Abstract: A thin-film storage transistor in a NOR memory string has a gate dielectric layer that includes a silicon oxide nitride (SiON) tunnel dielectric layer. In one embodiment, the SiON tunnel dielectric layer has a thickness between 0.5 to 5.0 nm thick and an index of refraction between 1.5 and 1.9. The SiON tunnel dielectric layer may be deposited at between 720° C. and 900° C. and between 100 and 800 mTorr vapor pressure, using an LPCVD technique under DCS, N2O, and NH3 gas flows. The SiON tunnel dielectric layer may have a nitrogen content of 1-30 atomic percent (at %).

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device is implemented as strings of storage transistors, where the storage transistors in each string have drain terminals connected to a bit line and gate terminals connected to respective word lines. In some embodiments, the semiconductor memory device includes a reference bit line structure to provide a reference bit line signal for read operation. The reference bit line structure configures word line connections to provide a reference bit line to be used with a storage transistor being selected for read access. The reference bit line structure provides a reference bit line having the same electrical characteristics as an active bit line and is configured so that no storage transistors are selected when a word line is activated to access a selected storage transistor associated with the active bit line.

Abstract: A memory structure, includes active columns of polysilicon formed above a semiconductor substrate, each active column includes one or more vertical NOR strings, with each NOR string having thin-film storage transistors sharing a local source line and a local bit line, the local bit line is connected by one segment of a segmented global bit line to a sense amplifier provided in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A quasi-volatile memory (QV memory) stack includes at least one semiconductor die, having formed thereon QV memory circuits, bonded to a second semiconductor on which a memory controller for the QV memory (“QV memory controller”) is formed. The circuits in the bonded semiconductor dies are electrically connected using numerous copper interconnect conductors and conductive through-silicon vias (TSVs). The QV memory controller may include one or more interfaces to additional devices (“back-channel devices”) to enable the QV memory controller to also serve as a controller for each back-channel device and to provide additional services. The QV memory controller performs data transfers between a back-channel device and the QV memory without intervention by the host CPU.

Abstract: A memory system includes a memory device including an array of storage transistors for storing data where the storage transistors are organized in multiple memory banks, each memory bank including multiple memory pages; and a control circuit configured to interact with the memory device to perform read and write operations. The control circuit includes a read queue configured to store active read requests for reading data from the memory device, a write queue configured to store active write requests for writing data to the memory device, and a write staging buffer configured to store pending write requests received by the control circuit and to transfer the pending write requests to the write queue to maximize the number of active write requests that are addressed to different memory banks of the memory device.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a three-dimensional NOR memory string of storage transistors implements a channel-last fabrication process with channel replacement using silicon germanium (SiGe). In particular, the process uses silicon germanium as a sacrificial layer, to be replaced with the channel material after the charge-storage layer of the storage transistors is formed. In this manner, the channel region is prevented from experiencing excessive high-temperature processing steps, such as during the annealing of the charge-storage layer.

Abstract: A memory device includes source-drain structure bodies and gate structure bodies arranged along a first direction, and global word lines. The source-drain structure body includes a bit line, and first to third semiconductor layers. The first and second semiconductor layers are of first conductivity type and the first semiconductor layer is connected to the bit line. The third semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type contacts the first and second semiconductor layers. The gate structure body includes a local word line and a charge storage film. A first source-drain structure body includes a bit line forming a first reference bit line. A first global word line connects to the local word lines in the gate structure bodies formed on both sides of the first reference bit line and to the local word lines formed in alternate gate structure bodies that are formed between the remaining plurality of source-drain structure bodies.

Abstract: A 3-dimensional array of NOR memory strings being organized by planes of NOR memory strings, in which (i) the storage transistors in the NOR memory strings situated in a first group of planes are configured to be programmed, erased, program-inhibited or read in parallel, and (ii) the storage transistors in NOR memory strings situated within a second group of planes are configured for storing resource management data relating to data stored in the storage transistors of the NOR memory strings situated within the first group of planes, wherein the storage transistors in NOR memory strings in the second group of planes are configured into sets.

Abstract: A memory structure including three-dimensional NOR memory strings and method of fabrication is disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory system includes a set of memory modules of quasi-volatile memory circuits interconnected to a memory controller and having a set of memory ports. The memory system includes a first processor port, a second processor port, and one or more DIMM interface ports to be coupled to respective processors for providing access to the set of memory modules. In another embodiment, an artificial intelligence (AI) computing system includes a set of memory modules of quasi-volatile memory circuits interconnected to a memory controller and an arithmetic function block performing multiply and accumulate functionalities using data stored in the memory modules. The set of memory modules are accessed to perform read, write and erase memory operations in a rotating manner in each computing cycle.

Abstract: A storage transistor has a tunnel dielectric layer and a charge-trapping layer between a channel region and a gate electrode, wherein the charge-tapping layer has a conduction band offset that is less than the lowering of the tunneling barrier in the tunnel dielectric layer when a programming voltage is applied, such that electrons direct tunnel into the charge-trapping layer. The conduction band of the charge-trapping layer has a value between ?1.0 eV and 2.3 eV. The storage transistor may further include a barrier layer between the tunnel dielectric layer and the charge-trapping layer, the barrier layer having a conduction band offset less than the conduction band offset of the charge-trapping layer.

