Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Circuits and methods for limiting current in random access memory cells
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Application No.: US15238167Application Date: 2016-08-16
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Publication No.: US09620209B2Publication Date: 2017-04-11
- Inventor: Yi-Chun Shih , Chung-Cheng Chou , Po-Hao Lee
- Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
- Applicant Address: TW Hsinchu
- Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
- Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
- Current Assignee Address: TW Hsinchu
- Agency: Jones Day
- Main IPC: G11C11/00
- IPC: G11C11/00 ; G11C13/00

Abstract:
Circuits and methods for limiting cell current or throttling write operation, or both, in resistive random access memory (RRAM or ReRAM) cells are provided. An RRAM cell can include a select transistor and a programmable resistor that can change between a relatively high resistance and a relatively low resistance. The present circuits and methods can reduce or inhibit excess current from being applied to the programmable resistor, which potentially can regulate the resistance of the programmable resistor so as to reduce or inhibit decreases in the resistance of that resistor below the relatively low resistance. Such regulation potentially can improve reliability of the RRAM cell. Additionally, or alternatively, the present circuits and methods can throttle a write operation in an RRAM cell, e.g., can disable current flow through the RRAM cell based on the programmable resistor reaching a pre-defined target resistance, such as the relatively low resistance.
Public/Granted literature
- US20160358651A1 Circuits and Methods for Limiting Current In Random Access Memory Cells Public/Granted day:2016-12-08
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