Semiconductor memory device and method of operating same
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit device comprising:
- a semiconductor memory array, including;
a plurality of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, each semiconductor dynamic random access memory cell includes a transistor having;
a source region;
a drain region;
a body region disposed between the source region and the drain region, wherein the body region is electrically floating; and
a gate spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the body region;
wherein each memory cell further includes (1) a first data state which corresponds to a first charge in the body region of the transistor of the memory cell, and (2) a second data state which corresponds to a second charge in the body region of the transistor of the memory cell wherein the second charge is substantially provided by removing charge from the body region through the source region of the corresponding transistor; and
wherein the source region of the transistor of each memory cell corresponding to a first row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells is connected to the same source line and wherein the gate of the transistor of each memory cell corresponding to the first row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells is connected to the same word line; and
wherein one or more predetermined memory cells of the first row are programmed to the second data state by programming each memory cell of the first row to the first data state and thereafter programming the one or more predetermined memory cells of the first row to the second data state.
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Abstract
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a memory device and technique of reading data from and writing data into memory cells of the memory device. In this regard, in one embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the memory device and technique for operating that device that minimizes, reduces and/or eliminates the debilitating affects of the charge pumping phenomenon. This embodiment of the present invention employs control signals that minimize, reduce and/or eliminate transitions of the amplitudes and/or polarities. In another embodiment, the present invention is a semiconductor memory device including a memory array comprising a plurality of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns. Each semiconductor dynamic random access memory cell includes a transistor having a source region, a drain region, a electrically floating body region disposed between and adjacent to the source region and the drain region, and a gate spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the body region. Each transistor includes a first state representative of a first charge in the body region, and a second data state representative of a second charge in the body region. Further, each row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells includes an associated source line which is connected to only the semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells of the associated row.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit device comprising:
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a semiconductor memory array, including; a plurality of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, each semiconductor dynamic random access memory cell includes a transistor having; a source region; a drain region; a body region disposed between the source region and the drain region, wherein the body region is electrically floating; and a gate spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the body region; wherein each memory cell further includes (1) a first data state which corresponds to a first charge in the body region of the transistor of the memory cell, and (2) a second data state which corresponds to a second charge in the body region of the transistor of the memory cell wherein the second charge is substantially provided by removing charge from the body region through the source region of the corresponding transistor; and wherein the source region of the transistor of each memory cell corresponding to a first row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells is connected to the same source line and wherein the gate of the transistor of each memory cell corresponding to the first row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells is connected to the same word line; and wherein one or more predetermined memory cells of the first row are programmed to the second data state by programming each memory cell of the first row to the first data state and thereafter programming the one or more predetermined memory cells of the first row to the second data state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An integrated circuit device, comprising:
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a semiconductor memory array, including; a plurality of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, each semiconductor dynamic random access memory cell includes a transistor having; a source region; a drain region; a body region disposed between the source region and the drain region, wherein the body region is electrically floating; and a gate spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the body region; wherein each memory cell further includes (1) a first data state which corresponds to a first charge in the body region of the transistor of the memory cell, and (2) a second data state which corresponds to a second charge in the body region of the transistor of the memory cell wherein the second charge is substantially provided by removing charge from the body region through the source region of the corresponding transistor; and wherein the source region of the transistor of each memory cell corresponding to a first row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells is connected to a first source line and wherein the gate of the transistor of each memory cell corresponding to the first row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells is connected to a first word line; wherein the source region of the transistor of each memory cell corresponding to a second row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells is connected to a second source line and wherein the gate of the transistor of each memory cell corresponding to the second row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells is connected to a second word line; and wherein the first and second rows of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells are adjacent rows; and wherein one or more predetermined memory cells of the first row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells are programmed to the second data state by programming each memory cell of the first row to the first data state and thereafter programming the one or more predetermined memory cells of the first row to the second data state and wherein the memory cells of the second row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells are maintained in a fixed state while the one or more predetermined memory cells of the first row of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells are programmed to the second data state. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification