Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100054026 | MEMORY WITH SEPARATE READ AND WRITE PATHS - A memory unit includes a giant magnetoresistance cell electrically coupled between a write bit line and a write source line and a magnetic tunnel junction data cell electrically coupled between a read bit line and a read source line. A write current passing through the giant magnetoresistance cell switches the giant magnetoresistance cell between a high resistance state and a low resistance state. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell is configured to switch between a high resistance state and a low resistance state by magnetostatic coupling with the giant magnetoresistance cell. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell is read by a read current passing though the magnetic tunnel junction data cell. | 03-04-2010 |
20100072448 | PLANAR PROGRAMMABLE METALLIZATION MEMORY CELLS - Programmable metallization memory cells that have an inert electrode and an active electrode positioned in a non-overlapping manner in relation to a substrate. A fast ion conductor material is in electrical contact with and extends from the inert electrode to the active electrode, the fast ion conductor including superionic clusters extending from the inert electrode to the active electrode. A metal layer extends from the inert electrode to the active electrode, yet is electrically insulated from each of the inert electrode and the active electrode by the fast ion conductor material. Methods for forming programmable metallization cells are also disclosed. | 03-25-2010 |
20100084724 | MEMORY CELL WITH STRESS-INDUCED ANISOTROPY - A magnetic memory element that has a stress-induced magnetic anisotropy. The memory element has a ferromagnetic free layer having a switchable magnetization orientation switchable, a ferromagnetic reference layer having a pinned magnetization orientation, and a non-magnetic spacer layer therebetween. The free layer may be circular, essentially circular or nearly circular. | 04-08-2010 |
20100102406 | MAGNETIC STACK DESIGN - A magnetic stack having a free layer having a switchable magnetization orientation, a reference layer having a pinned magnetization orientation, and a barrier layer therebetween. The stack includes an annular antiferromagnetic pinning layer electrically isolated from the free layer and in physical contact with the reference layer. In some embodiments, the reference layer is larger than the free layer. | 04-29-2010 |
20100109085 | MEMORY DEVICE DESIGN - Memory elements and methods for making memory elements. One method of making a memory element includes forming a first electrode, forming an electrically conductive current densifying element and a memory cell on the first electrode, the memory cell and the current densifying element adjacent to each other. A second electrode is formed over the current densifying element and the memory cell. The memory elements may be resistance random access memory elements. | 05-06-2010 |
20100109107 | MAGNETIC STACK DESIGN WITH DECREASED SUBSTRATE STRESS - A magnetic element and a method for making a magnetic element. The method includes patterning a first electrode material to form a first electrode on a substrate and depositing filler material on the substrate around the first electrode. The method further includes polishing to form a planar surface of filler and the first electrode. A magnetic cell is formed on the planar surface and a second electrode is formed on the magnetic cell. In some embodiments, the first electrode has an area that is at least 2:1 to the area of the magnetic cell. | 05-06-2010 |
20100118579 | Nand Based Resistive Sense Memory Cell Architecture - Various embodiments are directed to an apparatus comprising a semiconductor memory array with non-volatile memory unit cells arranged into a NAND block. Each of the unit cells comprises a resistive sense element connected in parallel with a switching element. The resistive sense elements are connected in series to form a first serial path, and the switching elements are connected in series to form a second serial path parallel to the first serial path. Each resistive sense element is serially connected to an adjacent resistive sense element in the block by a tortuous conductive path having a portion that extends substantially vertically between said elements to provide operational isolation therefor. | 05-13-2010 |
20100202191 | nvSRAM HAVING VARIABLE MAGNETIC RESISTORS - Non-volatile static random access memory (nvSRAM) that has a six transistor static random access memory (6T SRAM) cell electrically connected to a non-volatile random access memory (nvRAM) cell. The nvRAM cell has first and second variable magnetic resistors and first, second and third transistors. | 08-12-2010 |
20100208513 | MEMORY WITH SEPARATE READ AND WRITE PATHS - A memory unit includes a giant magnetoresistance cell electrically coupled between a write bit line and a write source line. The giant magnetoresistance cell includes a free magnetic layer separated from a first pinned magnetic layer by a first non-magnetic electrically conducting layer. A magnetic tunnel junction data cell is electrically coupled between a read bit line and a read source line. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell includes the free magnetic layer separated from a second pinned magnetic layer by an oxide barrier layer. A write current passes through the giant magnetoresistance cell to switch the giant magnetoresistance cell between a high resistance state and a low resistance state. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell is configured to switch between a high resistance state and a low resistance state by magnetostatic coupling with the giant magnetoresistance cell, and be read by a read current passing though the magnetic tunnel junction data cell. | 08-19-2010 |
20100327248 | CELL PATTERNING WITH MULTIPLE HARD MASKS - A method of making a memory cell or magnetic element by using two hard masks. The method includes first patterning a second hard mask to form a reduced second hard mask, with a first hard mask being an etch stop for the patterning process, and then patterning the first hard mask to form a reduced first hard mask by using the reduced second hard mask as a mask and using an etch stop layer as an etch stop. After patterning both hard masks, then patterning a functional layer by using the reduced first hard mask as a mask. In the resulting memory cell, the first hard mask layer is also a top lead, and the diameter of the first hard mask layer is at least essentially the same as the diameter of the etch stop layer, the adhesion layer, and the functional layer. | 12-30-2010 |
20110005920 | Low Temperature Deposition of Amorphous Thin Films - Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to an apparatus and method for low temperature physical vapor deposition (PVD) of an amorphous thin film layer of material onto a substrate. A PVD chamber is configured to support a substrate and has a cathode target with a layer of sputtering material thereon, an anode shield, and a magnetron assembly adjacent the target. A high impulse power magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) power supply is coupled to the PVD chamber, the power supply having a charging circuit and a charge storage device. The power supply applies relatively high energy, low duty cycle pulses to the magnetron assembly to sputter, via self ionizing plasma, relatively low energy ions from the layer of sputtering material to deposit an amorphous thin film layer onto the substrate. | 01-13-2011 |
20110006377 | Patterning Embedded Control Lines for Vertically Stacked Semiconductor Elements - Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to an apparatus with embedded (bottom side) control lines for vertically stacked semiconductor elements, and a method for forming the same. In accordance with various embodiments, a first semiconductor wafer is provided with a first facing surface on which a first conductive layer is formed. The first semiconductor wafer is attached to a second semiconductor wafer to form a multi-wafer structure, the second semiconductor wafer having a second facing surface on which a second conductive wafer is formed. The first conductive layer is contactingly bonded to the second conductive layer to form an embedded combined conductive layer within said structure. Portions of the combined conductive layer are removed to form a plurality of spaced apart control lines that extend in a selected length or width dimension through said structure. | 01-13-2011 |
20110006436 | Conductive Via Plug Formation - Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to a method of forming a conductive via plug in a semiconductor device. A first and second metal layer are electrically connected by a via plug that is formed by depositing a tungsten seed layer on a plurality of metal barrier layers within a recess using atomic layer deposition. The recess is then filled with tungsten using chemical vapor deposition. | 01-13-2011 |
20110007552 | Active Protection Device for Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM) Formation - Apparatus and method for providing overcurrent protection to a resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell during an RRAM formation process used to prepare the cell for normal read and write operations. In accordance with various embodiments, the RRAM cell is connected between a first control line and a second control line, and an active protection device (APD) is connected between the second control line and an electrical ground terminal. A formation current is applied through the RRAM cell, and an activation voltage is concurrently applied to the APD to maintain a maximum magnitude of the formation current below a predetermined threshold level | 01-13-2011 |
