Inherent Patents (Class 365/150)
  • Patent number: 7848134
    Abstract: A memory chip with a plurality of FB DRAM cells, having a word line coupled to a first FB DRAM cell and a second FB DRAM cell is disclosed. The memory chip further has a first bit line coupled to the first FB DRAM cell, and a first state memory circuit coupled to the first bit line. The memory chip further includes a second bit line coupled to the second FB DRAM cell, and a second state memory circuit coupled to the second bit line. The memory chip further includes a sense amplifier, which can be coupled to the first FB DRAM cell, the second FB DRAM cell, the first state memory circuit or the second state memory circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: QIMONDA AG
    Inventors: Milena Ivanov, Heinz Hoenigschmid, Stefan Dietrich, Michael Markert
  • Publication number: 20100254186
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems are disclosed relating to a memory cell having a floating body. A memory cell includes a transistor comprising a drain and a source each formed in silicon and a gate positioned between the drain and the source. The memory cell may further include a bias gate recessed into the silicon and positioned between an isolation region and the transistor. In addition, the bias gate may be configured to be operably coupled to a bias voltage. The memory cell may also include a floating body within the silicon. The floating body may include a first portion adjacent the source and the drain and vertically offset from the bias gate and a second portion coupled to the first portion. Moreover, the bias gate may be formed adjacent to the second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Sanh D. Tang
  • Patent number: 7804714
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing an electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM) in which each memory cell comprises an NMOS select transistor with a thick gate oxide and a PMOS breakdown transistor with a thin gate oxide. The source of the NMOS transistor and the source, drain and N well of the PMOS transistor are connected. The gate of the PMOS transistor is grounded. Under the control of the NMOS transistor, a programming voltage pulse is passed to the N well of the PMOS transistor of a selected memory cell. The magnitude of the voltage is sufficient to break the thin gate oxide of the PMOS transistor without damaging the NMOS transistor. Because the memory state of the memory cell depends on the breakdown status of the PMOS transistor, the data may be retained in the memory cell for an unlimited period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Jiankang Bu, William S. Belcher, David Courtney Parker
  • Patent number: 7764555
    Abstract: A leakage testing method for a DRAM having a recess gate is provided. The method includes the steps of: programming to set the first storage unit and the second storage unit of a same memory cell with different storage statuses; and disturbing one of the word lines extending through the memory cells; then determining whether the DRAM is acceptable or not. When another one of the word lines extending through the memory cells is caused with a reading error by disturbing the one of the word lines extending through the memory cells, a failure is determined as occurred, and the failure is attributed to a leakage type of extended depletion region. When the another one of the word lines extending through the memory cells is not caused with a reading error by disturbing the one of the word lines extending through the memory cells, the DRAM is determined as acceptable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: ProMOS Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-Yuan Chang, Ming Hsieh Tsai, Che-Yi Hsu, Yuan-Hwa Lee
  • Patent number: 7548447
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device and methods thereof. The example semiconductor memory device may include a semiconductor substrate, a first source line and a second source line oriented in a first direction, the first and second source lines not in contact with each other, at least one bit line oriented in the first direction and at least one drain positioned between the first and second source lines and the at least one bit line. A first example method may include applying a first voltage to a source line, connected to the memory cell, during a write operation of the memory cell and applying a second voltage to the source line during a read operation of the memory cell, the first and second voltages not being the same and the second voltage not being a ground voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jin-Young Kim, Ki-Whan Song
  • Publication number: 20090122595
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit according to one aspect of the present invention may includes a plurality of driving circuits to drive a respective plurality of word lines with either a first voltage supplied from a first power supply or a second voltage supplied from a second power supply in accordance with a control signal, and a plurality of gate transistors in each of which a gate is connected to one of the plurality of word lines, and a connection state between a storage node and a bit line is changed based on the voltage provided to the word line connected to the gate. In the semiconductor integrated circuit, a gate oxide film of each of the plurality of gate transistors is thinner than a gate oxide film of each of transistors constituting the plurality of driving circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TAKAHASHI, Hidetaka NATSUME
  • Patent number: 7532496
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing an electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM) in which each memory cell comprises an NMOS select transistor and a PMOS program transistor with a thick gate oxide and a PMOS breakdown transistor with a thin gate oxide. The source of the NMOS transistor and the source, drain and N well of the PMOS breakdown transistor are connected. The gate of the PMOS breakdown transistor is connected to the PMOS program transistor. The memory cell is programmed by two voltage pulses that are passed to the N well of the PMOS breakdown transistor. The combined voltage of the two pulses is sufficient to break the thin gate oxide of the PMOS breakdown transistor. Because the memory state of the memory cell depends on the breakdown status of the PMOS breakdown transistor, the data may be retained in the memory cell for an unlimited period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Jiankang Bu
  • Patent number: 7471547
    Abstract: A memory cell array includes memory cells, bit lines running along a first direction, word lines running along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and continuous active area lines, wherein transistors are at least partially formed in the active area lines. The transistors electrically couple corresponding memory cells to corresponding bit lines via bit line contacts, and the transistors are addressed by the word lines. The bit line contacts are formed in a region generally defined by an intersection of a bit line and a corresponding active area line. Neighboring bit line contacts which are connected with one active area line are connected with neighboring bit lines. Consequently, one active area line is crossed by a plurality of bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Till Schloesser
  • Patent number: 7443713
    Abstract: An integrated semiconductor memory device includes at least one memory cell, at least one sense amplifier and a pair of bit lines connected to each sense amplifier, where each memory cell includes a selection transistor and a storage capacitor. The storage capacitor of each memory cell includes a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode, and the selection transistor of each memory cell includes a first source/drain region that is connected by a first contact connection to one bit line of a pair of bit lines corresponding with the memory cell, and a second source/drain region that is conductively connected to the first capacitor electrode of the storage capacitor of the memory cell. The second capacitor electrode of the storage capacitor of each memory cell is connected to the other bit line of the pair of bit lines corresponding with the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Stephan Schröder, Herbert Benzinger, Georg Erhard Eggers, Manfred Pröll, Jörg Kliewer
  • Patent number: 7391640
    Abstract: A dynamic random access memory includes a cell having a circuit between a floating-body transistor and a bit line. Activation of the circuit is controlled to provide isolation between the floating body and bit-line voltage both during write operations and during times when the cell is unselected. The added isolation improves performance, for example, by reducing the need for gate-to-body coupling and the magnitude of voltage swings between the bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen H. Tang, Ali Keshavarzi, Dinesh Somasekhar, Fabrice Paillet, Muhammad M. Khellah, Yibin Ye, Shih-Lien L. Lu, Vivek K. De
  • Patent number: 7388796
    Abstract: A method for testing a memory with cell plates and bit-line plates comprises putting the memory in a test mode, applying a test pattern to the memory, then providing a first voltage higher than Vdd/2 to the cell plate when writing a ‘1’ to a predetermined cell, providing a second voltage lower than Vdd/2 to the cell plate when writing a ‘0’ to a predetermined cell, wherein the first and second voltages are applied to emulate weak charge storage in the memory cell, similarly, providing a third voltage higher than Vdd/2 to the bit-line plate when expecting to read a ‘1’ from a predetermined cell, and providing a fourth voltage lower than Vdd/2 to the bit-line plate when expecting to read a ‘0’ from a predetermined cell, wherein the third and fourth voltages are applied to emulate charge decay in the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shine Chung
  • Patent number: 7388786
    Abstract: A semiconductor storage apparatus including cell arrays, each having a plurality of memory cells connected to a pair of first and second bit lines; and sense amplifiers, each being provided corresponding to the pair of first and second bit lines and sensing data read out from the memory cell to be read out, wherein each of the sense amplifiers includes a current mirror circuit having first and second current paths connected directly or indirectly to the pair of first and second bit lines; and the current mirror circuit includes: a first transistor which has a source and a drain short-circuited to each other and flows a reference current between the source and the drain; and a second transistor, of which gate is commonly connected to a gate of the first transistor, and which flows a current passing through the memory cell to be read out between a source and a drain thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takashi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 7359246
    Abstract: A memory device includes a plurality of memory cells each one for storing a value, at least one reference cell, biasing means for biasing a set of selected memory cells and the at least one reference cell with a biasing voltage having a substantially monotone time pattern, means for detecting the reaching of a threshold value by a current of each selected memory cell and of each reference cell, and means for determining the value stored in each selected memory cell according to a temporal relation of the reaching of the threshold value by the currents of the selected memory cell and of the at least one reference cell. The biasing means includes means for applying a controlled biasing current to the selected memory cells and to the at least one reference cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Sforzin, Nicola Del Gatto, Marco Ferrario, Emanuele Confalonieri
