公开(公告)号：US11908513B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-20

申请号：US18103383

申请日：2023-01-30

Applicant: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Hieu Van Tran ,  Thuan Vu ,  Stephen Trinh ,  Stanley Hong ,  Anh Ly ,  Vipin Tiwari

IPC: G11C11/54 ,  G11C16/04 ,  G06N3/063 ,  G11C16/26 ,  G11C16/28 ,  H03F3/00 ,  H03M1/16 ,  G06N3/065 ,  H03M1/38

CPC classification number: G11C11/54 ,  G06N3/063 ,  G06N3/065 ,  G11C16/0416 ,  G11C16/0425 ,  G11C16/26 ,  G11C16/28 ,  H03F3/005 ,  H03M1/164 ,  H03M1/38

Abstract: Numerous embodiments of analog neural memory arrays are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system comprises a first array of non-volatile memory cells, wherein the cells are arranged in rows and columns and the non-volatile memory cells in one or more of the columns stores W+ values, and wherein one of the columns in the first array is a dummy column; and a second array of non-volatile memory cells, wherein the cells are arranged in rows and columns and the non-volatile memory cells in one or more of the columns stores W− values, and wherein one of the columns in the second array is a dummy column; wherein pairs of cells from the first array and the second array store a differential weight, W, according to the formula W=(W+)−(W−).

公开(公告)号：US11853856B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-26

申请号：US16746852

申请日：2020-01-18

Applicant: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc. ,  The Regents of the University of California

Inventor： Farnood Merrikh Bayat ,  Xinjie Guo ,  Dmitri Strukov ,  Nhan Do ,  Hieu Van Tran ,  Vipin Tiwari ,  Mark Reiten

IPC: G11C16/04 ,  G06N3/04 ,  G06N3/063 ,  G11C11/54 ,  G11C16/34 ,  G11C29/38 ,  G06N3/045 ,  G11C16/08 ,  G11C16/12 ,  G11C16/16 ,  G06F3/06

CPC classification number: G06N3/04 ,  G06F3/061 ,  G06F3/0655 ,  G06F3/0688 ,  G06N3/045 ,  G06N3/063 ,  G11C11/54 ,  G11C16/08 ,  G11C16/12 ,  G11C16/16 ,  G11C16/3436 ,  G11C29/38

Abstract: An artificial neural network device that utilizes one or more non-volatile memory arrays as the synapses. The synapses are configured to receive inputs and to generate therefrom outputs. Neurons are configured to receive the outputs. The synapses include a plurality of memory cells, wherein each of the memory cells includes spaced apart source and drain regions formed in a semiconductor substrate with a channel region extending there between, a floating gate disposed over and insulated from a first portion of the channel region and a non-floating gate disposed over and insulated from a second portion of the channel region. Each of the plurality of memory cells is configured to store a weight value corresponding to a number of electrons on the floating gate. The plurality of memory cells are configured to multiply the inputs by the stored weight values to generate the outputs. Various algorithms for tuning the memory cells to contain the correct weight values are disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US11849577B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-19

申请号：US17845782

申请日：2022-06-21

Applicant: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Hieu Van Tran ,  Hung Quoc Nguyen ,  Nhan Do

IPC: G11C16/04 ,  H10B41/40 ,  G11C16/14 ,  G11C16/26 ,  H01L29/423 ,  H01L29/788 ,  H10B41/10 ,  H10B41/30

CPC classification number: H10B41/40 ,  G11C16/0408 ,  G11C16/14 ,  G11C16/26 ,  H01L29/42328 ,  H01L29/7881 ,  H10B41/10 ,  H10B41/30

Abstract: A memory device with memory cell pairs each having a single continuous channel region, first and second floating gates over first and second portions of the channel region, an erase gate over a third portion of the channel region between the first and second channel region portions, and first and second control gates over the first and second floating gates. For each of the pairs of memory cells, the first region is electrically connected to the second region of an adjacent pair of memory cells in the same active region, and the second region is electrically connected to the first region of an adjacent pair of the memory cells in the same active region.

