IP Library Granted Patent US 10,796,743
Granted Patent B2
US 10,796,743 · App. 16/184,492 · Granted Oct 6, 2020

Dynamic adjustment of memory cell digit line capacitance

Inventors: Christopher Kawamura (Boise, ID); Charles Ingalls (Meridian, ID); Scott Derner (Boise, ID)
G11C11/2273G11C11/221G11C11/2255G11C11/2259G11C11/2275
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 10,796,743
App. No.
16/184,492
Granted
Oct 6, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be used to store a logic state. The capacitance of a digit line of the ferroelectric memory cell may be dynamically increased prior to, and during a portion of, a read operation used to determine a stored logic state of the cell. The capacitance may be increased by leveraging intrinsic capacitance of digit lines of the array—e.g., by shorting one digit line to another digit line. Increasing the capacitance of the digit line may increase the signal on the digit line that is sensed during the read operation.

Claims (67)

1. A method, comprising:

coupling a first digit line of a first memory cell with a second digit line of a second memory cell;

applying a voltage to a plate line of the first memory cell during a period of time that the first digit line and the second digit line are coupled; and

isolating the first digit line from the second digit line based at least in part on applying the voltage to the plate line of the first memory cell.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

activating a first switching component coupled with the first memory cell and the first digit line after coupling the first digit line with the second digit line; and

activating a sense component coupled with the first memory cell after isolating the first digit line from the second digit line.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initializing the first digit line and the second digit line to a same voltage before coupling the first digit line with the second digit line.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein initializing the first digit line and the second digit line comprises:

activating a first switching component coupled with the first digit line and a first ground reference; and

activating a second switching component coupled with the second digit line and a second ground reference.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a logic state of the first memory cell based at least in part on isolating the first digit line from the second digit line, wherein the logic state of the first memory cell is based at least in part on a second voltage associated with a reference memory cell.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a second voltage of the first digit line based at least in part on applying the voltage to the first digit line, wherein isolating the first digit line from the second digit line is based at least in part on the second voltage.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling the first digit line with the second digit line comprises:

shorting the first digit line and the second digit line.

8. A method, comprising:

coupling a first access line of a first memory cell with a second access line of a second memory cell;

selecting the first memory cell based at least in part on coupling the first access line with the second access line;

applying a voltage to the first access line of the first memory cell after coupling the first access line with the second access line, wherein applying the voltage to the first access line is based at least in part on selecting the first memory cell, and wherein the second memory cell comprises a reference memory cell; and

isolating the first access line from the second access line based at least in part on applying the voltage to the first access line of the first memory cell.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a first memory cell coupled with a first digit line;

a second memory cell coupled with a second digit line; and

a memory controller coupled with the first memory cell, wherein the memory controller is operable to cause the apparatus to:

couple the first digit line of the first memory cell with the second digit line of the second memory cell;

apply a voltage to a plate line of the first memory cell during a period of time that the first digit line and the second digit line are coupled; and

isolate the first digit line from the second digit line based at least in part on applying the voltage to the plate line of the first memory cell.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory controller is operable to cause the apparatus to:

activate a first switching component coupled with the first memory cell and the first digit line after coupling the first digit line with the second digit line; and

activating a sense component coupled with the first memory cell after isolating the first digit line from the second digit line.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory controller is operable to cause the apparatus to:

initialize the first digit line and the second digit line to a same voltage before coupling the first digit line with the second digit line.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the memory controller is operable to cause the apparatus to initialize the first digit line and the second digit line by being operable to cause the apparatus to:

activate a switching component coupled with the first digit line and a first ground reference; and

activate a second switching component coupled with the second digit line and a second ground reference.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second memory cell is coupled with the second digit line by a switching component that is configured to be deactivated.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a first memory cell coupled with a first access line;

a second memory cell coupled with a second access line; and

a memory controller coupled with the first memory cell, wherein the memory controller is operable to cause the apparatus to;

couple the first access line of the first memory cell with the second access line of the second memory cell;

apply a voltage to the first access line of the first memory cell after coupling the first access line with the second access line;

identify a second voltage of the first access line based at least in part on applying the voltage to the first access line;

deactivate a switching component coupled with the first access line and the second access line based at least in part on the second voltage; and

isolate the first access line from the second access line based at least in part on applying the voltage to the first access line of the first memory cell and deactivating the switching component.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the memory controller is operable to:

determine a logic state of the first memory cell based at least in part on deactivating the switching component coupled with the first access line and the second access line.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a first memory cell coupled with a first access line;

a second memory cell coupled with a second access line that is coupled with the first access line;

a switching component coupled with the first access line and the second access line; and

a memory controller operable to cause the apparatus to:

activate the switching component to couple the first access line with the second access line;

apply a voltage to a third access line of the first memory cell during a period of time the switching component couples the first access line with the second access line; and

deactivate the switching component to isolate the first access line from the second access line based at least in part on applying the voltage to the third access line of the first memory cell.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising:

a sense component coupled with the first access line, wherein the sense component is configured to determine a logic state of the first memory cell based at least in part on a reference value stored in the second memory cell.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a first memory cell coupled with a first access line;

a second memory cell coupled with a second access line that is coupled with the first access line;

a switching component coupled with the first access line and the second access line, wherein the switching component is configured to short the first access line with the second access line upon being activated; and

a selection component coupled with the first access line and the second access line and configured isolate the first memory cell from the second memory cell based at least in part on a voltage of the first access line.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein activating the switching component adjusts a capacitance of the first access line.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein activating the switching component increases the capacitance of the first access line.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 15, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 051026/0568 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050718/0764 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 11 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 16, 2019
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 048082/0860 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 2 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 16, 2019
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 048082/0889 →