20110032749 | NAND Based Resistive Sense Memory Cell Architecture - Various embodiments are directed to an apparatus comprising a semiconductor memory array with non-volatile memory unit cells arranged into a NAND block. Each of the unit cells comprises a resistive sense element connected in parallel with a switching element. The resistive sense elements are connected in series to form a first serial path, and the switching elements are connected in series to form a second serial path parallel to the first serial path. Each resistive sense element is serially connected to an adjacent resistive sense element in the block by a tortuous conductive path having a portion that extends substantially vertically between said elements to provide operational isolation therefor. | 02-10-2011 |
20110090733 | MEMORY WITH SEPARATE READ AND WRITE PATHS - A memory unit includes a giant magnetoresistance cell electrically coupled between a write bit line and a write source line. The giant magnetoresistance cell includes a free magnetic layer separated from a first pinned magnetic layer by a first non-magnetic electrically conducting layer. A magnetic tunnel junction data cell is electrically coupled between a read bit line and a read source line. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell includes the free magnetic layer separated from a second pinned magnetic layer by an oxide barrier layer. A write current passes through the giant magnetoresistance cell to switche the giant magnetoresistance cell between a high resistance state and a low resistance state. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell is configured to switch between a high resistance state and a low resistance state by magnetostatic coupling with the giant magnetoresistance cell, and be read by a read current passing though the magnetic tunnel junction data cell. | 04-21-2011 |
20120080725 | VERTICAL TRANSISTOR MEMORY ARRAY - A method includes providing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of pillar structures extending orthogonally from the semiconductor wafer. An electrically conducting interconnect element is deposited onto at least selected vertical pillar transistors and a non-volatile variable resistive memory cell is deposited onto the electrically conducting interconnect layer to form a vertical transistor memory array. | 04-05-2012 |
20120134200 | Magnetic Memory Cell With Multi-Level Cell (MLC) Data Storage Capability - Method and apparatus for writing data to a magnetic memory element, such as a spin-torque transfer random access memory (STRAM) memory cell. In accordance with various embodiments, a multi-level cell (MLC) magnetic memory cell stack has first and second magnetic memory elements connected to a first control line and a switching device connected to a second control line. The first memory element is connected in parallel with the second memory element, and the first and second memory elements are connected in series with the switching device. The first and second memory elements are further disposed at different non-overlapping elevations within the stack. Programming currents are passed between the first and second control lines to concurrently set the first and second magnetic memory elements to different programmed resistances. | 05-31-2012 |
20120153413 | Non-Volatile Memory Cell with Lateral Pinning - An apparatus and associated method for a non-volatile memory cell, such as an STRAM cell. In accordance with various embodiments, a magnetic free layer is laterally separated from an antiferromagnetic layer (AFM) by a non-magnetic spacer layer and medially separated from a synthetic antiferromagnetic layer (SAF) by a magnetic tunneling junction. The AFM pins the magnetization of the SAF through contact with a pinning region of the SAF that laterally extends beyond the magnetic tunneling junction. | 06-21-2012 |
20120199915 | Patterning Embedded Control Lines for Vertically Stacked Semiconductor Elements - The present invention is generally directed to an apparatus with embedded (bottom side) control lines for vertically stacked semiconductor elements. In accordance with various embodiments, a first semiconductor wafer is provided with a first facing surface on which a first conductive layer is formed. The first semiconductor wafer is attached to a second semiconductor wafer to form a multi-wafer structure, the second semiconductor wafer having a second facing surface on which a second conductive wafer is formed. The first conductive layer is contactingly bonded to the second conductive layer to form an embedded combined conductive layer within said structure. Portions of the combined conductive layer are removed to form a plurality of spaced apart control lines that extend in a selected length or width dimension through said structure. | 08-09-2012 |
