IP Library Granted Patent US 10,424,371
Granted Patent B2
US 10,424,371 · App. 15/646,903 · Granted Sep 24, 2019

Operational signals generated from capacitive stored charge

Inventors: Hernan A. Castro (Shingle Springs, CA); Jeremy M. Hirst (Orangevale, CA); Eric S. Carman (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C13/0038G11C13/003G11C13/0004G11C13/0023G11C13/0069
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,424,371
App. No.
15/646,903
Granted
Sep 24, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, a memory device, and a system are disclosed. One such method includes applying a select pulse to a snapback device of a memory cell. This causes the memory cell to enter a conductive state. Once in the conductive state, the memory cell can be set or reset by a pulse formed from parasitic capacitive discharge from various paths coupled to the memory cell.

Claims (33)

1. A method for a memory operation, the method comprising:

providing a first pulse to a memory cell at a first time using a first portion of a first discharge from a first discharge path;

providing a first portion of a second pulse to the memory cell at a second time, later than the first time, using a second portion of the first discharge from the first discharge path; and

providing a second portion of the second pulse to the memory cell at a third time, later than the second time, using a second discharge from a second discharge path, different from the first discharge path.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first discharge includes a first capacitive discharge, and the second discharge includes a second capacitive discharge.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first discharge includes a first parasitic capacitive discharge.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the first pulse includes providing a reset pulse, and wherein providing the second pulse includes providing a set pulse.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the first pulse and the first portion of the second pulse includes using the first discharge from the first discharge path through a first transistor, and

wherein providing the second portion of the second pulse includes using the second discharge from the second discharge path through a second transistor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions of the second pulse are sequential portions of a single pulse.

7. The method of claim 1 , including applying a select voltage to a selector device coupled to a memory cell to cause the memory cell to enter a conductive state prior to providing the first and second pulses.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the selector device includes a snapback device.

9. A method for a memory operation, the method comprising:

controlling a first transistor using a first control signal to apply a first portion of a first discharge from a first discharge path to provide a first pulse to a memory cell, and to apply a second portion of the first discharge from the first discharge path to provide a first portion of a second pulse to the memory cell; and

controlling a second transistor using the first control signal to apply a second discharge from a second discharge path to provide a second portion of the second pulse to the memory cell.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a gate of the first transistor is coupled to a gate of the second transistor.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first discharge includes a first parasitic capacitive discharge, and the second discharge includes a second capacitive discharge.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first pulse includes a reset pulse, and wherein the second pulse includes a set pulse.

13. The method of claim 9 , including applying a select voltage to a selector device coupled to the memory cell to cause the memory cell to enter a conductive state prior to controlling the first and second transistors.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the selector device includes a snapback device.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first and second portions of the second pulse are sequential portions of a single pulse.

16. A device comprising:

a memory cell coupled between a data line and an access line; and

operational circuitry coupled to the memory cell, the operational circuitry including:

a first transistor configured to provide a first pulse to the memory cell at a first time using a first portion of a first discharge through a first discharge path, and to provide a first portion of a second pulse to the memory cell at a second time, later than the first time, using a second portion of the first discharge through the first discharge path; and

a second transistor configured to provide a second portion of the second pulse to the memory cell at a third time, later than the second time, using a second discharge through a second discharge path, different from the first discharge path.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the device includes:

a controller configured to control the device; and

a selector device configured to receive a select voltage and cause the memory cell to enter a conductive state prior to providing the first and second pulses,

wherein the selector device comprises a snapback device.

18. The device of claim 16 , wherein each of the first and second discharge paths include a respective capacitance, and wherein the first discharge path comprises a parasitic capacitance.

19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the parasitic capacitance comprises one or both of an access line parasitic capacitance or a data line capacitance.

20. The device of claim 16 , wherein the first pulse includes a reset pulse, and wherein the second pulse includes a set pulse.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050700/0535 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046597/0393 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 5 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 043482/0776 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 5 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 043483/0686 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14477527 · Sep 4, 2014
Related Publication 20170309333A1 · Oct 26, 2017