US20180122451A1 - Ferroelectric random access memory (feram) array with segmented plate lines that are electrically-isolated from each other - Google Patents

Ferroelectric random access memory (feram) array with segmented plate lines that are electrically-isolated from each other Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20180122451A1
US20180122451A1 US15/391,991 US201615391991A US2018122451A1 US 20180122451 A1 US20180122451 A1 US 20180122451A1 US 201615391991 A US201615391991 A US 201615391991A US 2018122451 A1 US2018122451 A1 US 2018122451A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
feram
section
plate line
line
array
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
US15/391,991
Other versions
US9972374B1 (en
Inventor
Tianhong Yan
Original Assignee
Aucmos Technologies USA Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Aucmos Technologies USA Inc filed Critical Aucmos Technologies USA Inc
Priority to US15/391,991 priority Critical patent/US9972374B1/en
Priority to CN201780074258.8A priority patent/CN110301006B/en
Priority to PCT/US2017/058500 priority patent/WO2018081403A1/en
Assigned to AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc. reassignment AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: YAN, TIANHONG
Publication of US20180122451A1 publication Critical patent/US20180122451A1/en
Publication of US9972374B1 publication Critical patent/US9972374B1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Assigned to LIU, JEFFREY reassignment LIU, JEFFREY SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc.
Assigned to LIU, JEFFREY reassignment LIU, JEFFREY CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 048520 FRAME: 0905. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Assignors: AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc.
Assigned to AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc. reassignment AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc. RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LIU, JEFFREY
Assigned to CHEN, YUNG-TIN reassignment CHEN, YUNG-TIN ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc.
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11CSTATIC STORES
    • G11C11/00Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor
    • G11C11/21Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements
    • G11C11/22Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements using ferroelectric elements
    • G11C11/225Auxiliary circuits
    • G11C11/2273Reading or sensing circuits or methods
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11CSTATIC STORES
    • G11C11/00Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor
    • G11C11/21Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements
    • G11C11/22Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements using ferroelectric elements
    • G11C11/225Auxiliary circuits
    • G11C11/2253Address circuits or decoders
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11CSTATIC STORES
    • G11C11/00Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor
    • G11C11/21Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements
    • G11C11/22Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements using ferroelectric elements
    • G11C11/225Auxiliary circuits
    • G11C11/2253Address circuits or decoders
    • G11C11/2255Bit-line or column circuits
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11CSTATIC STORES
    • G11C11/00Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor
    • G11C11/21Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements
    • G11C11/22Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements using ferroelectric elements
    • G11C11/225Auxiliary circuits
    • G11C11/2253Address circuits or decoders
    • G11C11/2257Word-line or row circuits
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11CSTATIC STORES
    • G11C11/00Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor
    • G11C11/21Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements
    • G11C11/22Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements using ferroelectric elements
    • G11C11/225Auxiliary circuits
    • G11C11/2259Cell access
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11CSTATIC STORES
    • G11C11/00Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor
    • G11C11/21Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements
    • G11C11/22Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements using ferroelectric elements
    • G11C11/225Auxiliary circuits
    • G11C11/2275Writing or programming circuits or methods
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11CSTATIC STORES
    • G11C2207/00Indexing scheme relating to arrangements for writing information into, or reading information out from, a digital store
    • G11C2207/002Isolation gates, i.e. gates coupling bit lines to the sense amplifier

Definitions

  • Provisional Application entitled “Segment Plateline of Ferroelectric Memory Array,” filed on Oct. 28, 2016.
  • Provisional Application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
  • the present invention relates to memory circuits.
  • the present invention relates to an efficient organization of a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) array.
  • FeRAM ferroelectric random access memory
  • FIG. 1( a ) is a schematic diagram showing FeRAM circuit 100 .
  • FeRAM circuit 100 includes an array of FeRAM cells.
  • FeRAM array 100 of FIG. 1( a ) is represented by FeRAM cells 101 a and 101 b.
  • FeRAM cells 101 a and 101 b together store one data bit, being represented in the two FeRAM cells in complementary representations.
  • FeRAM circuit 100 also includes a sense amplifier, which receive data signals from FeRAM cells 101 a and 101 b representing the stored data bit over complementary bit lines 110 a and 110 b.
  • An address decoder circuit (not shown) enables the data signals from FeRAM cells 101 a and 101 b to be placed on bit lines 110 a and 110 b after transistors 104 and 105 are rendered conductive momentarily to equalize and to discharge bit lines 110 a and 110 b. Thereafter, transistors 108 and 109 connects the sense amplifier to power supply voltage V CC and ground, thereby activating the cross-coupled inverters formed by transistors 106 a, 106 b, 107 a and 107 b to detect and to develop the data signals on bit lines 110 a and 110 b. After the detected signals are stable, the result (i.e., the detected data bit in FeRAM cells 101 a and 101 b ) is latched into a data buffer.
  • bit line signal BL rises above reference signal V ref , while driving the programmed state in ferroelectric capacitor to non-volatile state “0”. However, if the programmed state in ferroelectric capacitor 102 a is “0”, the programmed state in ferroelectric capacitor 102 a would stay at “0” and bit line signal BL does not rise above reference signal V ref .
  • bit line signal BL converges to V CC or 0 volts, driven by the cross-coupled inverters of transistors 106 a, 106 b, 107 a and 107 b of the sense amplifier, according to the programmed state of ferroelectric capacitor 102 a at the beginning of the read operation.
  • the output of the sense amplifier is latched into a buffer.
  • plate line signal PL is brought back to 0 volts (i.e., ground voltage), so that the programmed state of ferroelectric capacitor 102 a may be restored back to programmed state “1” by the ⁇ V CC voltage between bit line signal BL and plate line signal PL across ferroelectric capacitor 102 a. If the detected programmed state is “0”, as the bit line signal BL is at ground voltage, the “0” state of ferroelectric capacitor 102 b is reinforced between t2 and t3. At time t 3 , the read operation is complete.
  • FeRAM circuit 100 of FIG. 1( a ) is a simplified circuit provided to illustrate the read operations of a FeRAM cell.
  • FIG. 1( d ) shows FeRAM array 150 , which is one implementation of an FeRAM array whose read operation with respect to a single data bit may be represented by FeRAM circuit 100 .
  • FeRAM circuit 150 includes a 2-dimensional array of FeRAM cells with plate lines PL i and word line selection lines WL i running along one direction, and paired complementary bit lines BLT j and BLC j running in a transverse direction connecting any of the ferroelectric capacitors along the transverse direction to a corresponding one of the read/write sense amplifiers 151 a to 151 n. As shown in FIG.
  • each plate line signal PL i is shared by all FeRAM cells selected by the same word line selection signal WL i .
  • the read and write operations of all FeRAM cells selected by the same word line selection signal which may be in the thousands of FeRAM cells, are carried out in parallel, even when not all such FeRAM cells are required to be read.
  • the unnecessary data-restoring write operation reduces the endurance of FeRAM array 150 and increase unnecessary power consumption
  • FeRAM array 150 the sense amplifiers and the read/write circuits are constrained to be laid out within the paired bit line pitch. Such constraint imposes a significant size penalty.
  • a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) array includes (a) a first section of FeRAM cells sharing a first plate line and a word line; and (b) a second section of FeRAM cells sharing a second plate line and the word line, wherein the first plate line and the second plate line are electrically unconnected, and wherein only the first section of FeRAM cells or the second section of FeRAM cells, but not both, are selected for a read operation at any given time.
  • a plate line selection cell connects the corresponding plate line to a plate line selection line.
  • Each FeRAM cell in each section is read or written over a pair of bit lines running in a direction transverse to the word line of the section, and the plate line selection line runs along a direction parallel to the bit lines.
  • the plate line selection cell differs structurally from a FeRAM cell by having a conductive material in the plate line selection cell in place of a ferroelectric material in the FeRAM cell.
  • FIG. 1( b ) shows voltage signals PL, word line selection signal WL and bit line signal BL of FeRAM cell 101 a during a read operation on FeRAM cell 101 a of FIG. 1( a ) .
  • FIG. 1( d ) shows FeRAM array 150 , in which a large number of FeRAMs share the same bit line selection signal WL i and plate line signal PL i .
  • FIG. 2( a ) shows FeRAM array 300 with segmented plate lines, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2( b ) shows a cross section through a plate line select cell (i.e., through plate line select transistor 303 ) of FeRAM array 300 , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 shows FeRAM array 500 in which numerous sections of FeRAM cells corresponding different segmented plate lines share the same set of sense amplifier and read write circuits according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2( a ) shows FeRAM array 300 with segmented plate lines, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2( a ) unlike FeRAM 150 of FIG. 1( d ) , different sections of FeRAM cells in FeRAM array 300 are selected by the same word line selection signal WL i , but are provided different, shorter plate lines activated by plate line signals PL ij .
  • FIG. 2( a ) shows section k of FeRAM array 300 , which includes PL select line 301 running in a transverse direction to the segmented plate lines (i.e., PL select line 301 runs parallel to the bit lines).
  • plate line select transistor 303 connects section k's segmented plate line to PL select line 301 , such that plate line signal PL ik for section k is routed onto the segmented plate line to enable a read operation to be conducted on the FeRAM cells of section k.
  • plate line signal PL ik for section k is routed onto the segmented plate line to enable a read operation to be conducted on the FeRAM cells of section k.
  • a non-selected section such as section (k+1) shown to the right of section k in FIG. 2( a )
  • its plate line signal PL i(k+1) on PL select line 302 is clamped to a ground reference voltage which disables a read operation on the FeRAM cells of section (k+1).
  • FIG. 2( b ) shows a cross section of a plate line select cell (i.e., through plate line select transistor 303 ).
  • PL select transistor 303 includes a source or drain region that is connected to PL select line 301 .
  • the sense amplifiers and the read/write circuits may be distributed on the integrated circuit and need not be constrained to within a bit line pair pitch.
  • the number of sense amplifiers and read/write circuits may be significantly reduced from that required in the architecture of FeRAM 150 of FIG. 1( d ) .
  • the minimum number of sense amplifiers required in this architecture is equal to the number of FeRAM cells in a section served by a segmented plate line (i.e., 16 or 32).