20130188419 | MEMORY WITH SEPARATE READ AND WRITE PATHS - A memory unit includes a giant magnetoresistance cell electrically coupled between a write bit line and a write source line. The giant magnetoresistance cell includes a free magnetic layer. A magnetic tunnel junction data cell is electrically coupled between a read bit line and a read source line. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell includes the free magnetic layer. A write current passes through the giant magnetoresistance cell to switche the giant magnetoresistance cell between a high resistance state and a low resistance state. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell is configured to switch between a high resistance state and a low resistance state by magnetostatic coupling with the giant magnetoresistance cell, and be read by a read current passing though the magnetic tunnel junction data cell. | 07-25-2013 |
20130256777 | THREE DIMENSIONAL FLOATING GATE NAND MEMORY - Memory arrays that include a first memory cell having a channel; a first insulator; a floating gate; a second insulator; and a control gate, wherein the first insulator is positioned between the channel and the floating gate, the second insulator is positioned between the floating gate and the control gate; and a second memory cell having a channel; a first insulator; a floating gate; a second insulator; and a control gate, wherein the first insulator is positioned between the channel and the floating gate, the second insulator is positioned between the floating gate and the control gate, wherein the first memory cell and the second memory cell are positioned parallel to each other. | 10-03-2013 |
20140071751 | SOFT ERASURE OF MEMORY CELLS - Apparatus and method for managing data in a memory, such as but not limited to a flash memory array. In accordance with some embodiments, a soft erasure is performed on a block of memory cells by toggling an erasure status value without otherwise affecting a written state of the cells in the block. The memory cells are subsequently overwritten with a set of data using a write polarity direction determined responsive to the toggled erasure status value. | 03-13-2014 |
20140219001 | APPLYING A BIAS SIGNAL TO MEMORY CELLS TO REVERSE A RESISTANCE SHIFT OF THE MEMORY CELLS - Data is written to cells of a resistance-based, non-volatile memory. An activity metric is tracked since the writing of the data to the cells. In response to the activity metric satisfying a threshold, a bias signal is applied to the cells to reverse a resistance shift of the cells. | 08-07-2014 |
20140219003 | Temperature Based Logic Profile for Variable Resistance Memory Cells - A data storage device may generally be constructed and operated with at least one variable resistance memory cell having a first logic state threshold that is replaced with a second logic state threshold by a controller. The first and second logic states respectively corresponding to a predicted resistance shift that is based upon an operating temperature profile. | 08-07-2014 |
20140219021 | DATA PROTECTION FOR UNEXPECTED POWER LOSS - A data storage device receives a write data command and data. The data is stored in a buffer of the data storage device. The data storage device issues a command complete status indication. After the command complete status indication is issued, the data are stored in a primary memory of the data storage device. The primary memory comprises a first type of non-volatile memory and the buffer comprises a second type of non-volatile memory that is different from the first type of non-volatile memory. | 08-07-2014 |
20140219034 | Non-Volatile Write Buffer Data Retention Pending Scheduled Verification - Method and apparatus for managing data in a memory. In accordance with some embodiments, a non-volatile (NV) buffer is adapted to store input write data having a selected logical address. A write circuit is adapted to transfer a copy of the input write data to an NV main memory while retaining the stored input write data in the NV buffer. A verify circuit is adapted to perform a verify operation at the conclusion of a predetermined elapsed time interval to verify successful transfer of the copy of the input write data to the NV main memory. The input write data are retained in the NV buffer until successful transfer is verified. | 08-07-2014 |
20140241032 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES USING A TRANSFER FUNCTION TO PREDICT RESISTANCE SHIFTS AND/OR NOISE OF RESISTANCE-BASED MEMORY - Two or more workload indicators affecting a memory cell of a resistance-based, non-volatile memory are measured. The two or more workload indicators are applied to a transfer function that predicts a resistance shift and/or resistance noise variance in response to the two or more workload indicators. A result of the transfer function is applied to shift and/or determine a threshold resistance used for at least one of a program operation and a read operation affecting the memory cell. An error rate of the memory cell is reduced as a result. | 08-28-2014 |
