IP Library Granted Patent US 7,411,811
Granted Patent B2
US 7,411,811 · App. 11/505,411 · Granted Aug 12, 2008

Semiconductor storage device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,411,811
App. No.
11/505,411
Granted
Aug 12, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a semiconductor storage device with cross point type arrays of memory cells including variable resistor elements, a selected data line and unselected data lines are supplied with a row selecting potential and a row unselecting potential through a data line selecting transistor respectively, a selected bit line and unselected bit lines are supplied with a column selecting potential and a column unselecting potential through a bit line selecting transistor respectively. Data lines and bit lines are separately driven so that when the data line selecting transistor is higher in the current driving capability than the bit line selecting transistor, a second bias voltage between the row unselecting potential and column selecting potential is lower than a first bias voltage between the row selecting potential and column unselecting potential, in the opposite case, the first bias voltage is lower than the second voltage.

Claims (20)

1. A semiconductor storage device comprising:

a memory cell array in which a plurality of memory cells each of which includes a variable resistor element of which an electric resistance is varied to store data are arranged in a row and column direction, a plurality of data lines are arranged to extend in the row direction, a plurality of bit lines are arranged to extend in the column direction, and the variable resistor elements in the memory cells in the same row are connected at one end to the data line in common while the variable resistor elements in the memory cells in the same column are connected at the other end to the bit line in common, wherein

for conducting a writing action to vary an electric resistance of the variable resistor element in the memory cell to be written by supplying a selected data line of the data lines connected to the memory cell to be written and unselected data lines of the data lines other than the selected data line with a row selecting potential and a row unselecting potential respectively through a data line selecting transistor provided for each of the data lines, and supplying a selected bit line of the bit lines connected to the memory cell to be written and unselected bit lines of the bit lines other than the selected bit line with a column selecting potential and a column unselecting potential respectively through a bit line selecting transistor provided for each of the bit lines,

the data lines and the bit lines are separately driven so that a write voltage determined by absolute value of a difference between the row selecting potential and the column selecting potential is higher than a level required for conducting the writing action while a first bias voltage determined by absolute value of a difference between the row selecting potential and the column unselecting potential, a second bias voltage determined by absolute value of a difference between the row unselecting potential and the column selecting potential, and a third bias voltage determined by absolute value of a difference between the row unselecting potential and the column unselecting potential are lower than a level required for conducting the writing action, and the second bias voltage is set lower than the first bias voltage when the data line selecting transistors are higher in a current driving capability than the bit line selecting transistors, and the first bias voltage is set lower than the second bias voltage when the data line selecting transistors are lower in the current driving capability than the bit line selecting transistors.

2. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the data lines and the bit lines are separately driven for conducting the writing action so that the first bias voltage is equal to a half of the write voltage when the data line selecting transistors are higher in the current driving capability than the bit line selecting transistors, or the second bias voltage is equal to a half of the write voltage when the data line selecting transistors are lower in the current driving capability than the bit line selecting transistors.

3. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the data lines and the bit lines are separately driven for conducting the writing action so that the first bias voltage is equal to a third of the write voltage when the data line selecting transistors are higher in the current driving capability than the bit line selecting transistors, or the second bias voltage is equal to a third of the write voltage when the data line selecting transistors are lower in the current driving capability than the bit line selecting transistors.

4. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the data lines and the bit lines are separately driven for conducting the writing action so that the second bias voltage is equal to 0 V when the data line selecting transistors are higher in the current driving capability than the bit line selecting transistors, or the first bias voltage is equal to 0 V when the data line selecting transistors are lower in the current driving capability than the bit line selecting transistors.

5. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the data lines and the bit lines are separately driven for conducting the writing action so that both the first bias voltage and the second bias voltage are lower than the third bias voltage.

6. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the data lines and the bit lines are separately driven for conducting the writing action so that the third bias voltage is equal to 0 V.

7. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

at least a part of a group of transistors including either the data line selecting transistors or the bit line selecting transistors, whichever are higher in the current driving capability, is allocated beneath the memory cell arrays in the memory cell array area.

8. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

a plurality of the memory cell arrays are arranged at least in the row direction, a plurality of main data lines extend in the row direction corresponding to each of the data lines in the memory cell arrays arranged in the row direction for supplying predetermined row potentials, and each of the main data lines is connected through each of the data line selecting transistors to the corresponding data line in the memory cell arrays.

9. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

a plurality of the memory cell arrays are arranged at least in the column direction, a plurality of main bit lines extend in the column direction corresponding to each of the bit lines in the memory cell arrays arranged in the column direction for supplying predetermined column potentials, and each of the main bit lines is connected through each of the bit line selecting transistors to the corresponding bit line in the memory cell arrays.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2013
From: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES I KFT.
To: XENOGENIC DEVELOPMENT LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 029632/0534 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2013
From: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES I KFT.
Reel/Frame 029574/0933 →
CONFIRMATORY ASSIGNMENT Recorded Oct 22, 2012
From: INOUE, KOHJI
To: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 029166/0867 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2006
From: INOUE, KOHJI
To: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 018195/0206 →