Integrated memory cube structure
First Claim
1. An integrated memory cube which to external circuitry emulates a single memory chip architecture, said integrated memory cube comprising:
- a combination memory chip and logic chip stack including(i) N memory chips (wherein N≧
2) each having M storage devices (wherein M≧
2), along with two substantially parallel planar main surfaces and an edge surface,(ii) a logic chip electrically connected to each of the N memory chips for coordinating external circuitry communication with the N×
M storage devices of the stack, said electrically connected logic chip and N memory chips having an integrated memory architecture that emulates to said external circuitry a single memory chip architecture with said N×
M storage devices, wherein said external circuitry addresses said stack through said logic chip as said single memory chip architecture, said logic chip also having two parallel planar main surfaces and an edge surface, and(iii) at least one planar main surface of each chip in the stack being coupled to a planar main surface of an adjacent chip in the stack, the edge surfaces of the N memory chips and the edge surface of the logic chip aligning to form at least one side surface of the stack, said stack also having an end surface disposed parallel to the planar main surfaces of the chips in the stack.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated memory cube structure and method of fabrication wherein stacked semiconductor memory chips are integrated by a controlling logic chip such that a more powerful memory architecture is defined with the functional appearance of a single, higher level memory chip. A memory/logic cube is formed having N memory chips and at least one logic chip, with each memory chip of the cube having M memory devices. The controlling logic chip coordinates external communication with the N memory chips such that a single memory chip architecture with N×M memory devices appears at the cube'"'"'s I/O pins. A corresponding fabrication technique includes an approach for facilitating metallization patterning on the side surface of the memory subunit.
279 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An integrated memory cube which to external circuitry emulates a single memory chip architecture, said integrated memory cube comprising:
a combination memory chip and logic chip stack including (i) N memory chips (wherein N≧
2) each having M storage devices (wherein M≧
2), along with two substantially parallel planar main surfaces and an edge surface,(ii) a logic chip electrically connected to each of the N memory chips for coordinating external circuitry communication with the N×
M storage devices of the stack, said electrically connected logic chip and N memory chips having an integrated memory architecture that emulates to said external circuitry a single memory chip architecture with said N×
M storage devices, wherein said external circuitry addresses said stack through said logic chip as said single memory chip architecture, said logic chip also having two parallel planar main surfaces and an edge surface, and(iii) at least one planar main surface of each chip in the stack being coupled to a planar main surface of an adjacent chip in the stack, the edge surfaces of the N memory chips and the edge surface of the logic chip aligning to form at least one side surface of the stack, said stack also having an end surface disposed parallel to the planar main surfaces of the chips in the stack. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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2. An integrated memory cube architecture comprising:
a combination memory chip and logic chip stack including (i) N memory chips (wherein N≧
2) each having M storage devices (wherein M≧
2), along with two substantially parallel planar main surfaces and an edge surface,(ii) a logic chip electrically connected to each of the N memory chips for coordinating external communication with the N memory chips of the stack, said logic chip also having two parallel planar main surfaces and an edge surface, (iii) at least one planar main surface of each chip in the stack being coupled to a planar main surface of an adjacent chip in the stack, the edge surfaces of the N memory chips and the edge surface of the logic chip aligning to form at least one side surface of the stack, said stack also having an end surface disposed parallel to the planar main surfaces of the chips in the stack, and (iv) wherein one of said two parallel planar main surfaces of said logic chip comprises an upper surface of the logic chip, and wherein said upper surface of the logic chip includes an array of contact pads, at least some of said contact pads of said array of contact pads comprising I/O contacts for external circuitry connection to the stack. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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20. An integrated memory cube which emulates for external circuitry a single memory chip architecture, said integrated memory cube comprising:
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N memory chips (wherein N≧
2) each having M storage devices (wherein M≧
2), each memory chip of said N memory chips comprising a first single chip memory architecture, said N memory chips being laminated together in a stack; anda logic circuit electrically connected to each of the N memory chips for coordinating external circuitry communication with the N×
M storage devices of the stack, said electrically connected logic circuit and N memory chips having an integrated memory architecture which emulates for said external circuitry a second single chip memory architecture having N×
M storage devices, said second single chip memory architecture comprising a different memory chip architecture from said first single chip memory architecture of each of said N memory chips. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. An integrated multichip memory module which emulates to external circuitry a single chip memory architecture, said integrated multichip memory module comprising:
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a memory subunit having N memory chips (wherein N≧
2), each memory chip of the memory subunit having M memory devices (wherein M≧
2), along with two substantially parallel planar main surfaces and an edge surface, at least one planar main surface of each memory chip being coupled to a planar main surface of an adjacent memory chip of the memory subunit such that said memory subunit has a stack structure; andlogic means electrically connected to each of the N memory chips for coordinating external circuitry communication with said N memory chips of said memory subunit such that an integrated memory architecture with said N×
M memory devices;
exists which appears to said external circuitry to comprise said single chip memory structure with N×
M memory devices. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification