Micron Technology Incorporated

Other

Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Andrea Martinelli

Christophe Vincent Antoine Laurent

Graziano Mirichigni

Efrem Bolandrina

Ferdinando Bedeschi

Stefan Frederik Schippers

Corrado Villa

Pierguido Garofalo

Claudio Nava

Marco Sforzin

Paolo Amato

Paolo Fantini

Kiyoshi Nakai

Gerald J Barkley

Christophe Laurent

Marco Defendi

Francesco Mastroianni

Sunil Shetty

Massimiliano Mollichelli

Daniele Vimercati

Daniele Balluchi

Andrea Ghetti

Claudia Palattella

Maurizio Rizzi

Marco Onorato

Christopher Vincent Antoine Laurent

Onorato Marco

Schippers Stefan

Methods, systems, and devices for memory array seasoning are described. Some memory cells may have an undesirably high threshold voltage and thus a seasoning operation may be performed on a target memory cell. To season the target memory cell, a bit line and a word line associated with the cell may be activated. Additionally or alternatively, a word line coupled with a second memory cell (e.g., a helper memory cell) that shares the activated bit line may be activated. Accordingly, current flowing across the target memory cell may be increased, which may reduce its threshold voltage.

Memory array seasoning

Methods, systems, and devices for circuitry borrowing in memory arrays are described. In one example, a host device may transmit an access command associated with data for a first memory section to a memory device. The first memory section may be located between a second memory section and a third memory section. A first set of circuitry shared by the first memory section and the second memory section may be operated using drivers associated with the first memory section and drivers associated with the second memory section. A second set of circuitry shared by the first memory section and the third memory section may be operated using drivers associated with the first memory section and drivers associated with the third memory section. An access operation may be performed based on operating the first set of circuitry and the second set of circuitry.

Circuitry borrowing for memory arrays

Methods, systems, and devices for parallel access in a memory array are described. A set of memory cells of a memory device may be associated with an array of conductive structures, where such structures may be coupled using a set of transistors or other switching components that are activated by a first driver. The set of memory cells may be divided into two or more subsets of memory cells, where each subset may be associated with a respective second driver for driving access currents through memory cells of the subset. Two or more of such second drivers may operate concurrently, which may support distributing current or distributing associated circuit structures across a different footprint of the memory device than other different implementations with a single such second driver.

Parallel access in a memory array

Methods, systems, and devices for shared decoder architecture for three-dimensional memory arrays are described. A memory device may include pillars coupled to an access line using two transistors positioned between the pillar and the access line. The gates of the two transistors may be coupled with respective gate lines coupled with circuitry configured to bias the gate line as part of an access operation for a memory cell coupled with the pillar. In some cases, the circuitry may be positioned between tiles of the memory device, at an end of one or more tiles of the memory device, between word line combs of a tile of the memory device, or a combination thereof.

Shared decoder architecture for three-dimensional memory arrays

Methods, systems, and devices for architecture-based power management for a memory device are described. Aspects include operating a first memory bank within a memory device in a first mode and a second memory bank within the memory device in a second mode. The memory device may receive a power down command for the first memory bank while operating the first memory bank in the first mode and the second memory bank in the second mode and switch the first memory bank from the first mode to a first low power mode while maintaining the second memory bank in the second mode. The first low power mode corresponds to less power consumption by the first memory bank than the first mode. In some cases, switching the first memory bank from the first mode to the first low power mode includes deactivating circuitry dedicated to the first memory bank.

Architecture-based power management for a memory device

Methods, systems, and devices for circuit partitioning for a memory device are described. In one example, a memory device may include a set of memory tiles that each include a respective array of memory cells (e.g., in an array level or layer). Each of the memory tiles may include a respective circuit level or layer associated with circuitry configured to operate the respective array of memory cells. The memory device may also include circuitry for communicating data between the memory cells of the set of memory tiles and an input/output component. Aspects of the circuitry for communicating the data may be subdivided into repeatable blocks each configured to communicate one or more bits, and the repeatable blocks and other aspects of the circuitry for communicating the data is distributed across the circuit layer of two or more of the set of memory tiles.

Circuit partitioning for a memory device

A method to perform data scrub operations by operating a memory device, the memory device comprising a main memory, an internal Error Correction Code (ECC) engine and a scrub memory. The method comprising: receiving a read command; accessing, based on the receiving the read command, a location in the main memory to read data at the location; error correcting data read during the accessing; and storing at the scrub memory information of the location based at least in part on the correcting the data meeting or exceeding an ECC threshold.

Memory device with data scrubbing capability and methods

Methods, systems, and devices for bank-configurable power modes are described. Aspects include operating a memory device that has multiple memory banks in a first mode. While operating in the first mode, the memory device may receive a command to enter a second mode having a lower power consumption level than the first mode. The memory device may enter the second mode by switching a first subset of the memory banks to a first low power mode that operates at a first power consumption level and a second subset of the memory banks to a second low power mode that operates at a second power consumption level that may be lower than the first power consumption level. In some cases, the memory device may switch the first subset of memory banks from the first low power mode while maintaining the second subset of memory banks in the low power mode.

Bank configurable power modes

Systems, methods, and apparatus related to memory devices. In one approach, a vertical three-dimensional cross-point memory device uses digit line decoders that include, on the digit line side of memory cells, a current limiter and sensing circuit configured to control program current in either of positive or negative program polarities, as selected by a controller. Two current limiters are each used on the digit line side of each memory cell. A negative polarity current limiter is used for pull-up, and a positive polarity current limiter is used for pull-down. A negative polarity sensing circuit is used between the respective digit line decoder and a positive supply voltage. A positive polarity sensing circuit is used between the respective digit line decoder and a negative supply voltage. The current limiter and sensing circuit pair of the same polarity is coupled to each digit line decoder based on the selected program polarity.

Program current controller and sense circuit for cross-point memory devices

Methods, systems, and devices for techniques for parallel memory cell access are described. A memory device may include multiple tiers of memory cells. During a first duration, a first voltage may be applied to a set of word lines coupled with a tier of memory cells to threshold one or more memory cells included in a first subset of memory cells of the tier. During a second duration, a second voltage may be applied to the set of word lines to write a first logic state to the one or more memory cells of the first subset and to threshold one or more memory cells included in a second subset of memory cells of the tier. During a third duration, a third voltage may be applied to the set of word lines to write a second logic state to the one or more memory cells of the second subset.

Techniques for parallel memory cell access

Methods, systems, and devices for input/output line sharing for memory subarrays are described. I/O lines may be shared across subarrays, which may correspond to separate memory tiles. The sharing of I/O lines may allow an I/O line to carry data from one subarray in response to access commands associated with one address range, and to carry data from another subarray in response to access commands associated with another address range. In some cases, sense amplifiers and other components may also be shared across subarrays, including across subarrays in different banks. The sharing of I/O lines may, in some cases, support activating only a subset of subarrays in a bank when accessing data stored in the bank, which may provide power savings.

Input/output line sharing for memory arrays

Methods, systems, and devices for decoding architecture for memory tiles are described. Word line tiles of a memory array may each include multiple word line plates, which may each include a sheet of conductive material that includes a first portion extending in a first direction within a plane along with multiple fingers extending in a second direction within the plane. A pillar tile may include one or more pillars that extend vertically between the word line plate fingers. Memory cells may each be couple with a respective word line plate finger and a respective pillar. Word line decoding circuitry, pillar decoding circuitry, or both, may be located beneath the memory array and in some cases may be shared between adjacent pillar tiles.

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Bergamo, Italy

Andrea Martinelli