公开(公告)号：US11847557B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-19

申请号：US17885437

申请日：2022-08-10

Applicant: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Hieu Van Tran ,  Vipin Tiwari ,  Nhan Do

IPC: G11C11/56 ,  G06N3/065 ,  G06F3/06 ,  G06F17/16 ,  G06N3/08 ,  G11C13/00 ,  G11C16/04 ,  G11C16/28 ,  G06N3/048

CPC classification number: G06N3/065 ,  G06F3/061 ,  G06F3/0688 ,  G06F17/16 ,  G06N3/048 ,  G06N3/08 ,  G11C11/5642 ,  G11C13/004 ,  G11C16/0425 ,  G11C16/28 ,  G11C2211/563 ,  G11C2213/15

Abstract: Numerous embodiments are disclosed for compensating for differences in the slope of the current-voltage characteristic curve among reference transistors, reference memory cells, and flash memory cells during a read operation in an analog neural memory in a deep learning artificial neural network. In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving an input voltage, multiplying the input voltage by a coefficient to generate an output voltage, applying the output voltage to a gate of a selected memory cell, performing a sense operating using the selected memory cell and a reference device to determine a value stored in the selected memory cell, wherein a slope of a current-voltage characteristic curve of the reference device and a slope of the current-voltage characteristic curve of the selected memory cell are approximately equal during the sense operation.

公开(公告)号：US11829859B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-28

申请号：US17233006

申请日：2021-04-16

Applicant: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc. ,  The Regents of the University of California

Inventor： Farnood Merrikh Bayat ,  Xinjie Guo ,  Dmitri Strukov ,  Nhan Do ,  Hieu Van Tran ,  Vipin Tiwari ,  Mark Reiten

IPC: G06N3/04 ,  G06N3/063 ,  G11C11/54 ,  G11C16/34 ,  G11C29/38 ,  G06N3/045 ,  G11C16/08 ,  G11C16/12 ,  G11C16/16 ,  G06F3/06

CPC classification number: G06N3/04 ,  G06F3/061 ,  G06F3/0655 ,  G06F3/0688 ,  G06N3/045 ,  G06N3/063 ,  G11C11/54 ,  G11C16/08 ,  G11C16/12 ,  G11C16/16 ,  G11C16/3436 ,  G11C29/38

Abstract: Numerous embodiments are disclosed for verifying a weight programmed into a selected non-volatile memory cell in a neural memory. In one embodiment, a circuit for verifying a weight programmed into a selected non-volatile memory cell in a neural memory comprises a converter for converting a target weight into a target current and a comparator for comparing the target current to an output current from the selected non-volatile memory cell during a verify operation. In another embodiment, a circuit for verifying a weight programmed into a selected non-volatile memory cell in a neural memory comprises a digital-to-analog converter for converting a target weight comprising digital bits into a target voltage, a current-to-voltage converter for converting an output current from the selected non-volatile memory cell during a verify operation into an output voltage, and a comparator for comparing the output voltage to the target voltage during a verify operation.

公开(公告)号：US20230368011A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-16

申请号：US18227254

申请日：2023-07-27

Applicant: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Hieu Van Tran ,  Steven Lemke ,  Vipin Tiwari ,  Nhan Do ,  Mark Reiten

IPC: G06N3/065 ,  G06F17/16 ,  G11C16/04 ,  G11C16/10 ,  G11C16/34 ,  G11C16/26 ,  G11C11/56 ,  G11C16/14 ,  G06N3/044

CPC classification number: G06N3/065 ,  G06F17/16 ,  G11C16/0425 ,  G11C16/10 ,  G11C16/3459 ,  G11C16/26 ,  G11C11/5628 ,  G11C11/5635 ,  G11C16/14 ,  G06N3/044 ,  G11C2216/04

Abstract: In one example, a method comprises performing a first programming process on a selected non-volatile memory cell, the first programming process comprising a plurality of program-verify cycles, wherein a programming voltage duration of increasing period is applied to one of a floating gate, a control gate terminal, an erase gate terminal, and a source line terminal of the selected non-volatile memory cell in each program-verify cycle after the first program-verify cycle.