20140241071 | Fast Power Loss Recovery By Swapping Boot and Recovery Data Sets in a Memory - Method and apparatus for managing data in a memory. In accordance with some embodiments, a recovery data set representing a current state of a storage device is stored in a rewritable non-volatile memory responsive to detection of a potentially imminent deactivation of the device. The recovery data set is swapped with a boot data set in said memory responsive to subsequent deactivation of the device. The boot data set is subsequently used to transition the device from a deactivated mode to an operationally ready mode during device reinitialization. The boot data set is thereafter swapped with the recovery data set to return the device to the current state. | 08-28-2014 |
20140244896 | Data Update Management in a Cloud Computing Environment - Method and apparatus for managing data in a cloud computing environment. In accordance with some embodiments, data updates are received to a multi-tier memory structure across a cloud network and stored as working data in an upper rewritable non-volatile memory tier of the memory structure. The working data are periodically logged to a lower non-volatile memory tier in the memory structure while a current version of the working data remain in the upper memory tier. The upper and lower memory tiers each are formed of rewritable memory cells having different constructions and storage attributes. | 08-28-2014 |
20140244946 | CROSS-POINT RESISTIVE-BASED MEMORY ARCHITECTURE - A plurality of addressable memory tiles each comprise one or more cross-point arrays. Each array comprises a plurality of non-volatile resistance-change memory cells. A controller is configured to couple to the array and to a host system. The controller is configured to perform receiving, from the host system, one or more data objects each having a size equal to a predetermined logical block size, and storing the one or more data objects in a corresponding integer number of one or more of the memory tiles. | 08-28-2014 |
20140245108 | ECC Management for Variable Resistance Memory Cells - A data storage device may generally be constructed and operated with at least a controller configured to identify a variance from a predetermined threshold in at least one variable resistance memory cell and upgrade a first error correction code (ECC) level to a second ECC level for the at least one variable resistance memory cell. | 08-28-2014 |
20140258646 | FORMING A CHARACTERIZATION PARAMETER OF A RESISTIVE MEMORY ELEMENT - An incremental signal is defined that includes at least one of a duration and a peak voltage that is less than a respective minimum programming time or minimum programming voltage step of a resistive memory element. A characterization procedure is repeatedly performed that at least involves: applying a signal to the memory element, the signal being incremented by the incremental signal during each subsequent application; measuring a first resistance of the memory element in response to the signal; and c) measuring a second resistance of the memory element after a time period has elapsed from the measurement of the first resistance with no programming signal applied. In response to the first and second resistance measurements of the characterization procedure, a characterization parameter of the memory element is formed. | 09-11-2014 |
20140281280 | SELECTING BETWEEN NON-VOLATILE MEMORY UNITS HAVING DIFFERENT MINIMUM ADDRESSABLE DATA UNIT SIZES - An apparatus includes a controller capable of being coupled to a host interface and a memory device. The memory device includes two or more non-hierarchical, non-volatile memory units having different minimum addressable data unit sizes. The controller is configured to at least perform determining a workload indicator of a data object being stored in the memory device via the host interface. The controller selects one of the memory units in response to the workload indicator of the data object corresponding to the minimum addressable data unit size of the selected memory unit corresponding to the workload indicator. The data object is stored in the selected memory unit in response thereto. | 09-18-2014 |
20140332748 | THREE DIMENSIONAL RESISTIVE MEMORY - A memory device includes a stack of layers comprising a plurality of alternating layers of continuous electrically conductive material word line layers with layers of continuous electrically insulating material. A plurality of vias vertically extend through the stack of layers and a vertical bit line is disposed within each via. A layer of switching material separates the vertical bit line from the stack of layers, thereby forming an array of RRAM cells. | 11-13-2014 |
20150023097 | PARTIAL REPROGRAMMING OF SOLID-STATE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELLS - Method and apparatus for managing data in a memory, such as a flash memory array. In accordance with some embodiments, data are written to a set of solid-state non-volatile memory cells so that each memory cell in the set is written to an associated initial programmed state. Drift in the programmed state of a selected memory cell in the set is detected, and the selected memory cell is partially reprogrammed to return the selected memory cell to the associated initial programmed state. | 01-22-2015 |