Patents Assigned to ZENO Semiconductor, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10204908
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including a link or string of semiconductor memory cells, wherein each memory cell includes a floating body region for storing data. The link or string includes at least one contact configured to electrically connect the memory cells to at least one control line, and the number of contacts in the string or link is the same as or less than the number of memory cells in the string or link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10192872
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell includes a floating body region configured to be charged to a level indicative of a state of the memory cell selected from at least first and second states. A first region of the memory cell is in electrical contact with the floating body region. A second region of the memory cell is spaced apart from the first region and is also in electrical contact with the floating body region. A gate is positioned between the first and second regions. A back-bias region is configured to generate impact ionization when the memory cell is in one of the first and second states, and the back-bias region is configured so as not to generate impact ionization when the memory cell is in the other of the first and second states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuniarto Widjaja, Jin-Woo Han, Benjamin S. Louie
  • Patent number: 10181471
    Abstract: Semiconductor memory cells, array and methods of operating are disclosed. In one instance, a memory cell includes a bi-stable floating body transistor and an access device; wherein the bi-stable floating body transistor and the access device are electrically connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuniarto Widjaja, Jin-Woo Han, Benjamin S. Louie
  • Patent number: 10163907
    Abstract: Methods of maintaining a state of a memory cell without interrupting access to the memory cell are provided, including applying a back bias to the cell to offset charge leakage out of a floating body of the cell, wherein a charge level of the floating body indicates a state of the memory cell; and accessing the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuniarto Widjaja, Zvi Or-Bach
  • Patent number: 10157663
    Abstract: Methods, devices, arrays and systems for reducing standby power for a floating body memory array. One method includes counting bits of data before data enters the array, wherein the counting includes counting at least one of: a total number of bits at state 1 and a total number of all bits; a total number of bits at state 0 and the total number of all bits; or the total number of bits at state 1 and the total number of bits at state 0. This method further includes detecting whether the total number of bits at state 1 is greater than the total number of bits at state 0; setting an inversion bit when the total number of bits at state 1 is greater than the total number of bits at state 0; and inverting contents of all the bits of data before writing the bits of data to the memory array when the inversion bit has been set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Louie, Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10141046
    Abstract: A memory cell comprising includes a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, an electrically floating body transistor fabricated on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, and a charge injector region. The floating body transistor is configured to have more than one stable state through an application of a bias on the charge injector region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Jin-Woo Han, Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10141315
    Abstract: An IC may include an array of memory cells formed in a semiconductor, including memory cells arranged in rows and columns, each memory cell may include a floating body region defining at least a portion of a surface of the memory cell, the floating body region having a first conductivity type; a buried region located within the memory cell and located adjacent to the floating body region, wherein the buried region has a second conductivity type, wherein the floating body region is bounded on a first side by a first insulating region having a first thickness and on a second side by a second insulating region having a second thickness, and a gate region above the floating body region and the second insulating region and is insulated from the floating body region by an insulating layer; and control circuitry configured to provide electrical signals to said buried region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuniarto Widjaja, Zvi Or-Bach
  • Patent number: 10115451
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory instance is provided that includes an array of memory cells. The array includes a plurality of semiconductor memory cells arranged in at least one column and at least one row. Each of the semiconductor memory cells includes a floating body region configured to be charged to a level indicative of a state of the memory cell. Further includes are a plurality of buried well regions, wherein each of the buried well regions can be individually selected, and a decoder circuit to select at least one of the buried well regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Jin-Woo Han, Neal Berger, Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10109349
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell and arrays of memory cells are provided In at least one embodiment, a memory cell includes a substrate having a top surface, the substrate having a first conductivity type selected from a p-type conductivity type and an n-type conductivity type; a first region having a second conductivity type selected from the p-type and n-type conductivity types, the second conductivity type being different from the first conductivity type, the first region being formed in the substrate and exposed at the top surface; a second region having the second conductivity type, the second region being formed in the substrate, spaced apart from the first region and exposed at the top surface; a buried layer in the substrate below the first and second regions, spaced apart from the first and second regions and having the second conductivity type; a body region formed between the first and second regions and the buried layer, the body region having the first conductivity type; a gate positioned between the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductors, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10103148
