Patents Assigned to Macronix International Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11889771
    Abstract: A method for mitigating moisture driven degradation of silicon doped chalcogenides includes placing a silicon doped chalcogenide composition in a process chamber, passivating dangling silicon bonds of the silicon doped chalcogenide composition by flooding the process chamber with forming gas or with hydrogen plasma, purging the forming gas or the hydrogen plasma from the process chamber, and removing the passivated silicon doped chalcogenide composition from the process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng-Wei Cheng, Huai-Yu Cheng, I-Ting Kuo, Robert L. Bruce, Martin Michael Frank, Hiroyuki Miyazoe
  • Patent number: 11887949
    Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device that has a first layer including conductive material, a bond wire coupled to an upper surface of the first layer, and a second layer including conductive material underneath the first layer. One or more interconnects couple the second layer to the first layer. In an example, the second layer has a plurality of discontinuous sections that includes (i) a connected section coupled to the one or more interconnects and (ii) one or more floating sections that are at least in part surrounded by the connected section, where the one or more floating sections are electrically floating and isolated from the connected section. The semiconductor device also includes an under-pad circuit on a substrate underneath the second layer, the under-pad circuit to transmit signals to one or more components external to the semiconductor device though the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Su-Chueh Lo, Jian-Syu Lin, Yi-Fan Chang
  • Publication number: 20240028211
    Abstract: A memory device for CIM, applicable to a 3D AND-type flash memory, includes a memory array, input word line pairs, and a signal processing circuit. The memory array includes first and second pairs of memory cells. Each first pair of memory cells includes a first memory cell set coupled to a first GBL and a second memory cell set coupled to a second GBL. Each second pair of memory cells includes a third memory cell set coupled to the first GBL and a fourth memory cell set coupled to the second GBL. Each input word line pair includes a first input word line coupled to the first and the second memory cell sets, and a second input word line coupled to the third and the fourth memory cell sets s. The signal processing circuit is coupled to the first and second global bit lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hang-Ting Lue, Tzu-Hsuan Hsu, Teng-Hao Yeh, Chih-Chang Hsieh, Chun-Hsiung Hung, Yung-Chun LI
  • Publication number: 20240030938
    Abstract: A memory device, an error correction device and an error correction method thereof are provided. The error correction device includes a first error correction decoder and a second error correction decoder. The first error correction decoder performs at least one iteration of a first error correction operation on a data chunk, calculates a counting number of syndrome values equal to a set logic value generated in the at least one iteration of the first error correction operation, and generates a control signal according to the counting number. The second error correction decoder receives the control signal and determines whether to be activated to perform a second error correction operation on the data chunk or not according to the control signal. An error correction ability of the second error correction decoder is higher than an error correction ability of the first error correction decoder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuan-Chieh Wang
  • Publication number: 20240021224
    Abstract: A memory array is arranged to store data words in respective sets of TCAM cells, where each TCAM cell is configured to store ternary states of a bit of the stored word. A circuit to select a set of TCAM cells in the set of TCAM cells, such as decoders and drivers for word lines, bit lines, block select gates. A circuit to apply an input search word to the TCAM cells in the selected set of TCAM cells, such as a search word buffer or driver on one of word lines or bit lines for the array. A circuit to generate an output indicating similarity of the stored word in the selected set of TCAM cells to the input search word, based on mismatch or possible mismatch of more than one bit of the search word.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hang-Ting LUE
  • Patent number: 11875850
    Abstract: The application provides a content addressable memory (CAM) memory device, a CAM memory cell and a method for searching and comparing data thereof. The CAM memory device includes: a plurality of CAM memory strings; and an electrical characteristic detection circuit. In data searching, a search data is compared with a storage data stored in the CAM memory strings, the CAM memory strings generate a plurality of memory string currents, the electrical characteristic detection circuit detects the memory string currents to generate a plurality of sensing results, or detects a plurality of match line voltages on a plurality of match lines coupled to the CAM memory string to generate the plurality of search results. The storage data and the search data is a range storage data and a single-bit search data, or the storage data and the search data is a single-bit storage data and a range search data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Po-Hao Tseng
  • Patent number: 11875854
