Ferroelectric memory device having ferroelectric capacitor

• US 7,397,687 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Shiga, Hidehiro, Takashima, Daisaburo, Shiratake, Shinichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, TRONG Q
• Application Number:
  US11/447,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20060279977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 365/145, 365/149
• US Class Current: 365/145
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/22 using ferroelectric elements

Abstract

A ferroelectric memory device includes a cell block, a bit line, and a plate line. The cell block includes a ferroelectric capacitor and a transistor switch. The bit line applies a voltage to one electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor. The plate line applies a voltage to the other electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor. In a read operation of data, a first voltage is applied to the plate line. In a write operation of data, a second voltage different from the first voltage is applied to the plate line, and a voltage which is higher or lower than the second voltage is applied to the bit line.

Claims

1. A ferroelectric memory device comprising:

a cell block including a ferroelectric capacitor and a transistor switch, the ferroelectric capacitor storing binary data by a direction of polarization of the ferroelectric capacitor;

a bit line which is connected to the cell block and applies a voltage to one electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor;

a plate line which is connected to the cell block and applies a voltage to the other electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor;

a word line connected to a gate electrode of the transistor switch; and

a differential amplifier connected to the bit line,

in a read operation of the data,

a first voltage being applied to the plate line,

a predetermined voltage being applied to the word line to activate the transistor switch for a predetermined period of time, and

a change in voltage of the bit line when the transistor switch is activated being detected by the differential amplifier to read the data, and

in a write operation of the data,

a second fixed voltage different from the first voltage being applied to the plate line,

a predetermined voltage being applied to the word line to activate the transistor switch for a predetermined period of time, and

a voltage which is higher than the second voltage or lower than the second voltage being applied to the bit line to write data in the ferroelectric capacitor.

2. The device according to claim 1,

wherein, when the first voltage is higher than a voltage of the bit line in the read operation of the data, the second voltage is lower than the first voltage, and

when the first voltage is lower than the voltage of the bit line in the read operation of the data, the second voltage is higher than the first voltage.

15. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising:

a flash memory device which stores data; and

a ferroelectric memory device recited in claim 1.

16. A card comprising a ferroelectric device recited in claim 1.

3. A ferroelectric memory device comprising:

unit cells each including a ferroelectric capacitor and a transistor switch, the unit cell storing binary data by a direction of polarization of the ferroelectric capacitor;

a cell block including the unit cell, the cell block including a 1T1C-type structure holding 1-bit data by the unit cell;

a bit line which is connected to the cell block and applies a voltage to one electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor;

a plate line which is connected to the cell block and applies a voltage to the other electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor;

a word line connected to a gate electrode of the transistor switch; and

a differential amplifier connected to the bit line, wherein

in a read operation of the data,

a first voltage being applied to the plate line,

a predetermined voltage being applied to the word line to activate the transistor switch for a predetermined period of time, and

a change in voltage of the bit line when the transistor switch is activated being detected by the differential amplifier to read the data, and

in a write operation of the data,

a second fixed voltage different from the first voltage being applied to the plate line,

a predetermined voltage being applied to the word line to activate the transistor switch for a predetermined period of time, and

a voltage which is higher than the second voltage or lower than the second voltage being applied to the bit line to write data in the ferroelectric capacitor.

4. The device according to claim 3,

wherein, in each of the unit cells, the ferroelectric capacitor and a current path of the transistor switch are connected in series with each other,

the one electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor is connected to the bit line through the transistor switch,

the other electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor is connected to the plate line, and

the gate electrode of the transistor switch is connected to the word line.

5. The device according to claim 3,

wherein, in each of the unit cells, the ferroelectric capacitor and a current path of the transistor switch are connected in parallel to each other,

the cell block includes a unit cell group in which the plurality of unit cells are connected in series with each other and a selection transistor which selects the unit cell group,

one end of the unit cell group is connected to the bit line through the selection transistor, and

the other end of the unit cell group is connected to the plate line.

6. The device according to claim 3,

wherein a value of the first voltage is 1.0V or more, and a value of the second voltage is 0.3V or more and less than 1.0V.

7. The device according to claim 3,

wherein, when the first voltage is higher than a voltage of the bit line in the read operation of the data, the second voltage is lower than the first voltage, and

when the first voltage is lower than the voltage of the bit line in the read operation of the data, the second voltage is higher than the first voltage.