  • Publication number: 20080061346
    Abstract: One-transistor (1T) capacitor-less DRAM cells each include a MOS transistor having a bias gate layer that separates a floating body region from a base substrate. The MOS transistor functions as a storage device, eliminating the need of the storage capacitor. Logic “1” is written to and stored in the storage device by causing majority carriers (holes in an NMOS transistor) to accumulate and be held in the floating body region next to the bias gate layer, and is erased by removing the majority carriers from where they are held.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Sanh D. Tang, Gordon Haller, Daniel H. Doyle
  • Patent number: 7342842
    Abstract: A data storage device such as a DRAM memory having a plurality of data storage cells 10 is disclosed. Each data storage cell 10 has a physical parameter which varies with time and represents one of two binary logic states. A selection circuit 16, writing circuits 18 and a refreshing circuit 22 apply input signals to the data storage cells to reverse the variation of the physical parameter with time of at least those cells representing one of the binary logic states by causing a different variation in the physical parameter of cells in one of said states than in the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Innovative Silicon, S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Fazan, Serguei Okhonin
  • Patent number: 7301799
    Abstract: A memory cell array is formed by providing a plurality of memory cells along a substrate, where each of the memory cells includes a storage element and an access transistor. A plurality of bit lines are formed that extend along a first direction of the substrate. A plurality of active area lines and a plurality of isolation trenches are also formed in the semiconductor substrate, with the isolation trenches being adjacent the active area lines such that each isolation trench is disposed between and electrically isolates a first active area line from a second active area line. The access transistors are at least partially formed in the active area lines and electrically couple corresponding storage elements to corresponding bit lines via bit line contacts, and at least a portion of each bit line contact is located at an intersection of a bit line and a corresponding active area line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Till Schloesser
  • Patent number: 7292479
    Abstract: A memory device with a multistage sense amplifier is disclosed. According to one aspect, a memory device has a memory cell array having at least one memory cell, at least one sense amplifier. Binary data signals read out from the memory cell are amplified and evaluated. The binary data signals can also be written back to the corresponding memory cell. Furthermore, an output unit for outputting the amplified and evaluated binary data signals and a coupling device between the memory cell array and the sense amplifier are provided. The coupling device has a preamplifier unit for preamplifying the data signals read out and a bridging unit for bridging the preamplifier unit in order to provide a writing back of the binary data signals to the memory cell of the memory cell array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technolgoies AG
    Inventors: Sven Boldt, Erwin Thalmann
  • Patent number: 7266032
    Abstract: A method of performing a self refresh of memory cells in a memory device. The memory device includes a first group of cell blocks and a second group of cell blocks and each cell block of the first group shares at least one sense amplifier with a cell block of the second group. The method includes simultaneously activating each cell block of the first group. While the cell blocks of the first group are activated, each memory cell in the first group is refreshed. The method further includes simultaneously activating each cell block of the second group. While the cell blocks of the second group are activated each memory cell in the second group is refreshed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Jungwon Suh
  • Patent number: 7257015
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of transistors. Each of the transistors has a first data state having a first threshold voltage and a second data state having a second threshold voltage. A sense amplifier is provided for a plurality of bit lines connected to drain diffusion regions of the transistors, one of the bit lines being connected to the sense amplifier. The first data state is a state in which impact ionization is generated near a drain junction by operating the transistor and in which excessive majority carriers produced by this impact ionization are held in the semiconductor layer. The second data state is a state in which a forward bias is applied between the semiconductor layer and the drain diffusion region to extract the excessive majority carriers from within the semiconductor layer to the drain diffusion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takashi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 7242608
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes: a semiconductor layer which is formed on an insulating layer; a plurality of transistors which are formed on the semiconductor layer and arranged in a matrix form, each of the transistors having a gate electrode, a source region and a drain region, the electrodes in one direction constituting word lines; source contact plugs which are connected to the source regions of the transistors; drain contact plugs which are connected to the drain regions of the transistors; source wirings each of which commonly connects the source contact plugs; and bit lines which are formed so as to cross the word lines and which are connected to the drain regions of the transistors via the drain contact plugs. Each of the transistors has a first data state having a first threshold voltage and a second data state having a second threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takashi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 7221060
