公开(公告)号：US06912892B2

公开(公告)日：2005-07-05

申请号：US10136766

申请日：2002-04-30

申请人： Darin D. Lindig ,  Anthony P. Holden

发明人： Darin D. Lindig ,  Anthony P. Holden

IPC分类号： G01Q60/24 ,  G01Q60/30 ,  G01Q60/38 ,  G01Q70/06 ,  G01Q80/00 ,  G01N13/16 ,  G01B7/34 ,  G12B21/08

CPC分类号： G01Q60/30 ,  G01Q60/38 ,  G01Q80/00 ,  Y10S977/874

摘要： An atomic force microscope for examining a sample is described. The atomic force microscope includes a probe assembly that includes a first tip and a second tip each directed towards a surface of a sample. The AFM further includes a source for applying a potential across the first tip and the second tip; at least one mechanism operable to cause relative motion between the surface and the probe; and at least one sensor operable to sense current flowing between the first tip and the second tip.

摘要翻译： 描述用于检查样品的原子力显微镜。 原子力显微镜包括探针组件，其包括第一尖端和第二尖端，每个尖端指向样品的表面。 AFM还包括用于跨越第一末端和第二末端施加电位的源; 至少一个机构，其可操作以引起所述表面和所述探针之间的相对运动; 以及至少一个传感器，其可操作以感测在所述第一末端和所述第二末梢之间流动的电流。

公开(公告)号：US06717874B1

公开(公告)日：2004-04-06

申请号：US10218892

申请日：2002-08-14

申请人： Frederick A. Perner ,  David H. McIntyre ,  Jonathan Jedwab ,  Anthony P. Holden

发明人： Frederick A. Perner ,  David H. McIntyre ,  Jonathan Jedwab ,  Anthony P. Holden

IPC分类号： G11C702

CPC分类号： G11C7/06 ,  G11C7/1006

摘要： Systems and methods for reducing the effect of noise while reading data in series from memory, are provided. One system embodiment comprises a memory cell that stores a first data; a sensing device that receives the first data multiple times and provides a first set of outputs; and a voting system that evaluates the first set of outputs to determine whether one of the outputs of the first set is valid data from the memory cell. One method embodiment comprises reading data in series that is stored in a memory cell to provide outputs; and evaluating the outputs to determine whether one of the outputs is valid data from the memory cell.

摘要翻译： 提供了用于在从存储器中串行读取数据时降低噪声影响的系统和方法。 一个系统实施例包括存储第一数据的存储器单元; 感测装置，其多次接收第一数据并提供第一组输出; 以及投票系统，其评估所述第一组输出以确定所述第一组的输出中的一个是来自所述存储器单元的有效数据。 一种方法实施例包括读取存储在存储单元中以提供输出的串联数据; 以及评估所述输出以确定所述输出中的一个是来自所述存储器单元的有效数据。

公开(公告)号：US06754123B2

公开(公告)日：2004-06-22

申请号：US10261532

申请日：2002-10-01

申请人： Frederick A. Perner ,  Anthony P. Holden

发明人： Frederick A. Perner ,  Anthony P. Holden

IPC分类号： G11C702

CPC分类号： G11C13/004 ,  G11C7/062 ,  G11C11/16 ,  G11C2013/0054 ,  G11C2207/063 ,  G11C2213/72

摘要： A sensing circuit for determining the logic state of each memory cell in a resistive memory array, wherein each memory cell in the resistive memory array has current control isolation and the logic state of each memory cell can be determined relative to a reference cell having a pre-selected logic state. The sensing circuit comprises a memory cell sensing circuit to determine a bias voltage of a memory cell, a reference cell sensing circuit to determine a bias voltage of a reference cell, an isolation circuit to apply an isolation voltage to turn off a current control element associated with each unselected memory cell, an adjusting circuit to make the bias voltage on the memory cell approximately equal to the bias voltage on the reference cell, and a state determining circuit for determining the logic state of the memory cell.