    Abstract: NAND string configurations and semiconductor memory arrays that include such NAND string configurations are provided. Methods of making semiconductor memory cells used in NAND string configurations are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Louie, Jin-Woo Han, Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10103149
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell comprising an electrically floating body. A method of operating the memory cell is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Jin-Woo Han, Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10079301
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell comprising an electrically floating body having two stable states is disclosed. A method of operating the memory cell is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Jin-Woo Han, Dinesh Maheshwari, Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10079236
    Abstract: Multi-port semiconductor memory cells including a common floating body region configured to be charged to a level indicative of a memory state of the memory cell. The multi-port semiconductor memory cells include a plurality of gates and conductive regions interfacing with said floating body region. Arrays of memory cells and method of operating said memory arrays are disclosed for making a memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10074653
    Abstract: Asymmetric, semiconductor memory cells, arrays, devices and methods are described. Among these, an asymmetric, bi-stable semiconductor memory cell is described that includes: a floating body region configured to be charged to a level indicative of a state of the memory cell; a first region in electrical contact with the floating body region; a second region in electrical contact with the floating body region and spaced apart from the first region; and a gate positioned between the first and second regions, such that the first region is on a first side of the memory cell relative to the gate and the second region is on a second side of the memory cell relative to the gate; wherein performance characteristics of the first side are different from performance characteristics of the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10056387
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including a link or string of semiconductor memory cells, wherein each memory cell includes a floating body region for storing data. The link or string includes at least one contact configured to electrically connect the memory cells to at least one control line, and the number of contacts in the string or link is the same as or less than the number of memory cells in the string or link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10032776
    Abstract: Methods of maintaining a state of a memory cell without interrupting access to the memory cell are provided, including applying a back bias to the cell to offset charge leakage out of a floating body of the cell, wherein a charge level of the floating body indicates a state of the memory cell; and accessing the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuniarto Widjaja, Zvi Or-Bach
  • Patent number: 10032514
    Abstract: Semiconductor memory is provided wherein a memory cell includes a capacitorless transistor having a floating body configured to store data as charge therein when power is applied to the cell. The cell further includes a nonvolatile memory comprising a resistance change element configured to store data stored in the floating body under any one of a plurality of predetermined conditions. A method of operating semiconductor memory to function as volatile memory, while having the ability to retain stored data when power is discontinued to the semiconductor memory is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10026479
    Abstract: A content addressable memory cell includes a first floating body transistor and a second floating body transistor. The first floating body transistor and the second floating body transistor are electrically connected in series through a common node. The first floating body transistor and the second floating body transistor store complementary data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Louie, Jin-Woo Han, Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 10008266
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell includes a floating body region configured to be charged to a level indicative of a state of the memory cell; a first region in electrical contact with said floating body region; a second region in electrical contact with said floating body region and spaced apart from said first region; and a gate positioned between said first and second regions. The cell may be a multi-level cell. Arrays of memory cells are disclosed for making a memory device. Methods of operating memory cells are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc
    Inventor: Yuniarto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 9978450
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell and arrays of memory cells are provided In at least one embodiment, a memory cell includes a substrate having a top surface, the substrate having a first conductivity type selected from a p-type conductivity type and an n-type conductivity type; a first region having a second conductivity type selected from the p-type and n-type conductivity types, the second conductivity type being different from the first conductivity type, the first region being formed in the substrate and exposed at the top surface; a second region having the second conductivity type, the second region being formed in the substrate, spaced apart from the first region and exposed at the top surface; a buried layer in the substrate below the first and second regions, spaced apart from the first and second regions and having the second conductivity type; a body region formed between the first and second regions and the buried layer, the body region having the first conductivity type; a gate positioned between the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Zeno Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuniarto Widjaja