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Semiconductor Memories (AREA)

Abstract

A ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) array includes (a) a first section of FeRAM cells sharing a first plate line and a word line; and (b) a second section of FeRAM cells sharing a second plate line and the word line, wherein the first plate line and the second plate line are electrically unconnected, and wherein only the first section of FeRAM cells or the second section of FeRAM cells, but not both, are selected for a read operation at any given time. In each section of the FeRAM cells, a plate line selection cell connects the corresponding plate line to a plate line selection line. Each FeRAM cell in each section is read or written over a pair of bit lines running in a direction transverse to the word line of the section, and the plate line selection line runs along a direction parallel to the bit lines.

Description

    CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
  • The present application relates to and claims priority of U.S. provisional patent application (“Provisional Application”), Ser. No. 62/414,765, entitled “Segment Plateline of Ferroelectric Memory Array,” filed on Oct. 28, 2016. The disclosure of the Provisional Application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
  • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
  • The present invention relates to memory circuits. In particular, the present invention relates to an efficient organization of a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) array.
  • 2. Discussion of the Related Art
  • A ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) cell stores data in a capacitor using the memory property of a ferroelectric material. FIG. 1(a) is a schematic diagram showing FeRAM circuit 100. As shown in FIG. 1(a), FeRAM circuit 100 includes an array of FeRAM cells. For illustration purpose, FeRAM array 100 of FIG. 1(a) is represented by FeRAM cells 101 a and 101 b. FeRAM cells 101 a and 101 b together store one data bit, being represented in the two FeRAM cells in complementary representations. FeRAM circuit 100 also includes a sense amplifier, which receive data signals from FeRAM cells 101 a and 101 b representing the stored data bit over complementary bit lines 110 a and 110 b. An address decoder circuit (not shown) enables the data signals from FeRAM cells 101 a and 101 b to be placed on bit lines 110 a and 110 b after transistors 104 and 105 are rendered conductive momentarily to equalize and to discharge bit lines 110 a and 110 b. Thereafter, transistors 108 and 109 connects the sense amplifier to power supply voltage VCC and ground, thereby activating the cross-coupled inverters formed by transistors 106 a, 106 b, 107 a and 107 b to detect and to develop the data signals on bit lines 110 a and 110 b. After the detected signals are stable, the result (i.e., the detected data bit in FeRAM cells 101 a and 101 b) is latched into a data buffer.
  • FeRAM cells 101 a and 101 b each include a ferroelectric capacitor (e.g., ferroelectric capacitor 102 a) and a select transistor (e.g., select transistor 103 a) selectable by word line selection signal WL by the address decoder. FIG. 1(c) shows ferroelectric capacitor 102 a and select transistor 103 a of FeRAM cell 101 a of FIG. 1(a). As shown in FIG. 1(c), when select transistor 103 a rendered conducting, ferroelectric capacitor 102 a is connected between plate line signal PL and bit line signal BL. When a programming voltage VPP is imposed across plate line signal PL and bit line signal BL, the ferroelectric capacitor is placed in a first programmed state (“0”) and when a programming voltage −VPP is imposed across plate line signal PL and bit line signal BL, the ferroelectric capacitor is placed in a second programmed state (“1”). These states may be persistent for a period of time (e.g., from a few seconds to tens of years). The length of time during which the programmed state persist depends on the magnitude of the programming voltage.
  • FIG. 1(b) shows voltage signal PL, word line selection signal WL and bit line signal BL of FeRAM cell 101 a during a read operation on FeRAM cell 101 a of FIG. 1(a). As shown in FIG. 1(b), at time t0, voltage signal PL on the plate line is raised to supply voltage VCC and word line selection signal WL is raised to VPP, which is at least as high as supply voltage VCC plus a threshold voltage of the select transistor 103 a, so that selection transistor 103 a becomes conducting. If the programmed state in ferroelectric capacitor 102 a is “1”, bit line signal BL rises above reference signal Vref, while driving the programmed state in ferroelectric capacitor to non-volatile state “0”. However, if the programmed state in ferroelectric capacitor 102 a is “0”, the programmed state in ferroelectric capacitor 102 a would stay at “0” and bit line signal BL does not rise above reference signal Vref. Shortly after time t1, bit line signal BL converges to VCC or 0 volts, driven by the cross-coupled inverters of transistors 106 a, 106 b, 107 a and 107 b of the sense amplifier, according to the programmed state of ferroelectric capacitor 102 a at the beginning of the read operation. Between times t1 and t2, the output of the sense amplifier is latched into a buffer. At time t2, plate line signal PL is brought back to 0 volts (i.e., ground voltage), so that the programmed state of ferroelectric capacitor 102 a may be restored back to programmed state “1” by the −VCC voltage between bit line signal BL and plate line signal PL across ferroelectric capacitor 102 a. If the detected programmed state is “0”, as the bit line signal BL is at ground voltage, the “0” state of ferroelectric capacitor 102 b is reinforced between t2 and t3. At time t3, the read operation is complete.
  • FeRAM circuit 100 of FIG. 1(a) is a simplified circuit provided to illustrate the read operations of a FeRAM cell. FIG. 1(d) shows FeRAM array 150, which is one implementation of an FeRAM array whose read operation with respect to a single data bit may be represented by FeRAM circuit 100. As shown in FIG. 1(d), FeRAM circuit 150 includes a 2-dimensional array of FeRAM cells with plate lines PLi and word line selection lines WLi running along one direction, and paired complementary bit lines BLTj and BLCj running in a transverse direction connecting any of the ferroelectric capacitors along the transverse direction to a corresponding one of the read/write sense amplifiers 151 a to 151 n. As shown in FIG. 1(d), each plate line signal PLi is shared by all FeRAM cells selected by the same word line selection signal WLi. The read and write operations of all FeRAM cells selected by the same word line selection signal, which may be in the thousands of FeRAM cells, are carried out in parallel, even when not all such FeRAM cells are required to be read. As FeRAM cells programmed in the “1” state have to be restored following the read operation, the unnecessary data-restoring write operation reduces the endurance of FeRAM array 150 and increase unnecessary power consumption
  • Furthermore, in FeRAM array 150, the sense amplifiers and the read/write circuits are constrained to be laid out within the paired bit line pitch. Such constraint imposes a significant size penalty.
  • SUMMARY
  • According to one embodiment of the present invention, a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) array includes (a) a first section of FeRAM cells sharing a first plate line and a word line; and (b) a second section of FeRAM cells sharing a second plate line and the word line, wherein the first plate line and the second plate line are electrically unconnected, and wherein only the first section of FeRAM cells or the second section of FeRAM cells, but not both, are selected for a read operation at any given time. In each section of the FeRAM cells, a plate line selection cell connects the corresponding plate line to a plate line selection line. Each FeRAM cell in each section is read or written over a pair of bit lines running in a direction transverse to the word line of the section, and the plate line selection line runs along a direction parallel to the bit lines.
  • In one embodiment, the plate line selection cell differs structurally from a FeRAM cell by having a conductive material in the plate line selection cell in place of a ferroelectric material in the FeRAM cell.
  • When the first section of FeRAM cells are being read in a read operation, signals relating to the read operation are carried on the first plate line, while the second plate line is clamped to a ground reference voltage. In one embodiment, a set of sense amplifiers are selectably connected by a set of multiplexers to either the first section of FeRAM cells or the second section of FeRAM cells, but not both, for reading data stored in the connected section of FeRAM cells.
  • The present invention is better understood upon consideration of the detailed description below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • FIG. 1(a) is a schematic diagram showing FeRAM circuit 100.
  • FIG. 1(b) shows voltage signals PL, word line selection signal WL and bit line signal BL of FeRAM cell 101 a during a read operation on FeRAM cell 101 a of FIG. 1(a).
  • FIG. 1(c) shows ferroelectric capacitor 102 a and select transistor 103 a of FeRAM cell 101 a of FIG. 1(a).
  • FIG. 1(d) shows FeRAM array 150, in which a large number of FeRAMs share the same bit line selection signal WLi and plate line signal PLi.
  • FIG. 2(a) shows FeRAM array 300 with segmented plate lines, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2(b) shows a cross section through a plate line select cell (i.e., through plate line select transistor 303) of FeRAM array 300, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 shows FeRAM array 500 in which numerous sections of FeRAM cells corresponding different segmented plate lines share the same set of sense amplifier and read write circuits according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
  • The harm to endurance by unnecessary data-restoring writes is virtually eliminated by segmenting the plate lines, such that each plate line is shared by a relatively smaller number of FeRAM cells (e.g., 16 or 32), rather than thousands.
  • FIG. 2(a) shows FeRAM array 300 with segmented plate lines, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2(a), unlike FeRAM 150 of FIG. 1(d), different sections of FeRAM cells in FeRAM array 300 are selected by the same word line selection signal WLi, but are provided different, shorter plate lines activated by plate line signals PLij. FIG. 2(a) shows section k of FeRAM array 300, which includes PL select line 301 running in a transverse direction to the segmented plate lines (i.e., PL select line 301 runs parallel to the bit lines). When section k is selected, plate line select transistor 303 connects section k's segmented plate line to PL select line 301, such that plate line signal PLik for section k is routed onto the segmented plate line to enable a read operation to be conducted on the FeRAM cells of section k. At the same time, in a non-selected section, such as section (k+1) shown to the right of section k in FIG. 2(a), its plate line signal PLi(k+1) on PL select line 302 is clamped to a ground reference voltage which disables a read operation on the FeRAM cells of section (k+1). In this manner, only the FeRAM cells of selected section k are read, and only the programmed states of those FeRAM cells are required to be restored. Accordingly, the FeRAM cells in the non-selected FeRAM cells are not read without any plate-line switching and thus are not subject to the unnecessary harm to their endurance by the data-restoring write operations.
  • To implement FeRAM array 300 from the architecture of FeRAM array 150 of FIG. 1(d), one column of FeRAM cells every 16 or 32 columns are modified to provide a column of plate line select cells in the manner shown in FIG. 2(b). FIG. 2(b) shows a cross section of a plate line select cell (i.e., through plate line select transistor 303). As shown in FIG. 2(b), PL select transistor 303 includes a source or drain region that is connected to PL select line 301. The other source or drain region of PL select transistor 303 is connected by contact 354 to conductor 351 in a first interconnect metal level, which is separated but electrically connected to another conductor 352 at a second interconnect metal level by a conductive material 353 (commonly known as a via). This structure is otherwise the structure of a FeRAM cell, except that conductive material 353 occupies the space in which a ferroelectric material (e.g., PZT) would have been present if it were a FeRAM cell.
  • FIG. 3 shows FeRAM array 500 in which numerous sections of FeRAM cells corresponding to different segmented plate lines share the same set of sense amplifiers and read/write circuits according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, a conventional multiplexer circuit routes the bit lines of a selected section of FeRAM cells in FeRAM array 500 to corresponding read/write circuits and sense amplifiers 502-1 to 502-n. As the plate lines in the non-selected sections are clamped to ground voltage, the bit lines in non-selected sections may be left floating without the danger of its corresponding FeRAM cells being subject to a destructive read operation. In this architecture, the sense amplifiers and the read/write circuits may be distributed on the integrated circuit and need not be constrained to within a bit line pair pitch. The number of sense amplifiers and read/write circuits may be significantly reduced from that required in the architecture of FeRAM 150 of FIG. 1(d). In fact, the minimum number of sense amplifiers required in this architecture is equal to the number of FeRAM cells in a section served by a segmented plate line (i.e., 16 or 32).
  • The above detailed description is provided to illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention and is not to be taken as limiting. Numerous variations and modifications within the scope of the present invention are possible. The present invention is set forth by the accompanying claims.

Claims (5)

1. A ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) array, comprising:
a first section of FeRAM cells sharing a first plate line and a word line; and
a second section of FeRAM cells sharing a second plate line and the word line, wherein the first plate line and the second plate line are electrically unconnected isolated from each other, wherein each section further comprises a plate line selection cell which connects the corresponding plate line to a plate line selection line, wherein each FeRAM cell in each section is read or written over a pair of bit lines running in a direction transverse to the word line of the section, and wherein the plate line selection line runs along a direction parallel to the bit lines.
2-3. (canceled)
4. The FeRAM array of claim 1, wherein the plate line selection cell differs structurally from a FeRAM cell by having a conductive material in the plate line selection cell in place of a ferroelectric material in the FeRAM cell.
5. The FeRAM array of claim 1, wherein when the first section of FeRAM cells are being read in a read operation, signals relating to the read operation are carried on the first plate line, while the second plate line is clamped to a ground reference voltage.
6. The FeRAM array of claim 1, further comprising a set of sense amplifiers, the set of sense amplifiers being selectably connected by a set of multiplexers to either the first section of FeRAM cells or the second section of FeRAM cells, but not both, for reading data stored in the connected section of FeRAM cells.
US15/391,991 2016-10-30 2016-12-28 Ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) array with segmented plate lines that are electrically-isolated from each other Active US9972374B1 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US15/391,991 US9972374B1 (en) 2016-10-30 2016-12-28 Ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) array with segmented plate lines that are electrically-isolated from each other
CN201780074258.8A CN110301006B (en) 2016-10-30 2017-10-26 Ferroelectric random access memory (FERAM) array with segmented plate lines
PCT/US2017/058500 WO2018081403A1 (en) 2016-10-30 2017-10-26 Ferroelectric random access memory (feram) array with segmented plate lines

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201662414765P 2016-10-30 2016-10-30
US15/391,991 US9972374B1 (en) 2016-10-30 2016-12-28 Ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) array with segmented plate lines that are electrically-isolated from each other

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20180122451A1 true US20180122451A1 (en) 2018-05-03
US9972374B1 US9972374B1 (en) 2018-05-15

Family

ID=62022461

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US15/391,991 Active US9972374B1 (en) 2016-10-30 2016-12-28 Ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) array with segmented plate lines that are electrically-isolated from each other

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US9972374B1 (en)
CN (1) CN110301006B (en)
WO (1) WO2018081403A1 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20190355404A1 (en) * 2018-05-18 2019-11-21 AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc. Ferroelectric Memory Array with Hierarchical Plate-Line Architecture
US20220406799A1 (en) * 2017-05-10 2022-12-22 Micron Technology, Inc. Plate node configurations and operations for a memory array
US11881252B2 (en) 2017-12-18 2024-01-23 Micron Technology, Inc. Techniques for accessing an array of memory cells to reduce parasitic coupling

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10818334B2 (en) * 2018-06-26 2020-10-27 AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc. Ferroelectric memory array with variable plate-line architecture

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR100407578B1 (en) * 2001-01-08 2003-12-01 삼성전자주식회사 Ferroelectric memory
US6667896B2 (en) * 2002-05-24 2003-12-23 Agilent Technologies, Inc. Grouped plate line drive architecture and method
JP2004288282A (en) * 2003-03-20 2004-10-14 Fujitsu Ltd Semiconductor device
JP4840720B2 (en) * 2005-10-06 2011-12-21 セイコーエプソン株式会社 Semiconductor memory device and electronic device
KR101255325B1 (en) * 2007-08-23 2013-04-16 삼성전자주식회사 Ferroelectric random access memory device and operating method thereof
JP2016066394A (en) * 2014-09-24 2016-04-28 ラピスセミコンダクタ株式会社 Ferroelectric memory

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20220406799A1 (en) * 2017-05-10 2022-12-22 Micron Technology, Inc. Plate node configurations and operations for a memory array
US11881252B2 (en) 2017-12-18 2024-01-23 Micron Technology, Inc. Techniques for accessing an array of memory cells to reduce parasitic coupling
US20190355404A1 (en) * 2018-05-18 2019-11-21 AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc. Ferroelectric Memory Array with Hierarchical Plate-Line Architecture
US10803918B2 (en) * 2018-05-18 2020-10-13 AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc. Ferroelectric memory array with hierarchical plate-line architecture

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN110301006B (en) 2020-11-24
CN110301006A (en) 2019-10-01
WO2018081403A1 (en) 2018-05-03
US9972374B1 (en) 2018-05-15

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5373463A (en) Ferroelectric nonvolatile random access memory having drive line segments
US6574135B1 (en) Shared sense amplifier for ferro-electric memory cell
KR100691659B1 (en) Ferroelectric memory and method for accessing same
US6873536B2 (en) Shared data buffer in FeRAM utilizing word line direction segmentation
US9972374B1 (en) Ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) array with segmented plate lines that are electrically-isolated from each other
KR100306823B1 (en) Non-volatile semiconductor memory device having ferroelectric memory cells
US9786333B2 (en) Dual-bit 3-T high density MTPROM array
JP7405754B2 (en) Sensing method of ferroelectric random access memory
EP3506265A1 (en) A memory device
JPH07111085A (en) Non-volatile semiconductor memory
KR100459228B1 (en) Ferroelectric Random Access Memory Device and method for driving the same
KR20200020980A (en) Response to Power Loss
EP1492122A1 (en) Methods and apparatus for memory sensing
KR20010001969A (en) Nonvolatile ferroelectric random access memory device with segmented plate line scheme and a method of driving a plate line segment therein
US6856535B2 (en) Reference voltage generator for ferroelectric memory
KR20010011483A (en) A nonvolatile ferroelectric random access memory device and a data reading method thereof
JP3777611B2 (en) Ferroelectric memory device and electronic device
JP2000048577A (en) Ferroelectric memory
KR19980087512A (en) Semiconductor memory that can store multiple bits of information in one memory cell
KR20000067342A (en) Ferroelectric random access memory with a stable sensing margin
US6791861B2 (en) Ferroelectric memory device and a method for driving the same
KR100622757B1 (en) Non-volatile ferroelectric memory device
JP2007149295A (en) Semiconductor storage device
US7177174B2 (en) Ferroelectric memory device having a reference voltage generating circuit
US8891310B2 (en) EEPROM memory protected against breakdown of control gate transistors

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: AUCMOS TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC., CALIFORNIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:YAN, TIANHONG;REEL/FRAME:044851/0051

Effective date: 20161221

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

AS Assignment

Owner name: LIU, JEFFREY, FLORIDA

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:AUCMOS TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC.;REEL/FRAME:048520/0905

Effective date: 20190306

AS Assignment

Owner name: LIU, JEFFREY, FLORIDA

Free format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 048520 FRAME: 0905. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:AUCMOS TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC.;REEL/FRAME:048694/0301

Effective date: 20190306

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 4TH YR, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M2551); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 4

AS Assignment

Owner name: AUCMOS TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC., CALIFORNIA

Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:LIU, JEFFREY;REEL/FRAME:062215/0452

Effective date: 20221227

AS Assignment

Owner name: CHEN, YUNG-TIN, CALIFORNIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:AUCMOS TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC.;REEL/FRAME:067314/0379

Effective date: 20240503