Abstract: Techniques for forming a contact to a buried diffusion layer in a semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a semiconductor memory device. The semiconductor memory device may comprise a substrate comprising an upper layer. The semiconductor memory device may also comprise an array of dummy pillars formed on the upper layer of the substrate and arranged in rows and columns. Each of the dummy pillars may extend upward from the upper layer and have a bottom contact that is electrically connected with the upper layer of the substrate. The semiconductor memory device may also comprise an array of active pillars formed on the upper layer of the substrate and arranged in rows and columns. Each of the active pillars may extend upward from the upper layer and have an active first region, an active second region, and an active third region. Each of the active pillars may also be electrically connected with the upper layer of the substrate.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device (e.g., a logic device or a memory device) having (i) a memory cell array which includes a plurality of memory cells (for example, memory cells having electrically floating body transistors) and (ii) sense amplifier circuitry, coupled to the memory cell array, to sense a data state stored in one of the memory cells during a sense phase of operation. In one embodiment, the sense amplifier circuitry includes first and second capacitors, a first input electrically coupled to (i) the memory cell to receive a signal which is representative of the data state stored therein and (ii) a first terminal of the first capacitor, and a second input electrically coupled to (i) a first predetermined voltage and (ii) a first terminal of the second capacitor.

Abstract: Techniques for providing a source line plane are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for providing a source line plane. The apparatus may comprise a source line plane coupled to at least one constant voltage source. The apparatus may also comprise a plurality of memory cells arranged in an array of rows and columns, each memory cell including one or more memory transistors. Each of the one or more memory transistors may comprise a first region coupled to the source line plane, a second region coupled to a bit line, a body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the body region may be electrically floating, and a gate coupled to a word line and spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the body region.

Abstract: There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to integrated circuit device including SOI logic transistors and SOI memory transistors, and method for fabricating such a device. In one embodiment, integrated circuit device includes memory portion having, for example, PD or FD SOI memory cells, and logic portion having, for example, high performance transistors, such as Fin-FET, multiple gate transistors, and/or non-high performance transistors (such as single gate transistors that do not possess the performance characteristics of the high performance transistors). In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of manufacture of such integrated circuit device.

Abstract: There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a memory device and technique of reading data from and writing data into memory cells of the memory device. In this regard, in one embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the memory device and technique for operating that device that minimizes, reduces and/or eliminates the debilitating affects of the charge pumping phenomenon. This embodiment of the present invention employs control signals that minimize, reduce and/or eliminate transitions of the amplitudes and/or polarities. In another embodiment, the present invention is a semiconductor memory device including a memory array comprising a plurality of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as a memory device or radiation detector, is disclosed, in which data storage cells are formed on a substrate. Each of the data storage cells includes a field effect transistor having a source, drain, and gate, and a body arranged between the source and drain for storing electrical charge generated in the body. The magnitude of the net electrical charge in the body can be adjusted by input signals applied to the transistor, and the adjustment of the net electrical charge by the input signals can be at least partially cancelled by applying electrical voltage signals between the gate and the drain and between the source and the drain.

Abstract: Techniques for block refreshing a semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for block refreshing a semiconductor memory device. The method may comprise arranging a plurality of memory cells in one or more arrays of rows and columns. Each of the plurality of memory cells may comprise a first region coupled to a source line, a second region, a first body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the body region may be electrically floating and charged to a first predetermined voltage potential, and a first gate coupled to a word line, wherein the first gate may be spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the first body region. The method may also comprise applying voltage potentials to the plurality of memory cells to refresh a plurality of data states stored in the plurality of memory cells.

Abstract: Techniques for simultaneously driving a plurality of source lines are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for simultaneously driving a plurality of source lines. The apparatus may include a plurality of source lines coupled to a single source line driver. The apparatus may also include a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells arranged in an array of rows and columns, each dynamic random access memory cell including one or more memory transistors. Each of the one or more memory transistors may include a first region coupled to a first source line of the plurality of source lines, a second region coupled to a bit line, a body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the body region may be electrically floating, and a gate coupled to a word line and spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the body region.

Abstract: Embodiments of a manufacturing process for recessed gate devices on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate with self-aligned lateral isolation are described. This allows the creation of true in-pitch recessed gate devices without requiring an extra isolation dimension. A lateral isolation trench is formed between pairs of recessed gate devices by etching the silicon-on-insulator area down to a buried oxide layer on which the silicon-on-insulator layer is formed. The position of the trench is self-aligned and defined by the gate width and the dimension of spacers disposed on either side of the gate. The isolation trench is filled with a dielectric material and then etched back to the middle of the SOI body and the remaining volume is filled with a doped conductive material. The doped conductor is subject to a thermal cycle to create source and drain regions of the device through out-diffusion of the doped material.

Abstract: An integrated circuit having a memory cell and/or memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells (as well as techniques for reading, controlling and/or operating, the memory cell, and/or memory cell array). Each memory cell includes at least one transistor having an electrically floating body transistor and an active access element. The electrically floating body region of the transistor forms a storage area or node of the memory cell wherein an electrical charge which is representative of a data state is stored in the electrically floating body region. The active access element is coupled to the electrically floating body transistor to facilitate programming of the memory cell and to provide a relatively large amount of majority carriers to the storage area or node of the memory cell during a write operation.