    Abstract: A memory device and a word line driver thereof are provided. The word line driver includes a first word line signal generator, a second word line signal generator, a first voltage generator, and a second voltage generator. The first word line signal generator selects one of a first voltage and a second voltage to generate a first word line signal according a control signal. The second word line signal generator selects one of a third voltage and a fourth voltage to generate a second word line signal according the control signal. The first voltage generator provides the second voltage, and the second voltage generator provides the fourth voltage, where the first voltage generator is independent to the second voltage generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teng Hao Yeh, Wu-Chin Peng, Chih-Ming Lin, Hang-Ting Lue
  • Patent number: 11875849
    Abstract: An analog content-address memory (analog CAM) having approximation matching and an operation method thereof are provided. The analog CAM includes an inputting circuit, at least one analog CAM cell and an outputting circuit. The inputting circuit is configured to provide an inputting data. The analog CAM cell is connected to the inputting circuit and receives the inputting data. The analog CAM cell has a mild swing match curve whose highest point corresponds to a stored data. A segment from the highest point of the mild swing match curve to a lowest point of the mild swing match curve corresponds to at least three data values. The outputting circuit is connected to the analog CAM cell and receives a match signal from the analog CAM cell. The outputting circuit outputs a match approximation level according to the match signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Hsuan Lin, Po-Hao Tseng, Feng-Min Lee
  • Publication number: 20240015987
    Abstract: A switching device is provided. The device includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a multi-layer ovonic threshold switch (OTS) between the first and second electrodes, the multi-layer OTS including a first layer and a second layer. The first layer and the second layer are different compositions, and the second layer includes germanium Ge and nitrogen N. The switching device can be thermally stable to temperatures over 600° C. Further, the switching device can be used in three-dimensional (3D) cross-point memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Huai-Yu CHENG, Alexander GRUN
  • Patent number: 11871588
    Abstract: A memory device includes a stack and a plurality of memory strings. The stack is disposed on the substrate, and the stack includes a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers alternately stacked. The memory strings pass through the stack along a first direction, wherein a first memory string in the memory strings includes a first conductive pillar and a second conductive pillar, a channel layer, and a memory structure. The first conductive pillar and the second conductive pillar respectively extend along the first direction and are separated from each other. The channel layer is disposed between the first conductive pillar and the second conductive pillar. The memory structure surrounds the second conductive pillar, and the memory structure includes a resistive memory material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Feng-Min Lee, Erh-Kun Lai, Dai-Ying Lee, Yu-Hsuan Lin, Po-Hao Tseng, Ming-Hsiu Lee
  • Patent number: 11869613
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a transistor and a memory device. The transistor includes a source, a drain, and a gate. The memory device is disposed at a drain side of the transistor and coupled to the drain. The memory device includes a first electrode, a switch layer, a memory layer, and a second electrode disposed sequentially. The first electrode is coupled to the drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Chih Chien, Hsiang-Lan Lung
  • Patent number: 11861012
    Abstract: A method provides the capability to maintain integrity of a data image stored by computing a hash value (“digest”) of the data image and comparing the hash value computed for the data image with a hash value computed for the data image and kept in a non-volatile area of memory. Bit flips in the data image that are a result of memory hardware errors reveal themselves as differences in the digest computed for the data image and the computed digest for the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chun-Lien Su
  • Patent number: 11862287
    Abstract: Systems, methods, circuits, and apparatus including computer-readable mediums for managing page buffer circuits in memory devices are provided. In one aspect, a memory device includes a memory cell array, memory cell lines connecting respective lines of memory cells, and a page buffer circuit including page buffers coupled to the memory cell lines. Each page buffer includes a sensing latch circuit and a storage latch circuit. The sensing latch circuit includes a sensing transistor coupled to a sensing node and at least one sensing latch unit having a first node coupled to the sensing node and a second node coupled to a first terminal of the sensing transistor. The storage latch circuit includes at least one storage latch unit having third and fourth nodes coupled to the sensing node and a gate terminal of the sensing transistor. A second terminal of the sensing transistor is coupled to a ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shang-Chi Yang, Hui-Yao Kao
  • Patent number: 11853567