摘要翻译： 一种用于确定电阻存储器阵列中的每个存储单元的逻辑状态的感测电路，其中所述电阻存储器阵列中的每个存储单元具有电流控制隔离，并且可以相对于具有预先设定的参考单元确定每个存储单元的逻辑状态 - 选择逻辑状态。 感测电路包括用于确定存储器单元的偏置电压的存储单元感测电路，用于确定参考单元的偏置电压的参考单元感测电路，用于施加隔离电压以关闭相关联的电流控制元件的隔离电路 每个未选择的存储单元，用于使存储单元上的偏置电压近似等于参考单元上的偏置电压的调整电路，以及用于确定存储单元的逻辑状态的状态确定电路。

公开(公告)号：US06985381B2

公开(公告)日：2006-01-10

申请号：US10686271

申请日：2003-10-15

申请人： Manoi K. Bhattacharyya ,  Thomas C. Anthony ,  Anthony P. Holden

发明人： Manoi K. Bhattacharyya ,  Thomas C. Anthony ,  Anthony P. Holden

IPC分类号： G11C11/00

CPC分类号： G11C11/15

摘要： A method for reading the magnetization orientation of a memory cell includes applying a magnetic field to the memory cell, observing any change in resistance of the memory cell as the magnetic field is applied, and determining the magnetization orientation based upon the observed change in resistance of the memory cell.

摘要翻译： 用于读取存储单元的磁化取向的方法包括：向存储单元施加磁场，观察作为施加磁场的存储单元的电阻的任何变化，以及根据观察到的电阻变化确定磁化取向 存储单元。

公开(公告)号：US06674679B1

公开(公告)日：2004-01-06

申请号：US10262051

申请日：2002-10-01

申请人： Frederick A. Perner ,  Anthony P. Holden

发明人： Frederick A. Perner ,  Anthony P. Holden

IPC分类号： G11C706

CPC分类号： G11C7/062 ,  G11C11/1673 ,  G11C13/0033 ,  G11C13/004 ,  G11C2013/0054 ,  G11C2207/063 ,  G11C2213/77

摘要： An adjustable current mode differential sense amplifier is disposed to be in communication with a selected memory cell and a reference cell having a predetermined value. The amplifier is able to sense current and voltage changes associated with the selected memory cell and compare them to current and voltage changes associated with the reference cell. The operating point of the sensing amplifier may be changed by modifying threshold voltages related to the back gate bias applied to selected transistors in the amplifier. This adjusting capability enables currents or voltages of the sense amplifier to be set when a first bias voltage is applied to a selected memory cell in order to maximize the sensitivity of the amplifier. When a second bias voltage is applied to the memory and reference cells in order to determine the memory cell value, the amplifier is able to sense slight changes in the currents or voltages associated with the selected memory cell and the reference cell and compare them to determine the state of the memory cell. This increased sensitivity enables the amplifier to have a substantially increased dynamic range without introducing components that might adversely affect the memory circuitry parameters. The memory cell array being sensed has equi-potential isolation for all unselected memory cells, thereby minimizing sneak currents through the unselected memory cells.

摘要翻译： 可调电流模式差分读出放大器设置为与选定的存储单元和具有预定值的参考单元通信。 放大器能够检测与所选存储单元相关联的电流和电压变化，并将其与参考单元相关的电流和电压变化进行比较。 可以通过修改与施加到放大器中的选定晶体管的背栅极偏置相关的阈值电压来改变感测放大器的工作点。 当将第一偏置电压施加到所选择的存储器单元以便最大化放大器的灵敏度时，该调整能力使得读出放大器的电流或电压被设置。 当第二偏置电压施加到存储器和参考单元以便确定存储单元值时，放大器能够感测与所选择的存储器单元和参考单元相关联的电流或电压的轻微变化，并将其进行比较以确定 存储单元的状态。 这种增加的灵敏度使得放大器具有显着增加的动态范围，而不引入可能不利地影响存储器电路参数的组件。 所感测的存储单元阵列对所有未选择的存储单元具有等电位隔离，从而最小化通过未选择存储单元的潜行电流。