Abstract: An integrated circuit memory contains a memory cell connected to a bit line that does not float during a portion or all of the read sensing part of the read cycle. The memory cell includes a data storage device. The data storage device may be a ferroelectric capacitor, a linear capacitor, a floating gate transistor, a magnetic device, a resistive device or other type of data storage device capable of placing a charge on the bit line corresponding to a specific data state of the memory cell. The bit line and a reference bit line are connected to a differential amplifier and precharged to specified voltages. Preferably, a self-nulling sense amplifier circuit is connected to the bit lines that compensates for sense amplifier offset by applying additional charges on the bit lines. Alternatively, charge sources may be connected to the bit lines to provide additional charges on the bit lines during the read cycle.

Abstract: A voltage signal rectifier produces a rectified voltage signal from an input offset voltage signal. The voltage signal rectifier includes input offset, output, and reference nodes, two actively controlled current regulation elements (ACCREs), and two controllers. The input offset node is coupled to the input offset voltage signal. The rectified voltage signal is generated onto the output node. The reference node is coupled to a reference voltage for the input offset and rectified voltage signals. The ACCREs are coupled to the input offset node and one of the ACCREs is coupled to the output node. Each controller is configured to control the one of the ACCREs so that the ACCRE coupled to the output node allows current flow through it when the input offset voltage signal is higher than the rectified voltage signal and the other ACCRE is configured to allows current flow through it when the input offset voltage signal is lower than the rectified voltage signal.

Abstract: An electrical circuit is formed by forming and patterning a conductive layer on a substrate, forming and patterning a conductive layer on another substrate, depositing a dielectric layer on at least a portion of one of conductive layers, mounting an integrated circuit (IC) between the substrates, coupling the IC to the conductive layers, and affixing the substrates together with the conductive layers between the substrates. These are either separate substrates or a unitary substrate. The IC is mounted either to a substrate, a conductive layer, or a dielectric layer. The IC is coupled to the conductive layers either directly or through openings formed in the dielectric layer. An interior conductive layer may be used to couple the IC to the conductive layers.

Abstract: An electrical circuit is formed by forming and patterning a conductive layer on a substrate, forming and patterning a conductive layer on another substrate, depositing a dielectric layer on at least a portion of one of conductive layers, mounting an integrated circuit (IC) between the substrates, coupling the IC to the conductive layers, and affixing the substrates together with the conductive layers between the substrates. These are either separate substrates or a unitary substrate. The IC is mounted either to a substrate, a conductive layer, or a dielectric layer. The IC is coupled to the conductive layers either directly or through openings formed in the dielectric layer. An interior conductive layer may be used to couple the IC to the conductive layers.

Abstract: A rectifier generates a rectified output and a dc power output. The rectifier has an antenna element, a tuning capacitor, a coupling capacitor, first and second rectifying diodes, and a storage capacitor. The antenna element and the tuning capacitor are coupled in parallel and grounded at one terminal. The first rectifying diode is grounded at its anode terminal and the storage capacitor is grounded at one terminal. The coupling capacitor is coupled between the ungrounded terminal of the antenna element and the cathode terminal of the first rectifying diode. The anode terminal of the second rectifying diode is coupled to the cathode terminal of the first rectifying diode. The cathode terminal of the second rectifying diode is coupled to the ungrounded terminal of the storage capacitor. The rectified output is generated between the rectifying diodes. The dc power output is generated between the second rectifying diode and the storage capacitor.

