Abstract: A device includes first and second gate structures respectively extending across the first and second fins, and a gate isolation plug between a longitudinal end of the first gate structure and a longitudinal end of the second gate structure. The gate isolation plug comprises a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer. The first dielectric layer has an upper portion and a lower portion below the upper portion. The upper portion has a thickness smaller than a thickness of the lower portion of the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for read wearing control for storage class memory (SCM) are disclosed. The read data control apparatus, located between a host and the SCM subsystem, comprises a read data cache, an address cache and an SCM controller. The address cache stores pointers pointing to data stored in logging area(s) located in the SCM. For a read request, the read wearing control determines whether the read request is a read data cache hit, an address cache hit or neither (i.e., read data cache miss and address cache miss). For the read data cache hit, the requested data is returned from the read data cache. For the address cache hit, the requested data is returned from the logging area(s) and the read data becomes a candidate to be placed in the read data cache. For read data cache and address cache misses, the requested data is returned from SCM.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for read wearing control for storage class memory (SCM) are disclosed. The read data control apparatus, located between a host and the SCM subsystem, comprises a read data cache, an address cache and an SCM controller. The address cache stores pointers pointing to data stored in logging area(s) located in the SCM. For a read request, the read wearing control determines whether the read request is a read data cache hit, an address cache hit or neither (i.e., read data cache miss and address cache miss). For the read data cache hit, the requested data is returned from the read data cache. For the address cache hit, the requested data is returned from the logging area(s) and the read data becomes a candidate to be placed in the read data cache. For read data cache and address cache misses, the requested data is returned from SCM.

Abstract: A read leveling method for a memory device is provided. The memory device includes a first memory block and at least a second memory block. The read leveling method includes the following steps. Determining whether a block read count of the first memory block is larger than or equal to a first threshold. Detecting a page read count of a page of the first memory block when the block read count of the first memory block is larger than or equal to the first threshold. Determine whether the block read count of the first memory block is larger than or equal to a second threshold. Move data of one of the page of the first memory block to a page of the second memory block when the block read count of the first memory block is larger than or equal to the second threshold.

Abstract: A read leveling method for a memory device is provided. The memory device includes a first memory block and at least a second memory block. The read leveling method includes the following steps. Determining whether a block read count of the first memory block is larger than or equal to a first threshold. Detecting a page read count of a page of the first memory block when the block read count of the first memory block is larger than or equal to the first threshold. Determine whether the block read count of the first memory block is larger than or equal to a second threshold. Move data of one of the page of the first memory block to a page of the second memory block when the block read count of the first memory block is larger than or equal to the second threshold.