Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.

Intel Corporation

Agate Semiconductor, Inc.

Atmel Corporation

George J Korsh

Sakhawat M Khan

Hieu Van Tran

Shafqat Ahmed

Nicole Meier Chang

John Nugent

Ed Nabighian

Mark A Holler

William Saiki

George Perlegos

Edward S Hui

Paolo Gargini

Mehdi Jazayeri

An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to prevent reliability failures in semiconductor devices. A trench is patterned in a polyimide layer over a guard ring having a top metal layer. A passivation layer is etched at bottom of the trench. A capping layer is deposited on the trench over the etched passivation layer. The capping layer and the top metal layer form a mechanical strong interface to prevent a crack propagation.

Guard ring extension to prevent reliability failures

Memory array architectures and operating methods suitable for super high density in the giga bits for multilevel nonvolatile memory integrated circuit system. The array architectures and operating methods include: (1) an Inhibit and Select Segmentation Scheme; (2) a Multilevel Memory Decoding Scheme that includes a Power Supply Decoded Decoding Scheme, a Feedthrough-to-Memory Decoding Scheme, a Feedthrough-to-Driver Decoding Scheme, and a Winner-Take-All Kelvin Memory Decoding Scheme; (3) a constant-total-current-program scheme; (4) includes fast-slow and 2-step ramp rate control programming; and a reference system method and apparatus, which includes a Positional Linear Reference System, a Positional Geometric Reference System, and a Geometric Compensation Reference System. The apparatus and method enable multilevel programming, reading, and margining.

Array architecture and operating methods for digital multilevel nonvolatile memory integrated circuit system

A digital multilevel bit memory array system comprises regular memory arrays and redundant memory arrays. A regular y-driver corresponds to each memory array to read or write contents to a multilevel bit memory cell and compare the read cell content to reference voltage levels to determine the data stored in the corresponding memory cell. Likewise, similar functions are performed by the redundant y-driver circuit for the redundant memory array. During the verification of the contents of the memory cell, if the read voltage is outside a certain margin requirement for a level of the reference voltage, a signal is generated in real time so that data from the bad y-driver is not output and data from the redundant y-driver corresponding to the redundant memory array is read out. The memory array system may also include a fractional multilevel redundancy.

Column redundancy for digital multilevel nonvolatile memory

A non-volatile flash fuse element and an array of such elements include fuses coupled to the input of a latch arranged as a differential comparator for constant current differential sensing. The fuse element includes a margining circuit that provides differential mass fuse margining. The margining circuit also allows the fuses to be stressed and screened. The fuse elements also provide constant current parallel programming.

Non-volatile flash fuse element

An integrated circuit memory system and method for precision hot carrier injection programming of single or plurality of nonvolatile memory cells is described. Each program cycle is followed by a verify cycle. Precision programming is achieved by incrementally changing a programming current pulse flowing between the source and drain in the memory cell during successive program cycles and a constant current during successive verify cycles. Current control and voltage mode sensing circuitry reduces circuit complexity, reduces programming cell current, lowers power dissipation, and enables page mode operation. Precision programming is useful for multilevel digital and analog information storage.

Precision programming of nonvolatile memory cells

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method for testing a multilevel memory includes: performing an erase operation to place a plurality of memory cells in an erased state; programming a state of each cell in a group of the plurality of cells to within a first range of voltages; if a state of each of one or more of the cells in the group of cells does not verify to within the first range of voltages, identifying at least the one or more cells as failing; and if a state of each cell in the group of cells verifies to within the first range of voltages: applying a predetermined number of programming pulses to further program the state of each cell in the group of cells to within a second range of voltages; and verifying whether a state of each cell in the group of cells is programmed beyond the second range of voltages.

Testing of multilevel semiconductor memory

An integrated circuit memory system having memory cells capable of storing multiple bits per memory cell is described. The memory system has a restoring operation in which a memory cells' stored charge, which may drift from its initially set condition, is maintained within one of a plurality of predetermined levels corresponding to digital bits of information and defined by a set of special reference voltage values. The memory system has mini-programming and mini-erasing operations to move only the amount of charge into and out of the memory cell sufficient to keep the charge within the predetermined levels. The memory system also has an operation for high speed programming of the memory cells and an erasing operation to narrow the charge distribution of erased memory cells for increasing the spread, and safety margins, between the predetermined levels.

Growing community of inventors

Redwood City, CA, United States of America

George J Korsh