addressed solid state disk (SSD) that is addressable using physical addresses associated with user data, provided by the CPU, to be stored in or retrieved from the physically-addressed SSD in blocks. Further, the storage system includes a non-volatile memory module, the non-volatile memory module having flash tables used to manage blocks in the physically addressed SSD, the flash tables include tables used to map logical to physical blocks for identifying the location of stored data in the physically addressed SSD. Additionally, the storage system includes a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) switch coupled to the CPU subsystem and a network interface controller coupled through a PCIe bus to the PCIe switch, wherein the flash tables are maintained in the non-volatile memory modules thereby avoiding reconstruction of the flash tables upon power interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Asnaashari, Siamack Nemazie, Anilkumar Mandapuram
  • Patent number: 10032979
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a magnetic memory element including a magnetic free layer structure having a variable magnetization direction perpendicular to a layer plane thereof; an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure; a first magnetic reference layer comprising cobalt, iron, and boron formed adjacent to the insulating tunnel junction layer; a second magnetic reference layer comprising cobalt separated from the first magnetic reference layer by a molybdenum layer; an iridium layer formed adjacent to the second magnetic reference layer; and a magnetic fixed layer structure formed adjacent to the iridium layer. The magnetic free layer structure includes a first and a second magnetic free layers with a perpendicular enhancement layer interposed therebetween. The first and second magnetic reference layers have a first invariable magnetization direction perpendicular to layer planes thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Huadong Gan, Yiming Huai, Yuchen Zhou, Zihui Wang, Bing K. Yen, Xiaojie Hao, Pengfa Xu
  • Patent number: 10008540
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a spin-orbitronics device including an array of MTJs with each of the MTJs coupled to a respective one of a plurality of selection transistors; a plurality of transverse polarizing lines with each of the transverse polarizing lines coupled to a row of the MTJs along a first direction; a plurality of word lines with each of the word lines coupled to gates of a row of the selection transistors along a second direction; and a plurality of source lines with each of the source lines coupled to a row of the selection transistors along a direction substantially perpendicular to the second direction. Each MTJ includes a magnetic comparison layer structure having a pseudo-invariable magnetization direction, which is configured to switch between two stable states by passing a comparison current through one of the plurality of transverse polarizing lines formed adjacent to the magnetic comparison layer structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Parviz Keshtbod, Xiaobin Wang, Kimihiro Satoh, Zihui Wang, Huadong Gan
  • Patent number: 10008663
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an MTJ memory element, which includes a magnetic free layer structure having a variable magnetization direction perpendicular to a layer plane thereof; a tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure; a magnetic reference layer structure formed adjacent to the tunnel junction layer and having a first invariable magnetization direction perpendicular to a layer plane thereof; an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to the magnetic reference layer structure; and a magnetic fixed layer structure formed adjacent to the anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer and having a second invariable magnetization direction that is perpendicular to a layer plane thereof and is opposite to the first invariable magnetization direction. The magnetic fixed layer structure includes multiple stacks of a trilayer unit structure, which includes three layers of different materials with at least one of the three layers of different materials being magnetic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaojie Hao, Zihui Wang, Huadong Gan, Yuchen Zhou, Yiming Huai
  • Patent number: 9921782
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a magnetic memory device that emulates DRAM and provides a plug-in or drop-in replacement for DRAM. The memory device includes one or more magnetic memory banks for storing data; a controller configured to issue a dormant write command upon receiving a refresh command for recharging DRAM capacitors; and a memory cache for storing temporary data and configured to save the temporary data to the one or more magnetic memory banks upon receiving the dormant write command from the controller. The memory device may be compliant with at least one version of low power DDR (LPDDR) Specification or at least one version of DDR SDRAM Specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dean K. Nobunaga
  • Patent number: 9911482
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory system includes a first circuit and a second circuit both coupled to a magnetoresistance tunnel junction (MTJ) cell to substantially reduce the level of current flowing through the MTJ with rise in temperature, as experienced by the MTJ. The first circuit is operable to adjust a slope of a curve representing current as a function of temperature and the second circuit is operable to adjust a value of the current level through the MTJ to maintain current constant or to reduce current when the temperature increases. This way sufficient current is provided for the MTJ at different temperatures to prevent write failure, over programming, MTJ damage and waste of current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ebrahim Abedifard, Parviz Keshtbod
  • Patent number: 9898204
    Abstract: A memory device configured to emulate DRAM comprising a memory array that includes a plurality of memory cells organized into rows and columns with at least one row of memory cells comprising one or more pages that store data during a burst write operation; a control circuit; an encoder operable to encode the data to be written to the memory array; and a decoder coupled to the memory array and operable to check and correct the data previously encoded by the encoder and saved in the memory array. The control circuit is operable to initiate the burst write operation that writes the data to the memory array while spanning multiple clock cycles; and after receiving one or more data units of the data by the memory array, allow a subsequent burst write or read command to begin before completion of the burst write operation in progress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Siamack Nemazie
  • Patent number: 9871191
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an MRAM device comprising a plurality of MTJ memory elements. Each of the memory elements includes a magnetic free layer and a first magnetic reference layer with an insulating tunnel junction layer interposed therebetween; a second magnetic reference layer formed adjacent to the first magnetic reference layer opposite the insulating tunnel junction layer; an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to the second magnetic reference layer opposite the first magnetic reference layer; and a magnetic fixed layer formed adjacent to the anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer. The magnetic free layer has a variable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to the layer plane thereof. The first and second magnetic reference layers have a first fixed magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to the layer planes thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuchen Zhou, Yiming Huai, Zihui Wang, Xiaojie Hao, Huadong Gan, Xiaobin Wang
  • Patent number: 9871190
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an MRAM device comprising a plurality of MTJ memory elements. Each of the memory elements includes a magnetic free layer and a first magnetic reference layer with an insulating tunnel junction layer interposed therebetween; a second magnetic reference layer formed adjacent to the first magnetic reference layer opposite the insulating tunnel junction layer; an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to the second magnetic reference layer opposite the first magnetic reference layer; and a magnetic fixed layer formed adjacent to the anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer. The magnetic free layer has a variable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to the layer plane thereof. The first and second magnetic reference layers have a first fixed magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to the layer planes thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Huadong Gan, Yiming Huai, Yuchen Zhou, Xiaobin Wang, Zihui Wang
  • Patent number: 9858977
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for programming a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) coupled to a transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain. The method includes the steps of setting a voltage of a source line to a first voltage, the source line being coupled to one of the source and drain of the transistor, the other one of the source and drain of the transistor being coupled to one end of the MTJ; setting a voltage of a bit line to zero, the bit line being coupled to the other end of the MTJ; setting a voltage of a word line coupled to the gate of the transistor to a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage; and programming the MTJ from a first resistance state to a second resistance state by driving a current through the MTJ from the source line to the bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ebrahim Abedifard, Parviz Keshtbod
  • Patent number: 9831421
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an MTJ memory element including a magnetic free layer structure which includes one or more magnetic free layers that have a same variable magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof; an insulating tunnel junction layer formed adjacent to the magnetic free layer structure; a magnetic reference layer structure comprising a first magnetic reference layer formed adjacent to the insulating tunnel junction layer and a second magnetic reference layer separated therefrom by a perpendicular enhancement layer with the first and second magnetic reference layers having a first fixed magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to layer planes thereof; an anti-ferromagnetic coupling layer formed adjacent to the second magnetic reference layer opposite the perpendicular enhancement layer; and a magnetic fixed layer comprising first and second magnetic fixed sublayers with the second magnetic fixed sublayer formed adjacent to the anti-ferromagnetic
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zihui Wang, Huadong Gan, Yiming Huai, Yuchen Zhou, Xiaobin Wang, Bing K. Yen, Xiaojie Hao
  • Patent number: 9830106
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a storage device including a storage media and a controller coupled thereto through a high speed interface. The storage media includes one or more byte-addressable persistent memory devices, one or more block-addressable persistent memory devices, a hybrid reserved area spanning at least a portion of the one or more byte-addressable persistent memory devices, and a hybrid user area spanning at least a portion of the one or more block-addressable persistent memory devices. The controller uses the hybrid reserved area to store private data. Each of the one or more byte-addressable persistent memory devices may include one or more magnetic random access memory (MRAM) arrays. Each of the one or more block-addressable persistent memory devices may include one or more NAND flash memory arrays. The high speed interface may be a universal flash storage (UFS) interface that operates in the full-duplex mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ngon Van Le, Berhanu Iman, Siamack Nemazie, Ravishankar Tadepalli
  • Patent number: 9824050
    Abstract: A method of accessing a server address space of a shared PCIe end point system includes programming a primary address translation table with a server address of a server address space, setting up a direct memory access (DMA) to access a primary port memory map, the primary port memory map correlating with addresses in the primary address translation table, and re-directing the direct memory accesses to the primary port memory map to the server address space according to the primary address translation table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Avalanche Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Anilkumar Mandapuram, Siamack Nemazie