    Abstract: A memory controller accesses a memory page in a memory block of a storage memory array of a memory device. The memory controller reads memory data stored in the accessed memory page. The memory controller determines a number of error bits associated with the memory data. The memory controller obtains an erase count corresponding to the accessed memory page, the erase count indicating a number of erase operations performed on the accessed memory page. The memory controller determines, from among one or more error threshold values, an error threshold value based at least on the erase count. The memory controller determines a relationship between the number of error bits and the error threshold value. The memory controller triggers a data refresh for the accessed memory block if the relationship between the number of error bits and the error threshold value satisfy a known criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuo-Nan Hung, E-Yuan Chang
  • Patent number: 11853890
    Abstract: Provided is an operation method for a memory device, the memory device being used for implementing an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The operation method includes: reading from the memory device a weight matrix of a current layer of a plurality of layers of the ANN to extract a plurality of neuro values; determining whether to perform calibration; when it is determined to perform calibration, recalculating and updating a mean value and a variance value of the neuro values; and performing batch normalization based on the mean value and the variance value of the neuro values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chao-Hung Wang, Yu-Hsuan Lin, Ming-Liang Wei, Dai-Ying Lee
  • Publication number: 20230413552
    Abstract: A three-dimensional flash memory device may be a AND flash memory device. The three-dimensional flash memory device includes: a substrate, a gate stack structure, a plurality of slit structures, a plurality of memory arrays, and a plurality of conductive pillars. The gate stack structure is located above the substrate. The plurality of slit structures extend through the gate stack structure and divide the gate stack structure into a plurality of blocks. The plurality of memory arrays are disposed in the gate stack structure of the plurality of blocks. The plurality of conductive pillars extends through the gate stack structure in the plurality of blocks, and disposed between the plurality of memory arrays and between the plurality of slit structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hang-Ting Lue, Teng Hao Yeh, Cheng-Yu Lee, Wei-Chen Chen
  • Patent number: 11847021
    Abstract: An operation method of memory device, comprising: selecting a target block for performing an error correction operation; reading the target block row by row; transmitting the read data to an error correction circuit; and checking and correcting read data to generate a corrected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Yu Lin, Feng-Min Lee
  • Patent number: 11848046
    Abstract: The application provides a sense amplifier and an operation method thereof. The operation method for the sense amplifier includes: during a first phase, initializing a first sensing input voltage and a second input sensing voltage; and recording a first sensing output voltage and a second sensing output voltage of a previous round by charges stored in a plurality of transistors of the sense amplifier; during a second phase, sampling the first sensing output voltage and the second sensing output voltage of a current round as a plurality of transit points; during a first sub-phase of a third phase, amplifying a voltage difference between an input signal and a first reference voltage; and during a second sub-phase of the third phase, pulling the first sensing output voltage and the second sensing output voltage into a full-swing voltage range, and recording charges to the transistors of the sense amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Han-Wen Hu
  • Publication number: 20230402085
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for managing data refresh for semiconductor devices are provided. In one aspect, a semiconductor device includes a memory cell array having a plurality of blocks each including multiple pages and one or more integrated circuits coupled to the memory cell array. The one or more integrated circuits are configured to: read specific data from a page of a block in the memory cell array, perform a logic operation on the specific data in the page to obtain a logic operation result, count a number of bits having a specific value among the logic operation result, determine whether the number of bits is within a data refresh criterion for the page, and in response to determining that the number of bits is outside of the data refresh criterion, generate a data refresh warning message for the page in the block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicant: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuo-Nan Hung
  • Patent number: 11842769
    Abstract: At least one embodiment of the disclosure is directed to a memory circuit having a leakage current blocking mechanism and a memory device having the memory circuit. In an aspect, one embodiment of the disclosure describes a memory circuit which includes not limited to a memory array which includes a first memory cell connected to a first bit line and a second memory cell connected to a second bit line, a pre-charge circuit which is connected to the memory array and includes a first pre-charge device, and a programming circuit which is connected to the pre-charge circuit and comprises a programming transistor which has a higher drive capability than the first pre-charge device so as to drive the first bit line to a ground voltage in response to the first write operation, wherein in response to a first write operation on the first memory cell, a current flow exists between the programming circuit and the first pre-charge device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tien-Yen Wang, Yun-Chen Chou, Chun-Hsiung Hung