Abstract: Thin-film Ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET) may be organized as 3-dimensional NOR memory string arrays. Each 3-dimensional NOR memory string array includes a row of active stack each including a predetermined number of active strips each provided one on top of another and each being spaced apart from another by an isolation layer. Each active strip may include a shared source layer and a shared drain layer shared by the FeFETs provided along the active strip. Data storage in the active strip is provided by ferroelectric elements that can individually electrically set into one of two polarization states. FeFETs on separate active strips may be configured for read, programming or erase operations in parallel.

Abstract: A method for forming 3-dimensional vertical NOR-type memory string arrays uses damascene local bit lines is provided. The method of the present invention also avoids ribboning by etching local word lines in two steps. By etching the local word lines in two steps, the aspect ratio in the patterning and etching of stack of local word lines (“word line stacks”) is reduced, which improves the structural stability of the word line stacks.

Abstract: A high-capacity system memory may be built from both quasi-volatile (QV) memory circuits, logic circuits, and static random-access memory (SRAM) circuits. Using the SRAM circuits as buffers or cache for the QV memory circuits, the system memory may achieve access latency performance of the SRAM circuits and may be used as code memory. The system memory is also capable of direct memory access (DMA) operations and includes an arithmetic logic unit for performing computational memory tasks. The system memory may include one or more embedded processor. In addition, the system memory may be configured for multi-channel memory accesses by multiple host processors over multiple host ports. The system memory may be provided in the dual-in-line memory module (DIMM) format.

Abstract: Various methods and various staircase structures formed out of the active strips of a memory structure (e.g., a memory array having a three-dimensional arrangement of NOR memory strings) above a semiconductor substrate allows efficient electrical connections to semiconductor layers within the active strips.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device implements a write disturb reduction method to reduce write disturb on unselected memory cells by alternating the order of the write logical “1” step and write logical “0” step in the write operations of selected memory cells associated with the same group of bit lines. In one embodiment, a method in an array of memory cells includes performing write operation on the memory cells in one of the memory pages to store write data into the memory cells where the write operation includes a first write step of writing a data of a first logical state and a second write step of writing data of a second logical state; and performing the write operation for each row of memory cells by alternately performing the first write step followed by the second write step and performing the second write step followed by the first write step.

Abstract: A first circuit formed on a first semiconductor substrate is wafer-bonded to a second circuit formed on a second memory circuit, wherein the first circuit includes quasi-volatile or non-volatile memory circuits and wherein the second memory circuit includes fast memory circuits that have lower read latencies than the quasi-volatile or non-volatile memory circuits, as well as logic circuits. The volatile and non-volatile memory circuits may include static random-access memory (SRAM) circuits, dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) circuits, embedded DRAM (eDRAM) circuits, magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) circuits, embedded MRAM (eMRAM), or any suitable combination of these circuits.

Abstract: An electronic device with embedded access to a high-bandwidth, high-capacity fast-access memory includes (a) a memory circuit fabricated on a first semiconductor die, wherein the memory circuit includes numerous modular memory units, each modular memory unit having (i) a three-dimensional array of storage transistors, and (ii) a group of conductors exposed to a surface of the first semiconductor die, the group of conductors being configured for communicating control, address and data signals associated the memory unit; and (b) a logic circuit fabricated on a second semiconductor die, wherein the logic circuit also includes conductors each exposed at a surface of the second semiconductor die, wherein the first and second semiconductor dies are wafer-bonded, such that the conductors exposed at the surface of the first semiconductor die are each electrically connected to a corresponding one of the conductors exposed to the surface of the second semiconductor die.

Abstract: A method to ease the fabrication of high aspect ratio three dimensional memory structures for memory cells with feature sizes of 20 nm or less, or with a high number of memory layers. The present invention also provides an improved isolation between adjacent memory cells along the same or opposite sides of an active strip. The improved isolation is provided by introducing a strong dielectric barrier film between adjacent memory cells along the same side of an active strip, and by staggering memory cells of opposite sides of the active strip.

Abstract: A 3-dimensional array of NOR memory strings being organized by planes of NOR memory strings, in which (i) the storage transistors in the NOR memory strings situated in a first group of planes are configured to be programmed, erased, program-inhibited or read in parallel, and (ii) the storage transistors in NOR memory strings situated within a second group of planes are configured for storing resource management data relating to data stored in the storage transistors of the NOR memory strings situated within the first group of planes, wherein the storage transistors in NOR memory strings in the second group of planes are configured into sets.

Abstract: A staggered memory cell architecture staggers memory cells on opposite sides of a shared bit line preserves memory cell density, while increasing the distance between such memory cells, thereby reducing the possibility of a disturb. In one implementation, the memory cells along a first side of a shared bit line are connected to a set of global word lines provided underneath the memory structure, while the memory cells on the other side of the shared bit line—which are staggered relative to the memory cells on the first side—are connected to global word lines above the memory structure.