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods are disclosed for aligning multiple layers of a multi-layer semiconductor device fabrication process and/or system utilizing a composite alignment mark. A component is provided to form the composite alignment mark, such that a first portion of the composite alignment mark is associated with a layer of the wafer and a second portion of the composite alignment mark is associated with a disparate layer of the wafer. An alignment component is utilized to align a reticle for a layer to be patterned to the composite alignment mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhanwar Singh, Khoi A. Phan, Bharath Rangarajan, Iraj Emami, Ramkumar Subramanian
  • Patent number: 7170807
    Abstract: A data storage device such as a DRAM memory having a plurality of data storage cells 10 is disclosed. Each data storage cell 10 has a physical parameter which varies with time and represents one of two binary logic states. A selection circuit 16, writing circuits 18 and a refreshing circuit 22 apply input signals to the data storage cells to reverse the variation of the physical parameter with time of at least those cells representing one of the binary logic states by causing a different variation in the physical parameter of cells in one of said states than in the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Innovative Silicon S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Fazan, Serguei Okhonin
  • Patent number: 7141835
    Abstract: A memory cell includes first and second data holding portions for holding stored data and its inverted data. First and second p channel TFT compensate for charges leaked from first and second capacitors, respectively. A first (second) access transistor has first and second gate electrodes connected to a first (second) word line and to a second (first) node, respectively. The first (second) access transistor discharges the charges leaked from a power supply node via the first (second) p channel TFT in the OFF state in the leakage mode where the first (second) word line is inactivated and the second (first) node is at an H level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Yuji Kihara
  • Patent number: 7139184
    Abstract: A memory cell array includes memory cells, bit lines running along a first direction, word lines running along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and continuous active area lines, wherein transistors are at least partially formed in the active area lines. The transistors electrically couple corresponding memory cells to corresponding bit lines via bit line contacts, and the transistors are addressed by the word lines. The bit line contacts are formed in a region generally defined by an intersection of a bit line and a corresponding active area line. Neighboring bit line contacts which are connected with one active area line are connected with neighboring bit lines. Consequently, one active area line is crossed by a plurality of bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Till Schloesser
  • Patent number: 7136295
    Abstract: A semiconductor arrangement on a semiconductor chip includes a number of lines of a first type that extend outwardly from an inner region toward an outer region of the semiconductor chip. A number of lines of a second type are arranged around the inner region of the semiconductor chip. The lines of the second type are bit lines when the lines of the first type are word lines and the lines of the second type are word lines when the lines of the first type are bit lines. A number of individual element arrays are arranged along the lines of the first type and lines of the second type. The individual element arrays include memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dirk Fuhrmann, Reidar Lindstedt
  • Patent number: 7133303
    Abstract: A dynamic type semiconductor memory apparatus performs an operation of continuous column access at a high speed while minimizing an increase of a chip size. The dynamic type semiconductor memory apparatus includes first and second memory cell groups divided based on a column address, a first bit line connected to the first memory cell group, a second bit line connected to the second memory cell group, first and second local data lines, and a column selection unit configured to connect the first and second bit lines to the first and second local data line based on a column address. The dynamic type semiconductor memory apparatus further includes first and second master data line, a local data line selecting unit configured to connect the first and second local data lines to the first and second master data lines, respectively, a DBR configured to read data from the first or second master data lines, and a DWB configured to write data to the first or second master data lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mikihiko Ito, Masaru Koyanagi
  • Patent number: 7072205
    Abstract: A row of floating-body single transistor memory cells is written to in two phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen H. Tang, Ali Keshavarzi, Dinesh Somasekhar, Fabrice Paillet, Muhammad M. Khellah, Yibin Ye, Shih-Lien L. Lu, Vivek K. De
  • Patent number: 7042783
    Abstract: One embodiment of a magnetic memory includes a memory cell configured to provide a first state, and a sensing circuit. The sensing circuit is configured to charge a capacitor through the memory cell in the first state and discharge the capacitor through the memory cell in the first state to determine a state of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Richard Lee Hilton
  • Patent number: 7038937