8. A ferroelectric memory device comprising:

first unit cells each including a first ferroelectric capacitor and a first transistor switch, the first unit cell storing binary data by a direction of polarization of the first ferroelectric capacitor;

second unit cells each including a second ferroelectric capacitor and a second transistor switch, the second unit cell storing binary data by a direction of polarization of the second ferroelectric capacitor;

a cell block having the first unit cell and the second unit cell, the cell block having a 2T2C-type structure holding 1-bit data by the first unit cell and the second unit cell;

a first bit line which is connected to the cell block and applies a voltage to one electrode of the first ferroelectric capacitor;

a second bit line which is connected to the cell block and applies a voltage to one electrode of the second ferroelectric capacitor;

a first plate line which is connected to the cell block and applies a voltage to the other electrode of the first ferroelectric capacitor;

a second plate line which is connected to the cell block and applies a voltage to the other electrode of the second ferroelectric capacitor;

a word line connected to gate electrodes of the first transistor switch and the second transistor switch; and

a differential amplifier connected to the first bit line and the second bit line, wherein

in a reading operation of the data,

a first voltage being applied to the first plate line and the second plate line,

a predetermined voltage being applied to the word line to activate the first transistor switch and the second transistor switch for a predetermined period of time, and

changes in voltage of the first bit line and the second bit line when the first transistor switch and the second transistor switch are activated being detected by the differential amplifier to read data, and

in a write operation of the data,

a second fixed voltage different from the first voltage being applied to the first plate line and the second plate line,

a predetermined voltage being applied to the word line to activate the first transistor switch and the second transistor switch for a predetermined period of time, and

a voltage which is higher than the second voltage or lower than the second voltage being applied to the first bit line and the second bit line to write data in the first ferroelectric capacitor and the second ferroelectric capacitor.

9. The device according to claim 8,

wherein, in each of the first unit cells, the first ferroelectric capacitor and a current path of the first transistor switch are connected in series with each other,

in each of the second unit cells, the second ferroelectric capacitor and a current path of the second transistor switch are connected in series with each other,

the one electrode of the first ferroelectric capacitor is connected to the first bit line through the first transistor switch,

the one electrode of the second ferroelectric capacitor is connected to the second bit line through the second transistor switch,

the other electrode of the first ferroelectric capacitor is connected to the first plate line,

the other electrode of the second ferroelectric capacitor is connected to the second plate line, and

the gate electrodes of the first transistor switch and the second transistor switch are connected to the word line.

10. The device according to claim 8,

wherein, in each of the first unit cells, the first ferroelectric capacitor and a current path of the first transistor switch are connected in parallel to each other,

in each of the second unit cells, the second ferroelectric capacitor and a current path of the second transistor switch are connected in parallel to each other,

the cell block has a first unit cell group in which the plurality of first unit cells are connected in series with each other, a first selection transistor which selects the first unit cell group, a second unit cell group in which the plurality of second unit cells are connected in series with each other, and a second selection transistor which selects the second unit cell group,

one end of the first unit cell group is connected to the first bit line through the first selection transistor,

one end of the second unit cell group is connected to the second bit line through the second selection transistor,

the other end of the first unit cell group is connected to the first plate line, and

the other end of the second unit cell group is connected to the second plate line.

11. The device according to claim 8,

wherein a value of the first voltage is 1.0V or more, and a value of the second voltage is not 0.3V or more and less than 1.0V.

12. The device according to claim 8,

wherein, in the write operation of the data, the second voltage is applied to the first plate line and the second plate line,

voltages which are lower than the second voltage and higher than the second voltage are applied to the first bit line and the second bit line, respectively, and

the first ferroelectric capacitor and the second ferroelectric capacitor respectively included in the first unit cell and the second unit cell which form one bit are polarized in directions different from each other.

13. The device according to claim 10,

wherein, in the write operation of the data, the second voltage is applied to the first plate line and the second plate line,

voltages which are lower than the second voltage and higher than the second voltage are applied to the first bit line and the second bit line, respectively, and

the first ferroelectric capacitor and the second ferroelectric capacitor respectively included in the first unit cell and the second unit cell which form one bit are polarized in directions different from each other.

14. The device according to claim 8,

wherein, when the first voltage is higher than voltages of the first bit line and the second bit line in the read operation of the data, the second voltage is lower than the first voltage, and

when the first voltage is lower than the voltages of the first bit line and the second bit line in the read operation of the data, the second voltage is higher than the first voltage.