Abstract: Methods are described for improving the retention of a memory device by execution of a retention improvement procedure. The retention improvement procedure comprises a baking process of the memory device in a high temperature environment, a verifying process of the memory device that checks the logic state of memory cells, and a reprogramming process to program the memory device once again by programming memory cells in a 0-state to a high-Vt state. The baking step of placing the memory device in a high temperature environment causes a charge loss by expelling shallow trapped charges, resulting in the improvement of retention reliability.

Abstract: Under one aspect, a covered nanotube switch includes: (a) a nanotube element including an unaligned plurality of nanotubes, the nanotube element having a top surface, a bottom surface, and side surfaces; (b) first and second terminals in contact with the nanotube element, wherein the first terminal is disposed on and substantially covers the entire top surface of the nanotube element, and wherein the second terminal contacts at least a portion of the bottom surface of the nanotube element; and (c) control circuitry capable of applying electrical stimulus to the first and second terminals. The nanotube element can switch between a plurality of electronic states in response to a corresponding plurality of electrical stimuli applied by the control circuitry to the first and second terminals. For each different electronic state, the nanotube element provides an electrical pathway of different resistance between the first and second terminals.

Abstract: A memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each with a control gate NMOS transistor sharing a floating gate with a program/erase PMOS transistor which is, in turn, connected in series with an access PMOS transistor. The memory cells are formed in a common N-Well formed in a P-substrate, the NMOS transistor being formed in a p-doped pocket or base. The program/erase PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ doped regions formed in the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to a corresponding bit line. The access PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ regions formed within the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to the second P+ region of the program/erase PMOS, and the gate is electrically connected to a corresponding word line.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a pair of PMOS transistors, and a control circuit configured to operate in a store mode to apply to a first one of the PMOS transistors potentials that cause an NBTI degradation purposefully and to apply to a second one of the PMOS transistors potentials that cause no NBTI degradation while causing no current to flow between a source node and a drain node of the first one of the PMOS transistors, and to operate in a recall mode to set gate nodes of the PMOS transistors to a common potential to detect a difference in the NBTI degradation between said PMOS transistors.

Abstract: A memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each with a control gate NMOS transistor sharing a floating gate with a program/erase PMOS transistor which is, in turn, connected in series with an access PMOS transistor. The memory cells are formed in a common N-Well formed in a P-substrate, the NMOS transistor being formed in a p-doped pocket or base. The program/erase PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ doped regions formed in the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to a corresponding bit line. The access PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ regions formed within the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to the second P+ region of the program/erase PMOS, and the gate is electrically connected to a corresponding word line.

Abstract: A magnetic random access memory includes a memory element having a first fixed layer, a first recording layer, and a first nonmagnetic layer, a first reference element having a second fixed layer, a second recording layer, and a second nonmagnetic layer, antiparallel data being written in the first reference element, a second reference element making a pair with the first reference element, and having a third fixed layer, a third recording layer, and a third nonmagnetic layer, parallel data being written in the second reference element, and a current source which, when a read operation is performed, supplies a current from the second fixed layer to the second recording layer in the first reference element, and supplies the current from the third recording layer to the third fixed layer in the second reference element.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device in accordance with the present invention is provided with a plurality of memory cells of field effect transistor type, a source bias control circuit, and a drain bias control circuit. The source bias control circuit variably sets the potential of a source line connected in common to the sources of the plurality of memory cells at the time of write operation. The drain bias control circuit variably sets the potential of the drains of the plurality of memory cells at the time of write operation according to the potential of the source line.

Abstract: A memory device that, in certain embodiments, includes a memory element coupled to a bit-line and a quantizing circuit coupled to the memory element via the bit-line. In some embodiments, the quantizing circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter having an input and output and a digital filter that includes memory. The input of the analog-to-digital converter may be coupled to the bit-line, and the output of the analog-to-digital converter may be coupled to the digital filter.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory structure with pairs of serially connected select transistors connected to the top and optionally to the bottom of NAND series strings of groups of the dual-sided charge-trapping nonvolatile memory cells for controlling connection of the NAND series string to an associated bit line. A first of the serially connected select transistors has an implant to make a threshold voltage of the implanted first serially connected select transistor different from a non-implanted second serially connected select transistor. The pair of serially connected top select transistors is connected to a first of two associated bit lines. Optionally, the NAND nonvolatile memory strings further is connected a pair of serially connected bottom select transistors that is connected to the second associated bit line.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having SRAM cell units each comprising a pair of a first driving transistor and a second driving transistor, a pair of a first load transistor and a second load transistor, and a pair of a first access transistor and a second access transistor, wherein each of the transistors comprises a semiconductor layer projecting upward from a substrate plane, a gate electrode extending on opposite sides of the semiconductor layer so as to stride over a top of the semiconductor layer, a gate insulating film interposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer, and a pair of source/drain areas formed in the semiconductor layer; and the first and second driving transistors each have a channel width larger than that of at least either each of the load transistors or each of the access transistors.