    Abstract: A circuit which accurately controls the word line (pass transistor gate) driving voltage to a voltage which is both controlled and is not significantly greater than is needed to drive the word line. The circuit eliminates the need for a double-boot-strapping circuit, and ensures that no voltages exceed that necessary to fully turn on a memory cell access transistor. Voltages in excess of that which would reduce reliability are avoided, and accurate driving voltages are obtained. A DRAM includes word lines, memory cells having enable inputs connected to the word lines, a gate receiving word line selecting signals at first logic levels Vss and Vdd, and for providing a select signal at levels Vss and Vdd, a high voltage supply source Vpp which is higher in voltage than Vdd, a circuit for translating the select signals at levels Vss and Vdd to levels Vss and Vpp and for applying it directly to the word lines whereby an above Vdd voltage level word line is achieved without the use of double boot-strap circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Mosaid Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Valerie L. Lines
  • Patent number: 7027317
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory comprises a plurality of memory cells, for example Flash memory cells, arranged in a plurality of lines, and a plurality of memory cell access signal lines, each one associated with at least one respective line of memory cells, for accessing the memory cells of the at least one respective line of memory cells; each signal line has a capacitance intrinsically associated therewith. A plurality of volatile memory cells is provided, each having a capacitive storage element. Each volatile memory cell is associated with a respective signal line, and the respective capacitive storage element formed by the capacitance intrinsically associated with the respective signal lines. In particular, the parasitic capacitances associated with bit lines of a matrix of memory cells can be exploited as capacitive storage elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Rino Micheloni
  • Patent number: 6928506
    Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement with two or more circuit sections, which cooperate through a data transfer device. The invention solves the problem of double area expenditure for two memory devices for each receiver, in that the data bus itself takes over the role of one of these memory devices, namely that of the memory device functioning as master. For this it is only necessary to integrate a single memory device on the data bus, which takes over the role of the no longer needed memory device for each data receiver. By saving the memory device associated with each receiver, the semiconductor chip area needed for communication buses can be optimized and the master memory device of the prior art may be replaced by the bus capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Micronas GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Czech, Michael Albert
  • Publication number: 20040257855
    Abstract: One embodiment of a magnetic memory includes a memory cell configured to provide a first state, and a sensing circuit. The sensing circuit is configured to charge a capacitor through the memory cell in the first state and discharge the capacitor through the memory cell in the first state to determine a state of the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventor: Richard Lee Hilton
  • Patent number: 6809971
    Abstract: A method of implementing a diffusion replica delay circuit is provided in a device with a device capacitance and operational characteristics. A diffusion replica capacitor is coupled to the device and is capable of storing a predetermined replica charge representative of a selected device operational characteristic, and a diffusion replica transistor is coupled with the diffusion replica capacitor, and is coupled between the diffusion replica capacitor and a charge sink. The transistor is disposed to control the magnitude of the predetermined replica charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Esin Terzioglu, Morteza Cyrus Afghahi
  • Publication number: 20040136228
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory comprises a plurality of memory cells, for example Flash memory cells, arranged in a plurality of lines, and a plurality of memory cell access signal lines, each one associated with at least one respective line of memory cells, for accessing the memory cells of the at least one respective line of memory cells; each signal line has a capacitance intrinsically associated therewith. A plurality of volatile memory cells is provided, each having a capacitive storage element. Each volatile memory cell is associated with a respective signal line, and the respective capacitive storage element formed by the capacitance intrinsically associated with the respective signal lines. In particular, the parasitic capacitances associated with bit lines of a matrix of memory cells can be exploited as capacitive storage elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Giovanni Campardo, Rino Micheloni
  • Publication number: 20040042257
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having a partially controlled delay locked loop includes a delay locked loop and a control signal generator. The control signal generator generates a first control signal and a second control signal, which are responsive to first through fifth mode selection signals for selecting operation modes of the semiconductor memory, device to partially turn the delay locked loop on or off. If the first control signal or the second control signal is activated, a portion of the delay locked loop to which the first or second control signal is applied is turned off. If the first control signal or the second control signal is deactivated, a portion of the delay locked loop to which the first or second control signal is applied is turned on. If the first mode selection signal is activated, only the second control signal is activated. If the second mode selection signal is activated, the first and second control signals are deactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Hyung Lee, Kyu-Hyoun Kim
