IP Library Granted Patent US 11,972,229
Granted Patent B2
US 11,972,229 · App. 17/040,959 · Granted Apr 30, 2024

Semiconductor device and multiply-accumulate operation device

Inventors: Toshiyuki Kobayashi (Kanagawa, JP); Rui Morimoto (Kanagawa, JP); Jun Okuno (Kanagawa, JP); Masanori Tsukamoto (Kanagawa, JP); Yusuke Shuto (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignees: Sony Group Corporation; Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
G06F7/5443G06G7/16G11C11/223H01L29/78391H10B51/30
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 11,972,229
App. No.
17/040,959
Granted
Apr 30, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Semiconductor devices and multiply-accumulate operation devices are disclosed. In one example, a semiconductor device includes synapses in which a nonvolatile variable resistance element taking a first resistance value and a second resistance value lower than the first resistance value and a fixed resistance element having a resistance value higher than the second resistance value are connected in series. An output line outputs a sum of currents flowing through the plurality of synapses.

Claims (48)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a plurality of synapses each including

a nonvolatile variable resistance element taking a first resistance value and a second resistance value lower than the first resistance value,

a fixed resistance element connected in series with the nonvolatile variable resistance element, the fixed resistance element having a resistance value higher than the second resistance value, and

a selection transistor at a node between the variable resistance element and the fixed resistance element that controls selection or non-selection of the variable resistance element; and

an output line that outputs a sum of currents flowing through the plurality of synapses.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the resistance value of the fixed resistance element is lower than the first resistance value.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2 , wherein

the resistance value of the fixed resistance element is lower than ⅕ of the first resistance value.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 2 , wherein

a resistance value μ R of the fixed resistance element is 0.1μ<μ R <10μ when the first resistance value is μ off , the second resistance value is μ on , and μ=10{circumflex over ( )}{[log(μ off )+log(μ on )]/2}.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4 , wherein

σ R /μ R is smaller than σ on /μ on when a standard deviation of μ R is σ R and a standard deviation of μ on is σ on .

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the variable resistance element is a transistor.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein

the variable resistance element is a ferroelectric transistor having a gate insulating film made of a ferroelectric material.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein

the variable resistance element is an n-type transistor, and

the fixed resistance element is provided on an input side of the variable resistance element.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein

the variable resistance element is a p-type transistor, and

the fixed resistance element is provided on an output side of the variable resistance element.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the fixed resistance element is a tunnel resistance element formed by sandwiching an insulator with conductors.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 10 , wherein

the fixed resistance element is a laminated tunnel resistance element in which a single layer or a plurality of layers of the insulator and the conductors are laminated.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein

the fixed resistance element is provided in a contact that electrically connects a source or a drain of the transistor and a wiring layer.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein the fixed resistance element is provided between wiring layers.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the variable resistance element is a two-terminal-type variable resistance element.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising

a decoder that controls a resistance value of the variable resistance element of each of the plurality of synapses.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of synapses are arrayed in a matrix.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of synapses include a plurality of the variable resistance elements or the fixed resistance elements, and

the plurality of variable resistance elements or fixed resistance elements are connected in parallel.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of synapses are further provided with a rectifying element.

19. A multiply-accumulate operation device comprising:

a plurality of synapses each including

a nonvolatile variable resistance element taking two values of a first resistance value and a second resistance value lower than the first resistance value,

a fixed resistance element connected in series with the nonvolatile variable resistance element, the fixed resistance element having a resistance value higher than the second resistance value, and

a selection transistor at a node between the variable resistance element and the fixed resistance element that controls selection or non-selection of the variable resistance element; and

an output line that outputs a sum of currents flowing through the plurality of synapses.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067537/0940 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2020
From: KOBAYASHI, TOSHIYUKI; MORIMOTO, RUI; OKUNO, JUN; TSUKAMOTO, MASANORI; SHUTO, YUSUKE
To: SONY CORPORATION; SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054279/0608 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-069791 · Mar 30, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210026601A1 · Jan 28, 2021