摘要:
A magneto-resistive memory cell and a method of forming the memory cell, includes a substrate, a single crystalline semiconductor diode formed in the substrate; and a first thin film conductor recessed in the substrate, and a second thin film conductor formed above a magnetic tunnel junction formed on the diode. The diode and the first thin film conductor share a non-planar common surface, such that the metal tunnel junction is a predetermined distance from the thin film conductor.
摘要:
A semiconductor device such as a P-N or P-I-N junction diode, includes a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity-type and being mounted over a metal address line, and a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity-type and being mounted over the first semiconductor material. The diode preferably has a thickness of substantially no more than about 1 micron, and the diode includes a P-N junction confined to a thickness of less than about 0.1 micron. In the preferred embodiment the method comprises depositing a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, depositing a second intrinsic layer, annealing to convert both layers to a polycrystalline layer, implanting ions of a second conductivity type into the second layer, and annealing to convert the second layer to a polycrystalline. The result is a diode having an ultra-sharp p-n junction.
摘要:
A semiconductor device such as a P-N or P-I-N junction diode, includes a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity-type and being mounted over a metal address line, and a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity-type and being mounted over the first semiconductor material. The diode preferably has a thickness of substantially no more than about 1 micron, and the diode includes a P-N junction confined to a thickness of less than about 0.1 micron. In the preferred embodiment the method comprises depositing a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, depositing a second intrinsic layer, annealing to convert both layers to a polycrystalline layer, implanting ions of a second conductivity type into the second layer, and annealing to convert the second layer to a polycrystalline. The result is a diode having an ultra-sharp p-n junction.
摘要:
A magneto-resistive memory cell and a method of forming the memory cell, includes a substrate, a single crystalline semiconductor diode formed in the substrate; and a first thin film conductor recessed in the substrate, and a second thin film conductor form above a magnetic tunnel junction formed on the diode. The diode and first thin film conductor share a non-planar common surface, such that the metal tunnel junction is a predetermined distance from the thin film conductor.
摘要:
An interconnection network for connecting memory cells to sense amplifiers in a memory device includes a plurality of sub-arrays having memory cells, a plurality of switch units each of which is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-arrays, and true and complement input lines of the sense amplifiers each of which receives data from a selected memory cell via an input line and reference from reference cells via the other input line. The reference, which is a mid-level of data in the memory cells, is obtained from a reference cell having the mid-level value. Alternatively, a mid-level reference may be obtained by averaging data of logic values “1” and “0” stored in different reference cells. The reference cells may be disposed in the sub-arrays or outside the sub-arrays. The interconnection network of the present invention has symmetric configuration so that networks of the input lines of the sense amplifiers have substantially equal structure. Both inputs of a sense amplifier have substantially equal number of connections to data columns and reference columns.
摘要:
A non-volatile memory array having a substrate, a first plurality of electrically conductive traces formed on the substrate, a second plurality of electrically conductive traces formed on the substrate and overlapping first plurality of traces at a plurality of intersection regions, and a plurality of memory cells. Each memory cell is located at an intersection region between one of the first plurality of traces and one of the second plurality of traces. At least one memory cell includes a non-linear magnetic tunnel junction storage element. The non-linear magnetic tunnel junction storage element has at least a first ferromagnetic layer, a barrier layer and a second ferromagnetic layer. The non-linear magnetic tunnel junction storage element has a non-linearity that is defined by a current having a first magnitude flowing through the non-linear magnetic tunnel junction storage element for a bias across the non-linear magnetic tunnel junction storage element of about 0.5 VA that is ten times or more smaller than a current having a second magnitude flowing through the non-linear magnetic tunnel junction storage element for a bias across the non-linear magnetic tunnel junction storage element of about 1 VA, where VA is an operating voltage for a memory cell. The non-linearity is used for minimizing sneak currents through unselected cells, and allowing read or write selection of a particular memory element in a large array.
摘要:
A non-volatile memory array includes first and second pluralities of electrically conductive traces formed on a substrate. The second plurality of electrically conductive traces overlap first plurality of traces at a plurality of intersection regions. Each of a plurality of memory cells is located at an intersection region between one of the first plurality of traces and one of the second plurality of traces. At least one of the memory cells includes a non-linear selection element in series with a magnetic tunnel junction storage element. The non-linear selection element includes at least a first metallic electrode layer, a barrier layer and a second metallic electrode layer metal. The non-linear selection element has a non-linearity defined by a current having a first magnitude flowing through the non-linear selection element for a first bias voltage across the non-linear selection element that is ten times or more smaller than a current having a second magnitude flowing through the non-linear selection element for a second bias voltage across the non-linear selection element, such that the second bias voltage is about two times greater than the first bias voltage. The magnetic tunnel junction storage element includes at least a first ferromagnetic layer, a thin insulating layer and a second ferromagnetic layer.
摘要:
A field compensation circuit for selectively writing one or more selected magnetic memory cells in a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) includes a controller for detecting a characteristic representative of an anticipated interaction between a magnetic field emanating from a bit line corresponding to a selected memory cell and at least one stray magnetic field emanating from one or more bit lines associated with one or more memory cells in close relative proximity to the selected memory cell. A control signal generated by the controller is indicative of the detected characteristic. The field compensation circuit further includes a programmable current source operatively coupled to the bit line corresponding to the selected memory cell, the programmable current source including an input for receiving the control signal. The programmable current source generates a write current having a magnitude which varies in response to the control signal. In this manner, the write current flowing through a given bit line corresponding to a selected memory cell can be selectively adjusted to compensate for magnetic field interaction with adjacent bit lines.
摘要:
A nonvolatile memory array includes a substrate, a first plurality of electrically conductive traces formed on the substrate, a second plurality of electrically conductive traces formed on the substrate and overlapping the first plurality of traces at a plurality of intersection regions, and a plurality of memory cells formed on the substrate. Each memory cell is located at an intersection region between one of the first plurality of traces and one of the second plurality of trace and includes a bidirectionally conducting nonlinear resistance selection device and a magneto-resistive element electrically coupled in series with the selection device. The array is biased during a read operation by biasing a selected trace of a first plurality of electrically conductive traces at a first bias potential. All other traces of the first plurality of conductive traces are biased at a second bias potential. A selected trace of a second plurality of conductive traces is biased at a third bias potential. Lastly, all other traces of the second plurality of conductive traces are biased at the first bias potential.
摘要:
A nonvolatile memory array includes a substrate, a first plurality of electrically conductive traces formed on the substrate, a second plurality of electrically conductive traces formed on the substrate and overlapping the first plurality of traces at a plurality of intersection regions, and a plurality of memory cells formed on the substrate. Each memory cell is located at an intersection region between one of the first plurality of traces and one of the second plurality of traces and includes a bidirectionally conducting nonlinear resistance selection device and a magneto-resistive element electrically coupled in series with the selection device. The array is biased during a read operation by biasing a selected trace of a first plurality of electrically conductive traces at a first bias potential. All other traces of the first plurality of conductive traces are biased at a second bias potential. A selected trace of a second plurality of conductive traces is biased at a third bias potential. Lastly, all other traces of the second plurality of conductive traces are biased at the first bias potential.