Abstract: A method of reading a dual-bit memory cell includes a controlling terminal, a first terminal, and a second terminal. The dual-bit memory cell has a first bit storage node and a second bit storage node near the first terminal and the second terminal respectively. First, a controlling voltage and a read voltage are applied to the controlling terminal and the first terminal respectively. The second terminal is grounded to measure a first output current value of the first terminal. Then, the controlling voltage and the read voltage are applied to the controlling terminal and the second terminal respectively. The first terminal is grounded to measure a second output current value of the second terminal. Afterward, the bit state of the first bit storage node and the bit state of the second bit storage node is read simultaneously according to the first output current value and the second output current value.

Abstract: A low power content addressable memory (CAM) device. The CAM device receives an N-bit comparand value and, in response, activates less than N compare lines within the CAM device to compare each of the N bits of the comparand value with contents of CAM cells coupled to the N compare lines.

Abstract: Provided are a flash memory device and a method of driving the same for improving reliability of stored set information. The method of driving the flash memory device includes applying power to the flash memory device, the flash memory device having a memory cell array for storing set information regarding operation environment settings, where the set information includes at least one bit. The method further includes performing an initial read operation on the memory cell array and judging a status of data, corresponding to the set information, read during the initial read operation to determine whether the initial read operation has passed or failed. Each bit of the set information is extended to n bits (where n is an integer equal to or greater than 2). The n bits are respectively stored in different input/output regions in the memory cell array.

Abstract: In the magnetic storage device, magnetization characteristics during write cycles are homogenized, and write cycles are carried out efficiently. In the magnetic storage device, the soft magnetic body is formed so as to cover the line either totally or partially, and the anti-ferromagnetic layer is formed on the outer surface of this soft magnetic body. Furthermore, the magneto-resistive element is disposed in the vicinity of the line. Suppose the case where the exchange coupling energy at the interface between the soft magnetic body and the anti-ferromagnetic layer is J (erg/cm2), the saturation magnetization of the soft magnetic body is Ms (emu/cc), and the coercive force of the soft magnetic body is Hc (Oe). Then, the thickness t (cm) of the soft magnetic body is selected to be such that t<J/(Hc·Ms).

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device is disclosed. The non-volatile memory device includes an encoder configured to set random data in a unit of a word line, and generate second data to be programmed in a memory cell by performing logic operation about the random data and first data inputted for program, and a data converting circuit configured to have a decoder for generating the first data by performing logic operation about the second data read from the memory cell and the random data.

Abstract: Stacking techniques are illustrated in example embodiments of the present invention wherein semiconductor dies are mounted in a module to become a MCM which serves as the basic building block. A combination of these modules and dies in a substrate creates a package with specific function or a range of memory capacity. Several example system configurations are provided using BGA and PGA to illustrate the stacking technique. Several pin assignment and signal routing techniques are illustrated wherein internal and external signals are routed from main board to various stacked modules. Expansion can be done both on the vertical and horizontal orientations.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes sectors having memory cells connected to local word lines, decoders selecting the sectors, and a circuit generating, in erasing of a selected sector, a control signal that causes a corresponding one of the decoders associated with the selected sector to be temporarily unselected. Each of the sectors includes a pull-up transistor that is driven by a corresponding one of the decoders via a corresponding one of global word lines connecting the sectors and drives one of the local word lines, and the pull-up transistor is kept OFF by the control signal.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention includes applying a first value to a bit line, boosting word lines associated with the bit line and a common selection line to create a first condition based on the first value, and cutting off a boundary non-volatile storage element associated with the common selection line to maintain the first condition for a particular non-volatile storage element associated with the bit line and common selection line. A second value is applied to the bit line and at least a subset of the word lines are boosted to create a second condition for a different non-volatile storage element associated with the bit line and common selection line. The second condition is based on the second value. The first condition and the second condition overlap in time. Both non-volatile storage elements are programmed concurrently, based on their associated conditions.

Abstract: A hybrid memory system having electromechanical memory cells is discussed. A memory cell core circuit has an array of electromechanical memory cells, in which each cell is a crossbar junction at least one element of which is a nanotube or a nanotube ribbon. An access circuit provides array addresses to the memory cell core circuit to select at least one corresponding cell. The access circuit is constructed of semiconductor circuit elements.

Abstract: A memory device includes terminals for transferring input data and output data to and from a memory array. The memory device also includes an auxiliary circuit for receiving input auxiliary information associated with the input data and for generating output auxiliary information associated with the output data. The input and output auxiliary information include inverting codes, parity codes, temperature information and time delay information. The input and output auxiliary information are transferred to and from the memory device on the same terminals that the input data and the output data are transferred.