  • Patent number: 6621725
    Abstract: A memory cell MC comprises one MOS transistor having a floating bulk region which is electrically isolated from others. A gate electrode 13 of the MOS transistor is connected to a word line WL, a drain diffusion region 14 thereof is connected to a bit line BL, and a source diffusion region 15 thereof is connected to a fixed potential line SL. The memory cell stores a first threshold state in which majority carriers produced by impact ionization are injected and held in the bulk region 12 of the MOS transistor and a second threshold state in which the majority carriers in the bulk region 12 of the MOS transistor are emitted by a forward bias at a pn junction on the drain side as binary data. Thereby, a semiconductor memory device in which a simple transistor structure is used as a memory cell, enabling dynamic storage of binary data by a small number of signal lines can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takashi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 6611465
    Abstract: A diffusion replica delay circuit is included in a device with a device capacitance and operational characteristics. A diffusion replica capacitor, coupled to the device is capable of storing a predetermined replica charge representative of a selected device operational characteristic, and a diffusion replica transistor is coupled with the diffusion replica capacitor, and is coupled between the diffusion replica capacitor and a charge sink. The transistor is disposed to control the magnitude of the predetermined replica charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Esin Terzioglu, Morteza Cyrus Afghahi
  • Publication number: 20030128612
    Abstract: A programmable conductor memory cell is read by a sense amplifier but without rewriting the contents of the memory cell. If the programmable contact memory cell has an access transistor, the access transistor is switched off to decouple the cell from the bit line after a predetermined amount of time. The predetermined amount of time is sufficiently long enough to permit the logical state of the cell to be transferred to the bit line and also sufficiently short to isolate the cell from the bit line before the sense amplifier operates. For programmable contact memory cells which do not utilize an access transistor, an isolation transistor may be placed in the bit line located between and serially connection the portion of the bit line from the sense amplifier to the isolation transistor and the portion of the bit line from the isolation transistor to the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Inventors: John Moore, Jake Baker
  • Patent number: 6586787
    Abstract: A single electron device. Fabricated from nanoparticle derivatives, particularly from Au and fullerene nanoparticle derivatives, the device reduces thermal fluctuation in the nanoparticle array and has 15 nm of spacing between two electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Sheng-Ming Shih, Wei-Fang Su, Yuh-Jiuan Lin, Cen-Shawn Wu, Chii-Dong Chen
  • Publication number: 20030095430
    Abstract: The present invention is a semiconductor memory device provided with bit line pairs to which a plurality of memory cells are attached, a plurality of precharge circuits for precharging the bit line pairs to a first voltage that is different from a mean value between a high level and a low level, a bit line precharge power line for supplying the first voltage for precharging to the precharge circuits, a capacitor, a charging circuit for charging the capacitor, and transfer gate circuits for controlling connection and disconnection of the capacitor and the bit line precharge power line. The transfer gate circuits are controlled so that the capacitor and the precharge power line are connected during precharging of the bit line pairs. Thus, precharging of the bit lines can be performed at high speeds with high precision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Origasa, Kiyoto Ohta, Masanobu Hirose
  • Publication number: 20030086289
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a technique is provided to store and retrieve analog signals. A write circuit comprises a sampler, a circuit, and a differential amplifier. The sampler samples an input signal to generate a first sample of an input signal at a first time instant. The circuit generates a second sample which is the sampled input signal held at a second time instant. The differential amplifier generates a difference signal representing a difference between the first sample and the second sample. The difference signal is stored in a multilevel storage array. A read circuit comprises a sample-and-hold device, a summing amplifier, and a circuit. The sample-and-hold device is coupled to a multilevel storage array to generate a first sample stored in the multilevel storage array at a first time instant. The summing amplifier generates a sum signal representing a sum between the first sample and a second sample. The circuit generates the second sample at a second time instant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventor: Douglas F. Horan
  • Patent number: 6560136