Abstract: A ferroelectric field effect transistor (FET) has a gate, source, drain, and substrate. A negative voltage is applied to the gate. Ground potential is applied to the source, drain, and substrate. The negative voltage has a magnitude at least equal to the coercive voltage of the FET. A positive voltage is then applied to the gate. Ground potential is applied to the source and substrate. The positive voltage is no less than the coercive voltage. Either a positive voltage or a ground potential is applied to the drain to write a logic state to the FET. A voltage is applied to the gate. Ground potential is applied to the source. A positive voltage is applied to the drain. The drain current is measured and compared to a compare current. The relative size of the drain current compared to the compare current is indicative of the stored logic state in the FET.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory includes memory cells comprising a transistor having a source/drain, a ferroelectric capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode. A plate line is connected to each of the second electrodes. In each memory cell, the first electrode is connected to the source/drain of the transistor to create a node that is isolated when the transistor is off. A shunt system directly electrically connects the isolated nodes of a pair of memory cells at a predetermined time to essentially equalize the voltages on the nodes. The shunt may be a Schottky diode, a resistor, and a pair of back-to-back diodes, or a transistor. In the embodiment in which the shunt is a transistor, the shunt line connected to the shunt transistor gate is boosted, there is a shunt transistor connecting each isolated node in a portion of the memory to the adjacent isolated node, and every eight to thirty-two isolated nodes, another shunt transistor connects the chain of isolated nodes to the plate line.

Abstract: A ferroelectric destructive read-out memory system includes a power source, a memory array including a memory cell, and a logic circuit for applying a signal to the memory array. Whenever a low power condition is detected in said power source, a disturb prevent circuit prevents unintended voltages due to the low power condition from disturbing the memory cell. The disturb prevent circuit also stops the operation of the logic circuit for a time sufficient to permit a rewrite cycle to be completed, thereby preventing loss of the data being rewritten.

Abstract: A timing circuit produces a clock signal. An address buffer circuit receives and stores a first address in a first latch and a second address in a second latch asynchronously with respect to the clock signal. A memory control circuit associated with an array of memory cells accesses a first memory cell in the array corresponding to the first address in a first clocked access cycle, and accesses a second memory cell in the array corresponding to the second address in a second clocked access cycle. If a further address is asynchronously received before said second access cycle, the further address replaces the second address in the second latch.

Abstract: A ferroelectric integrated circuit memory includes a memory cell having a first ferroelectric capacitor, one electrode of which is connected to a first bit line through a first transistor and the other electrode of which is connected to a plate line; and a second ferroelectric capacitor, one electrode of which is connected to a second bit line through a second transistor and the other electrode of which is connected to the plate line. The plate line is parallel to the bit lines. The plate line is at 1/2 Vdd. The cell is written to by driving both bit lines either to Vdd or zero volts. The cell is read by driving one bit line to Vdd and the other to zero volts, and sensing the voltage change on the plate line. A shunt system holds the isolated node to the same voltage as the plate line when the row is not selected, thus providing a ferroelectric memory architecture that is unaffected by changes, such as aging, in the ferroelectric material, and has no disturb voltages.

Abstract: A ferroelectric integrated circuit memory includes a memory cell having a ferroelectric capacitor, one electrode of which is connected to a bit line through a transistor, and the other electrode of which is connected to a plate line. The bit line is also connected to system ground through a precharge transistor. In a read cycle, the precharge transistor remains on after the word line goes high connecting the capacitor to the bit line. At least a portion of the linear displacement current that flows to the bit line is drained off to ground via the precharge transistor, thereby increasing the switching voltage across the ferroelectric capacitor. The precharge transistor is turned off before or during the switching of the ferroelectric capacitor. The signal applied to the gate of the precharge transistor is boosted above the supply voltage of the memory to shorten the cycle time.

Abstract: A ferroelectric integrated circuit memory includes a memory cell having a ferroelectric capacitor, one electrode of which is connected to a bit line through a transistor and the other electrode of which is connected to a plate line. The plate line is floating at one-half Vcc when the bit line is lowered to zero volts to develop a read voltage on the plate line. A unity gain amplifierthen drives a complementary plate line to the same voltage as the plate line, then the plate line and complementary plate line are connected via a transistor, and the bit line is raised to Vcc to develop a reference voltage. This operation subtracts the read voltage from the reference voltage to develop a net voltage on the complementary plate line.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory includes a transistor having a source/drain, a capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode, and a plate line connected to the second electrode. The first electrode is connected to the source/drain of the transistor to create a node that is isolated when the transistor is off. A shunt system directly electrically connects the isolated node and the second electrode of said capacitor at a predetermined time to essentially equalize the voltages on the first and second electrodes of said capacitor during the predetermined time. In different embodiments the shunt is a Schottky diode, a resistor, and a pair of back-to-back diodes and a transistor.