IP Library Granted Patent US 11,961,556
Granted Patent B2
US 11,961,556 · App. 17/568,461 · Granted Apr 16, 2024

Socket design for a memory device

Inventors: Amitava Majumdar (Boise, ID); Radhakrishna Kotti (Boise, ID); Rajasekhar Venigalla (Boise, ID)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C13/0028G11C13/0004G11C13/0026G11C13/004G11C13/0069H01L23/5226H01L23/528H10B63/84H10N70/231H10N70/826G11C2213/52G11C2213/71H10N70/841H10N70/8825
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,961,556
App. No.
17/568,461
Granted
Apr 16, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices supporting a socket design for a memory device are described. A die may include one or more memory arrays, which each may include any number of word lines and any number of bit lines. The word lines and the bit lines may be oriented in different directions, and memory cells may be located at the intersections of word lines and bit lines. Sockets may couple the word lines and bit lines to associated drivers, and the sockets may be located such that memory cells farther from a corresponding word line socket are nearer a corresponding bit line socket, and vice versa. For example, sockets may be disposed in rows or regions that are parallel to one another, and which may be non-orthogonal to the corresponding word lines and bit lines.

Claims (61)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving an access command for a memory cell coupled with a first access line and a second access line;

routing, based at least in part on the access command, a current through the memory cell, the first access line, a first socket coupled with the first access line, the second access line, and a second socket coupled with the second access line; and

reading or writing the memory cell based at least in part on the current,

wherein:

the first socket is included in a first row of sockets that is non-orthogonal to the first access line; and

the second socket is included in a second row of sockets that is parallel to the first row and non-orthogonal to the second access line.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first row of sockets is non-orthogonal to the second access line; and

the second row of sockets is non-orthogonal to the first access line.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a magnitude of the current through the memory cell is based at least in part on a first resistance of the first access line and a second resistance of the second access line.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:

the first resistance is based at least in part on a first length of the first access line; and

the second resistance is based at least in part on a second length of the second access line.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first access line extends in a first direction;

the second access line extends in a second direction;

the first row of sockets and the second row of sockets both extend in a third direction; and

the first direction and the second direction are both non-parallel to the third direction.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are at a forty-five (45) degree angle relative to the third direction.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first access line comprises a word line; and

the second access line comprises a bit line.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a first access line for an array of memory cells, the first access line coupled with a first socket of a first row of sockets, wherein the first row of sockets is non-orthogonal to the first access line;

a second access line for the array of memory cells, the second access line coupled with a second socket of a second row of sockets, wherein the second row of sockets is parallel to the first row and non-orthogonal to the second access line; and

a controller coupled with the array of memory cells, wherein the controller is configured to cause the apparatus to:

receive an access command for a memory cell of the array of memory cells, the memory cell coupled with the first access line and the second access line;

route, based at least in part on the access command, a current through the memory cell, the first access line, the first socket coupled with the first access line, the second access line, and the second socket coupled with the second access line; and

read or write the memory cell based at least in part on the current.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

the first row of sockets is non-orthogonal to the second access line; and

the second row of sockets is non-orthogonal to the first access line.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a value of the current through the memory cell is based at least in part on a first resistance of the first access line and a second resistance of the second access line.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:

the first resistance is based at least in part on a first length of the first access line; and

the second resistance is based at least in part on a second length of the second access line.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

the first access line extends in a first direction;

the second access line extends in a second direction;

the first row of sockets and the second row of sockets both extend in a third direction; and

the first direction and the second direction are both non-parallel to the third direction.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are at a forty-five (45) degree angle relative to the third direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

the first access line comprises a word line; and

the second access line comprises a bit line.

15. A memory device, comprising:

an array of memory cells, wherein the memory device is configured to receive an access command for a memory cell of the array of memory cells, the memory cell coupled with a first access line and a second access line; and

one or more drivers configured to route a current through the memory cell, the first access line, a first socket coupled with the first access line, the second access line, and a second socket coupled with the second access line,

wherein:

the first socket is included in a first row of sockets that is non-orthogonal to the first access line;

the second socket is included in a second row of sockets that is parallel to the first row and non-orthogonal to the second access line; and

the memory device is configured to read or write the memory cell based at least in part on the current.

16. The memory device of claim 15 , wherein:

the first row of sockets is non-orthogonal to the second access line; and

the second row of sockets is non-orthogonal to the first access line.

17. The memory device of claim 15 , wherein:

the first access line extends in a first direction;

the second access line extends in a second direction;

the first row of sockets and the second row of sockets both extend in a third direction; and

the first direction and the second direction are both non-parallel to the third direction.

Continuity (2)
Division 16685349 · Nov 15, 2019
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