公开(公告)号：US11799005B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-24

申请号：US17346524

申请日：2021-06-14

Applicant: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Leo Xing ,  Chunming Wang ,  Xian Liu ,  Nhan Do ,  Guo Xiang Song

IPC: H01L29/423 ,  H01L29/788 ,  H01L29/66 ,  H01L21/28

CPC classification number: H01L29/42328 ,  H01L29/40114 ,  H01L29/66825 ,  H01L29/7883

Abstract: A method of forming a memory device that includes forming a first insulation layer, a first conductive layer, and a second insulation layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a trench in the second insulation layer to expose the upper surface of the first conductive layer, performing an oxidation process and a sloped etch process to reshape the upper surface to a concave shape, forming a third insulation layer on the reshaped upper surface, forming a conductive spacer on the third insulation layer, removing portions of the first conductive layer leaving a floating gate under the conductive spacer with the reshaped upper surface terminating at a side surface at a sharp edge, and forming a word line gate laterally adjacent to and insulated from the floating gate. The conductive spacer includes a lower surface that faces and matches the shape of the reshaped upper surface.

公开(公告)号：US20230335212A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-19

申请号：US17858185

申请日：2022-07-06

Applicant: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Viktor Markov ,  ALEXANDER KOTOV

IPC: G11C29/50 ,  G11C16/14 ,  G11C16/26 ,  G11C16/34

CPC classification number: G11C29/50016 ,  G11C16/14 ,  G11C16/26 ,  G11C16/349 ,  G11C29/50004 ,  G11C2029/5006 ,  G11C2029/5004

Abstract: A method for screening memory cells includes erasing the memory cells, weakly programming the memory cells to a modified erased state, performing a first read operation on the memory cells after the erasing and the weakly programming, screening any of the memory cells that exhibit a read current during the first read operation below a margin read current threshold M1, baking the memory cells after the first read operation, performing a second read operation on the memory cells after the baking, and screening any of the memory cells that exhibit a read current during the second read operation below the margin read current threshold M1.

公开(公告)号：US20230325646A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-12

申请号：US17848381

申请日：2022-06-23

Applicant: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Hieu Van Tran ,  THUAN VU ,  STANLEY HONG ,  STEPHEN TRINH ,  STEVEN LEMKE ,  LOUISA SCHNEIDER ,  NHAN DO

IPC: G06N3/063

CPC classification number: G06N3/063

Abstract: Numerous examples are disclosed of an artificial neural network comprising a plurality of reference arrays used for configuration of a vector-by-matrix multiplication array. In one example, a system comprises a vector-by-matrix multiplication array in an artificial neural network; and a plurality of reference arrays characterized by different I-V curves, wherein one or more of the plurality of reference arrays are used to generate input voltage the vector-by-matrix multiplication array during operation.

公开(公告)号：US20230268004A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-24

申请号：US18140103

申请日：2023-04-27

Applicant: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Hieu Van Tran ,  Stanley Hong ,  Stephen Trinh ,  Thuan Vu ,  Steven Lemke ,  Vipin Tiwari ,  Nhan Do

IPC: G11C16/10 ,  G11C16/04 ,  G11C16/34 ,  G11C11/56 ,  G11C16/14 ,  G06N3/065

CPC classification number: G11C16/10 ,  G11C16/0425 ,  G11C16/0433 ,  G11C16/3459 ,  G11C11/5628 ,  G11C16/14 ,  G06N3/065

Abstract: In one example, a method comprises determining a program resolution current value; and setting levels for a programming operation of a plurality of non-volatile memory cells in a neural network array such that a delta current between levels of each pair of adjacent cells in the plurality is a multiple of the program resolution current value.