IP Library Granted Patent US 12,014,780
Granted Patent B2
US 12,014,780 · App. 17/806,080 · Granted Jun 18, 2024

Memory circuit, memory device and operation method thereof

Inventor: E Ray Hsieh (Taoyuan, TW)
Assignee: National Central University
G11C16/102G11C16/0433G11C16/08G11C16/24G11C16/26G11C16/32
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,014,780
App. No.
17/806,080
Granted
Jun 18, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a memory device, which includes a plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices and a storage transistor. The electrically bipolar variable memory devices are electrically connected to a plurality of word lines respectively, the storage transistor is electrically connected to the electrically bipolar variable memory devices, where one end of each of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the word lines, and another end of each of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices is electrically connected to the gate of the storage transistor.

Claims (40)

1. A memory device, comprising:

a plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices electrically connected to a plurality of word lines respectively; and

a storage transistor electrically connected to the plurality of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices, wherein one end of each of the plurality of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of the word lines, and another end of each of the plurality of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices is electrically connected to a gate of the storage transistor,

wherein the storage transistor comprises: the gate comprising one electrically conductive layer or a plurality of electrically conductive layers disposed above one dielectric layer or a plurality of dielectric layers disposed above a semiconductor substrate, the gate contacting one end of a gate contact plug, another end of the gate contact plug contacting a metal layer, and the plurality of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices formed on the metal layer; and a source/drain and another source/drain formed in the semiconductor substrate, and a channel region positioned between said source/drains under the gate rendering electrical signals.

2. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein a source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to a source line, and another source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to a bit line.

3. The memory device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a control transistor connected the storage transistor in series, wherein a source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to a source line, and another source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to a source/drain of the control transistor, and another source/drain of the control transistor is electrically connected to a bit line.

4. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices comprises:

a first contact plug having a bottom being in contact with the metal layer; and

one or a plurality of first electrically bipolar variable layers, wherein one side of each of said first electrically bipolar variable layers contacts one side of the first contact plug, each of the plurality of the word lines in parallel and separately contacts another side of each of said first electrically bipolar variable layers, each of said first electrically bipolar variable layers has first regions between said word lines and the first contact plug, and said first regions serves as the electrically bipolar variable memory devices.

5. The memory device of claim 4 , wherein each of said first electrically bipolar variable layers is a bipolar variable resistance layer or a bipolar variable capacitance layer.

6. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the source/drain contacts one end of a first source/drain contact plug, another end of the first source/drain contact plug contacts a source line, the another source/drain contacts one end of a second source/drain contact plug, and another end of the second source/drain contact plug is electrically connected to a bit line.

7. A memory circuit, comprising:

a plurality of memory devices arranged in an array, each of the memory devices comprising:

a plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices electrically connected to a plurality of word lines respectively; and

a storage transistor electrically connected to the plurality of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices, wherein one end of each of the plurality of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the word lines, and another end of each of the plurality of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices is electrically connected to a gate of the storage transistor,

wherein the storage transistor comprises: the gate comprising one electrically conductive layer or a plurality of electrically conductive layers disposed above one dielectric layer or a plurality of dielectric layers disposed above a semiconductor substrate, the gate contacting one end of a gate contact plug, another end of the gate contact plug contacting a metal layer, and the plurality of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices formed on the metal layer; and a source/drain and another source/drain formed in the semiconductor substrate, and a channel region positioned between said source/drains under the gate rendering electrical signals.

8. The memory circuit of claim 7 , wherein a source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to one of a plurality of source lines, and another source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to one of a plurality of bit lines, the plurality of source lines are electrically connected to a source line decoder with a control circuit, the plurality of bit lines are electrically connected to a bit line decoder with a control circuit and a sense circuit, and the plurality of the word lines are electrically connected to a word line decoder with a control circuit.

9. The memory circuit of claim 7 , wherein the each of the memory devices comprises:

a control transistor connected the storage transistor in series, wherein a source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to one of a plurality of source lines, another source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to a source/drain of the control transistor, another source/drain of the control transistor is electrically connected to one of a plurality of bit lines, a gate of the control transistor is electrically connected to one of a plurality of control lines, the plurality of source lines are electrically connected to a source line decoder with a control circuit, the plurality of bit lines are electrically connected to a bit line decoder with a control circuit, the plurality of word lines are electrically connected to a word line decoder with a control circuit, and the plurality of control lines are electrically connected to a control line decoder with a control circuit.

10. An operation method of a memory device, the memory device comprising a storage transistor and a plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices, the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices electrically connected to a plurality of word lines respectively, and the operation method comprising steps of:

when programming one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices, applying a programming voltage to a corresponding word line of the plurality of word lines, applying a zero voltage to a bit line, and floating a source line, wherein one end of each of the plurality of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of the word lines, another end of each of the plurality of the electrically bipolar variable memory devices is electrically connected to a gate of the storage transistor, a source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to the source line, and another source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to the bit line.

11. The operation method of claim 10 , further comprising:

when erasing the one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices, applying the zero voltage to the corresponding word line, applying an erasing voltage to the bit line, and floating the source line.

12. The operation method of claim 10 , further comprising:

when reading the one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices, applying a read voltage to the corresponding word line, applying 0.1 times to 1 time of an operation voltage to the bit line, and applying the zero voltage to the source line.

13. The operation method of claim 10 , further comprising:

when the one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices is not selected, floating the corresponding word line, and applying the zero voltage to the bit line and the source line.

14. The operation method of claim 10 , further comprising:

when refreshing the one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices, periodically programming the one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices every predetermined time.

15. The operation method of claim 10 , wherein the memory device further comprises a control transistor connected the storage transistor in series, a source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to the source line, and another source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to a source/drain of the control transistor, and another source/drain of the control transistor is electrically connected to the bit line, a gate of the control transistor is electrically connected to a control line, the step of programming one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices comprises:

applying a voltage greater than or equivalent to an operation voltage to the control line to turn on the control transistor, so that the another source/drain of the storage transistor is electrically connected to the bit line through the control transistor.

16. The operation method of claim 15 , further comprising:

when erasing the one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices, applying the voltage greater than or equivalent to the operation voltage to the control line, applying the zero voltage to the corresponding word line, applying an erasing voltage to the bit line, and floating the source line.

17. The operation method of claim 15 , further comprising:

when reading the one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices, applying the operation voltage to the control line, applying a read voltage to the corresponding word line, applying 0.1 times to 1 time of the operation voltage to the bit line, and applying the zero voltage to the source line.

18. The operation method of claim 15 , further comprising:

when the one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices is not selected, floating the corresponding word line, and applying the zero voltage to the control line, the bit line and the source line.

19. The operation method of claim 15 , further comprising:

when refreshing the one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices, periodically programming the one of the plurality of electrically bipolar variable memory devices every predetermined time.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2024
From: NATIONAL CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
To: ERAYTRONIKS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 068548/0165 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 9, 2022
From: HSIEH, E RAY
To: NATIONAL CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 060144/0272 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63177389 · Jun 10, 2021
Related Publication 20220399059A1 · Dec 15, 2022