Abstract: Devices allow a system using a memory array, or the memory itself, to more efficiently control refresh intervals. This reduces standby current and the overhead associated with refresh operations. The device includes a variable analog refresh signal generation circuit that initiates a refresh operation on one or more memory cells of a memory array. The circuit integrates a refresh timer element with an event signal generator such that a refresh interval as defined by the refresh timer element is changed when events are detected that may change the data retention time of one or more memory cells. One or more of the circuits is placed to monitor an entire memory array, different sub-arrays, or different portions of different sub-arrays. This allows additional refresh operations to be closely tied to actual events, thus increasing overall efficiency.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device (e.g., a logic device or a memory device) having a memory cell array including a plurality of word lines (e.g., first and second word lines) and a plurality of word line segments (e.g., first and second word line segments) wherein each word line segment is coupled to an associated word line (e.g., a first segment is associated with the first word line and a second segment is associated with the second word line). The memory cell array further includes a plurality of memory cells, wherein each memory cell includes a transistor having a first region, a second region, a body region, wherein the body region is electrically floating, and a gate coupled to an associated word line via an associated word line segment.

Abstract: A technique of writing, programming, holding, maintaining, sampling, sensing, reading and/or determining the data state of a memory cell of a memory cell array (for example, a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells which consist of an electrically floating body transistor). In one aspect, the present inventions are directed to techniques to control and/or operate a semiconductor memory cell (and memory cell array having a plurality of such memory cells as well as an integrated circuit device including a memory cell array) having one or more electrically floating body transistors in which an electrical charge is stored in the body region of the electrically floating body transistor. The techniques of the present inventions may employ bipolar transistor currents to control, write and/or read a data state in such a memory cell.

Abstract: There are many inventions described herein as well as many aspects and embodiments of those inventions, for example, circuitry and techniques for reading, writing and/or operating semiconductor memory cells of a memory cell array, including, for example, electrically floating body transistors in which an electrical charge is stored in the body of the transistor. In one aspect, the present inventions are directed to one or more independently controllable parameters of a memory operation (e.g., restore, write, refresh), to program or write a data state into a memory cell. In one embodiment, the parameter is the amount of time of programming or writing a predetermined data state into a memory cell. In another embodiment, the controllable parameter is the amplitude of the voltage of the control signals applied to the gate, drain region and/or source region during programming or writing a predetermined data state into a memory cell. Indeed, the controllable parameters may be both temporal and voltage amplitude.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as a memory device or radiation detector, is disclosed, in which data storage cells are formed on a substrate. Each of the data storage cells includes a field effect transistor having a source, drain, and gate, and a body arranged between the source and drain for storing electrical charge generated in the body. The magnitude of the net electrical charge in the body can be adjusted by input signals applied to the transistor, and the adjustment of the net electrical charge by the input signals can be at least partially cancelled by applying electrical voltage signals between the gate and the drain and between the source and the drain.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device (e.g., a logic device or a memory device) having a memory cell array including a plurality of bit lines (e.g., first and second bit lines) and a plurality of bit line segments (e.g., first and second bit line segments) wherein each bit line segment is coupled to an associated bit line. The memory cell array further includes a plurality of memory cells, wherein each memory cell includes a transistor having a first region, a second region, a body region, and a gate coupled to an associated word line via an associated word line segment. A first group of memory cells is coupled to the first bit line via the first bit line segment and a second group of memory cells is coupled to the second bit line via the second bit line segment. A plurality of isolation circuits, disposed between each bit line segment and its associated bit line, responsively connect the associated bit line segment to or disconnect the associated bit line segment from the associated bit line.

Abstract: There are many inventions described herein as well as many aspects and embodiments of those inventions, for example, multi-bit memory cell and circuitry and techniques for reading, writing and/or operating a multi-bit memory cell (and memory cell array having a plurality of such memory cells) having one or more electrically floating body transistors in which an electrical charge is stored in the body region of the electrically floating body transistor. The multi-bit memory cell stores more than one data bit (for example, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) and/or more than two data states (for example, three, four, five, six, etc. data or logic states. Notably, the memory cell array may comprise a portion of an integrated circuit device, for example, logic device (for example, a microprocessor) or a portion of a memory device (for example, a discrete memory).

Abstract: A semiconductor device such as a DRAM memory device is disclosed. A substrate (12) of semiconductor material is provided with energy band modifying means in the form of a box region (38) and is covered by an insulating layer (14). A semiconductor layer (16) has source (18) and drain (20) regions formed therein to define bodies (22) of respective field effect transistors. The box region (38) is more heavily doped than the adjacent body (22), but less highly doped than the corresponding source (18) and drain (20), and modifies the valence and/or conduction band of the body (22) to increase the amount of electrical charge which can be stored in the body (22).

Abstract: There are many inventions disclosed herein. In one aspect, the present inventions are directed to methods and circuitry to control, adjust, determine and/or modify the absolute and/or relative positioning or location (i.e., absolute or relative amount) of reference current which is employed by read circuitry to read the data state of a memory cell during a read operation of one or more memory cells. The control, adjustment, determination and/or modification of the reference current levels may be implemented using many different, distinct and/or diverse techniques and circuitry, including both analog and digital techniques and circuitry.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device (for example, a logic device (such as, a microcontroller or microprocessor) or a portion of a memory device (such as, a discrete memory)), including (a) a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells arranged in (i) a plurality of normal rows of memory cells which are associated with and selectable via normal row addresses and (ii) a redundant row of memory cells which is associated with and selectable via a redundant row address, (b) address decoder circuitry to generate decoded row address data in response to an applied row address, (c) a memory to store decoded redundant row address data, (d) normal word line drivers, (e) redundant word line drivers, and (f) redundancy address evaluation circuitry to (i) store decoded redundant row address data which corresponds to the redundant row address, and (ii) in operation, determine whether the decoded row address data corresponds to the decoded redundant row address data, and, in response thereto, to enable the redundant word l