IP Library Granted Patent US 9,905,296
Granted Patent B2
US 9,905,296 · App. 15/676,560 · Granted Feb 27, 2018

Apparatuses and methods including memory access in cross point memory

Inventors: DerChang Kau (Cupertino, CA); Gianpaolo Spadini (Los Gatos, CA)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C13/0069G11C13/0004G11C13/004G11C13/0026G11C13/0028G11C13/0097
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,905,296
App. No.
15/676,560
Filed
Aug 14, 2017
Granted
Feb 27, 2018
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2824
USPC
365/169
Abstract

Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a memory cell, first and second conductive lines configured to access the memory cell, and a switch configured to apply a signal to one of the first and second conductive lines. In at least one of such embodiments, the switch can include a phase change material. Other embodiments including additional apparatuses and methods are described.

Claims (48)

1. An apparatus comprising::

a memory array including memory cells and a group of conductive lines configured to access the memory cells;

a group of resistors coupled to the group of conductive lines;

a switching circuit configured to apply a signal to a selective conductive line of the group of conductive lines, wherein the switching circuit includes a phase change material; and

a group of transistors configured to selectively apply a signal to a conductive line of the group of conductive lines through a resistor of the group of resistors.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an additional memory array including additional memory cells and an additional group of conductive lines configured to access the additional memory cells;

an additional group of resistors coupled to the additional group of conductive lines;

an additional switching circuit configured to apply a signal to a selective conductive line of the additional group of conductive lines, wherein the additional switching circuit includes a phase change material, wherein the group of transistors is configured to selectively apply a signal to a conductive line of the additional group of conductive lines through a resistor of the additional group of resistors.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the group of resistors and additional group of resistors have a substantially same resistance value.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a substrate, wherein the memory array overlies the substrate and the additional memory array overlies the memory array.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the group of resistors is located in the substrate.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a first memory array including first phase change memory cells and a first group of conductive lines configured to access the first phase change memory cells;

a second memory array including second phase change memory cells and a second group of conductive lines configured to access the second phase change memory cells;

additional lines shared by the first and second phase change memory cells;

a first group of resistors coupled to the first group of conductive lines;

a first switching circuit configured to apply a signal to a selective conductive line of the first group of conductive lines;

a second group of resistors coupled to the second group of conductive lines;

a second switching circuit configured to apply a signal to a selective conductive line of the second group of conductive lines; and

a group of transistors configured to selectively apply a signal to a conductive line of the first group of conductive lines through a resistor of the first group of resistors, and to selectively apply a signal to a conductive line of the second group of conductive lines through a resistor of the second group of resistors.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a substrate, wherein the additional lines and the first and second group of conductive lines are located over the substrate, and the first and second phase change memory cells are located between the additional lines and the first and second group of conductive lines.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the additional lines extend in a first direction, and the first and second group of conductive lines extend in a second direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the additional lines are located between the substrate and the first and second phase change memory cells.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein:

a phase change memory cell of the first phase change memory cells is coupled between a conductive line of the first group of conductive lines an additional line of the additional lines; and

a phase change memory cell of the second phase change memory cells is coupled between a conductive line of the second group of conductive lines the additional line of the additional lines.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first and second grow of resistors have a substantially same resistance value.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a first memory array including first phase change memory cells and a first group of conductive lines configured to access the first phase change memory cells;

a second memory array including second phase change memory cells and a second group of conductive lines configured to access the second phase change memory cells;

additional lines shared by the first and second phase change memory cells;

a first group of transistors coupled to the first group of conductive line;

a first switching circuit configured to apply a signal to a selective conductive line of the first group of conductive lines;

a second group of transistors coupled to the second group of conductive lines;

a second switching circuit configured to apply a signal to a selective conductive line of the second group of conductive lines.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first group of transistors is configured to respond to a first group of signals, and the second group of transistors is configured to respond to a second group of signals.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a substrate, wherein the additional lines and the first and second group of conductive lines are located over the substrate, and the first and second phase change memory cells are located between the additional lines and the first and second group of conductive lines.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the additional lines extend in a first direction, and the first and second group of conductive lines extend in a second direction.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the additional lines are located between the substrate and the first and second phase change memory cells.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein:

the first switching circuit includes a first group of switches, and a switch in the first group of switches is coupled between a conductive line of the first group of conductive lines an additional line of the additional lines; and

the second switching circuit includes a second group of switches, and a switch in the second group of switches is coupled between a conductive line of the second group of conductive lines the additional line of the additional lines.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein:

a phase change memory cell of the first phase change memory cells is coupled between a conductive line of the first group of conductive lines an additional line of the additional lines; and

a phase change memory cell of the second phase change memory cells is coupled between a conductive line of the second group of conductive lines the additional line of the additional lines.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first switching circuit includes a first group of switches, each switch in the first group of switches includes an electrode coupled to a respective conductive line of the first group of conductive lines.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the second switching circuit includes a second group of switches, each switch in the second group of switches includes an electrode coupled to a respective conductive line of the second group of conductive lines.

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 050709/0838 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046597/0333 →
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. 6 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044348/0253 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 6 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044653/0333 →
Continuity (5)
Division 15437141 · Feb 20, 2017
Division 15180909 · Jun 13, 2016
Division 14973446 · Dec 17, 2015
Division 13465579 · May 7, 2012
Related Publication 20170345498A1 · Nov 30, 2017