Semiconductor memory device and method of operation
First Claim
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1. A memory cell comprising:
- a storage element including a first terminal and a second terminal;
a select transistor including a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein a voltage at the control terminal affects a current flowing between the first terminal and the second terminal, the first terminal of the select transistor being coupled to the second terminal of the storage element;
a bit line coupled to the first terminal of the storage element;
a first word line coupled to the control terminal of the select transistor; and
a second word line coupled to the second terminal of the select transistor.
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Abstract
A memory cell is disclosed. The memory cell comprises a storage element including a first terminal and a second terminal, and a select transistor including a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal. The voltage at the control terminal of the select transistor affects a current flowing between the first terminal and the second terminal. The first terminal of the select transistor is coupled to the second terminal of the storage element. A bit line is coupled to the first terminal of the storage element, a first word line is coupled to the control terminal of the select transistor, and a second word line is coupled to the second terminal of the select transistor.
8 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A memory cell comprising:
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a storage element including a first terminal and a second terminal; a select transistor including a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein a voltage at the control terminal affects a current flowing between the first terminal and the second terminal, the first terminal of the select transistor being coupled to the second terminal of the storage element; a bit line coupled to the first terminal of the storage element; a first word line coupled to the control terminal of the select transistor; and a second word line coupled to the second terminal of the select transistor. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of operating a memory cell, the method comprising:
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enabling the memory cell, wherein the enabling comprises, switching a first word line to a first voltage, the first word line coupled to a control terminal of the memory cell, switching a second word line to a second voltage, the second word line coupled to a common terminal of the memory cell, and applying a third voltage to a bit line, the bit line coupled to an output terminal of the memory cell, wherein the potential difference between the control terminal and common terminal is within a range of voltages that causes the output terminal to conduct a current which depends on an internal state of the memory cell; and disabling the memory cell, wherein the disabling comprises, switching the first word line to a fourth voltage, switching the second word line to a fifth voltage, and applying the third voltage to the bit line, wherein the potential difference between the control terminal and common terminal is within a range of voltages that substantially prevents the output terminal from conducting a current. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A semiconductor memory comprising:
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an array of memory cells, the array comprising a first number of rows and a second number of columns, wherein each memory cell comprises a common node, a control node, and an output node; a first number of first word lines, wherein each first word line is coupled to the control node of each memory cell in a particular row; and a first number of second word lines, wherein each second word line is coupled to the common node of each memory cell in a particular row; a second number of bit lines, wherein each bit line is coupled to the output node of each memory cell in a particular column, wherein a row of memory is read by applying a ground voltage on the second word line corresponding to the row to be read, applying a voltage which exceeds a read threshold on the first word line corresponding to the row to be read, applying a read voltage to each bit line, applying a voltage that does not exceed a read threshold on the first word lines that do not correspond to the rows to be read, and applying a voltage substantially equal to the voltage on the second word lines that do not correspond to the row to be read whereby a leakage current on the memory cells not being read is minimized. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A semiconductor device comprising,
a semiconductor body; -
an array of memory cells disposed on the semiconductor body, the array comprising rows and columns; a plurality of first word lines, each word line coupled to the memory cells along a row of the array of memory cells; a plurality of second word lines, each word line coupled to the memory cells along a row of the array of memory cells; a plurality of bit lines, each word line coupled to the memory cells along a column of the array of memory cells; and a memory controller, wherein, when reading a row, the memory controller sets the second word line of the row to be read to ground and the first word line of the row to be read to a voltage exceeding a read threshold, and sets the second word lines of the rows not to be read to a first read voltage and the first word line of the row not to be read to a voltage not exceeding a read threshold, and the bit lines on the columns to be read to a second read voltage. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification