Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Stmicroelectronics International N.v.

Chantal Auricchio

Marcella Carissimi

Laura Capecchi

Marco Pasotti

Vikas Rana

Vivek Tyagi

Rajat Kulshrestha

Pier Luigi Rolandi

Fabio Enrico Carlo Disegni

Cesare Torti

Michele Borgatti

Emanuela Calvetti

Stefano Zanchi

A read signal generator generates read signals to control read operations of a memory array. The read signal generator can be selectively controlled to generate an oscillating signal having a period that corresponds to a feature one of the read signals. The oscillating signal is passed to a frequency divider that divides the oscillating signal and provides the divided oscillating signal to an output pad. The frequency of the oscillating signal can be measured at the output pad. The frequency of the oscillating signal, and the duration of the read signal feature can be calculated from the frequency of the oscillating signal. The read signal feature can then be adjusted if needed.

Circuit for generating and trimming phases for memory cell read operations

A memory device includes programmable memory cells and a programming circuit for programming a selected memory cell to a target logic state by applying one or more programming current pulses. A temperature sensor operates to sense a temperature of the memory device. A reading circuit reads a current logic state of the selected memory cell after a predetermined programming current pulse of the programming current pulses. The reading circuit includes a sensing circuit that senses a current logic state of the selected memory cell according to a comparison between a reading electric current depending on the current logic state of the selected memory cell and a reference current. An adjusting circuit adjusts one or the other of the reading electric current and the reference electric current to be provided to the sensing circuit according to the temperature of the memory device.

Memory device

The ROM device has a memory array including memory cells formed by an access element and a data storage element; a high voltage column decoder stage; a high voltage row decoder stage; an analog stage; and a writing stage, wherein the data storage elements are electrically non-programmable and non-modifiable. The memory array is formed by memory cells having a first logic state and by memory cells having a second logic state. The data storage element of the memory cells having the first logic state is formed by a continuous conductive path uninterruptedly connecting the access transistor to the respective bit line, the data storage element of the memory cells having the second logic state is formed by a region of dielectric material insulating the access transistor from the respective bit line.

Transformed non-reprogrammable memory array devices and methods of manufacture

A memory device includes an array of phase-change memory (PCM) cells and complementary PCM cells. A column decoder is coupled to the array of PCM cells and complementary PCM cells, and a sense amplifier is coupled to the column decoder. The sense amplifier includes a current integrator configured to receive first and second currents of a given PCM cell and complementary PCM cell, respectively. A current-to-voltage converter is coupled to the current integrator and is configured to receive the first and second currents, and to provide first and second voltages of the given PCM cell and complementary PCM cell to first and second nodes, respectively. A logic circuit is coupled to the first and second nodes and is configured to disable the column decoder and to discharge the bitline and complementary bitline voltages in response to the first and second voltages.

Sense amplifier for non-volatile memory devices and related methods

A nonvolatile switch has: an input terminal; an output terminal; a selection terminal; a first and a second biasing terminal; a memory element of flash type, having a first conduction region connected to the first biasing terminal and a second conduction region connected to the second biasing terminal; a pass transistor, having a first conduction region connected to the input terminal and a second conduction region connected to the output terminal; and a common floating gate region and a common control gate region, which are capacitively coupled together. The memory element and the pass transistor share the common-gate regions, and the common control gate region is connected to the selection terminal.

Nonvolatile switch, in particular for high-density nonvolatile programmable-logic devices

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Cassina de' Pecchi, Italy

Chantal Auricchio