    Abstract: A single-port memory cell arrangement includes a multiplicity of single-port memory cells, each having a selection transistor and a memory transistor. The selection transistor has a control terminal connected to a word line, and a load-path connected to a data line. The memory transistor has a control terminal connected to a supply potential, and a load-path connected to the second end of the selection-transistor's load-path. The memory transistor is configured to switch, in response to a signal on the data line, between first and second potentials corresponding to two memory states. These potentials and the supply potential are selected such that first and second ends of the memory-transistor-load-path are at the same potential. The memory cell also includes a controllable switch having a first terminal connected to a supply line, and a second terminal connected to the second end of the memory-transistor-load-path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Jain Raj Kumar
  • Publication number: 20030035314
    Abstract: A microelectronic programmable structure and methods of forming and programming the structure are disclosed. The programmable structure generally include an ion conductor and a plurality of electrodes. Electrical properties of the structure may be altered by applying a bias across the electrodes, and thus information may be stored using the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Inventor: Michael N. Kozicki
  • Patent number: 6404002
    Abstract: A DRAM device with increased surface area includes a pair of storage nodes arranged in a square configuration, and the square configurations are repeatedly arranged to form matrix cell array region. One of the storage node exhibits an “L” shaped pole and the other storage node exhibits a “reverse L” shaped pole. The “reverse L” shaped pole is rotated 180 degrees from the “L” shaped pole, thereby collectively forming a square configuration as viewed from a top plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seok-Hyun Hahn
  • Patent number: 6266269
    Abstract: A three terminal non-volatile memory element includes a standard (low voltage) CMOS transistor, i.e. a storage transistor, having a drain coupled to a read bit line and a source connected to ground. The storage transistor is programmed by applying a high programming voltage to its gate, thereby rupturing the gate oxide of the storage transistor. Of importance, in submicron technology, the source and drain regions of the storage transistor merge, thereby providing a highly reliable, conductive path. Thus, the state of the memory cell can be advantageously read solely via the read bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: James Karp, Daniel Gitlin, Shahin Toutounchi
  • Patent number: 6242772
    Abstract: A dynamic random access memory. The memory includes a write transistor N3 and a read transistor N2. In a preferred embodiment the write transistor has a threshold level higher than the read transistor. A sense amplifier senses and amplifies a difference in voltage between a bit line and a sense node that is developed when the read transistor permits or does not permit current to flow between ground an a bit line. Associated semiconductor device structures and fabrication techniques are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Sven E. Wahlstrom
  • Patent number: 6111778
    Abstract: A dynamic memory circuit in which the inherent bipolar transistor effect within a floating body transistor is utilized to store an information bit. A floating body of a storage transistor stores an information bit in the form of an electric charge. The floating body is charged and discharged via an access transistor during data write operations. The inherent bipolar transistor resident within the floating body transistor increases the effective capacitance of the floating body which acts as the storage node, and thereby enhances the magnitude of the discharge current which represents the stored information bit during read operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric MacDonald, Subir Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 6088258
    Abstract: A planarized interleaved capacitor for use with a substrate. The capacitor has a plurality of planarized metal layers formed above the substrate, at least one dielectric layer disposed between the plurality of planarized metal layers, and at least one insulator layer disposed over one of the plurality of metal layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John M. Aitken, Alvin W. Strong
  • Patent number: 6072713
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a memory array implemented with as few as two transistors, and four access lines per cell. The array includes row lines and bit lines, with the internally-arranged bit lines shared by two adjacent cells. According to one embodiment, each memory cell includes a first transistor-based circuit in a first cell that is arranged to store information received over a corresponding one of the bit lines, and a second transistor-based circuit in a second cell that is arranged to output information over the same corresponding bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: VLSI Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vern McKenny, James A. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 6052304
    Abstract: Disclosed is a non-volatile storage element that is defined between a bitline and a complementary bitline, and that can be accessed by a selected wordline is disclosed. The non-volatile storage element includes a high voltage latch that is configured to receive a pump voltage, and a reference voltage that is about half of the pump voltage. The non-volatile storage element also includes a storage cell that is configured to receive a logical programming value from the bitline and the complementary bit line when the wordline is driven high to turn on a first passgate and a second passgate. The storage cell further includes a capacitive transistor having its back gate, source and drain connected to a first terminal of the first passgate, and a tunneling transistor having its back gate, source and drain connected to a second terminal of the second passgate. The capacitive transistor and the tunneling transistor are configured to share a floating gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffery B. Chritz