Thin Film Electronics Asa

Johan Carlsson

Hans Gude Gudesen

Per-Erik Nordal

Göran Gustafsson

Christer Karlsson

Michael O Thompson

Per Hamberg

Geirr Ivarsson Leistad

G&ouml;ran Gustafsson

Nicklas Ojakangas

Mats Johansson

Magnus Berggren

Per Bröms

Olle Jonny Hagel

Olle Inganäs

Staffan Björklid

Goran Gustafsson

Per Sandström

Geirr Ivarsson Leidstad

Peter Dyreklev

Lucimara Stolz Roman

Hamberg Per

In a non-volatile electric memory system a memory unit and a read/write unit are provided as physically separate units. The memory unit is based on a memory material that can be set to at least two distinct physical states by applying an electric field across the memory material. Electrodes and/or contacts are either provided in the memory unit or in the read/write unit and contacts are at least always provided in the read/write unit. Electrodes and contacts are provided in a geometrical arrangement, which defines geometrically one or more memory cells in the memory layer. Establishing a physical contact between the memory unit and the read/write unit closes an electrical circuit over the addressed memory cell such that read, write or erase operations can be effected. The memory material of the memory unit can be polarized into two discernible polarization states.

Card-like memory unit with separate read/write unit

In a method for obviating the effect of disturb voltages in a data storage apparatus employing passive matrix addressing, an application of electric potentials for an addressing operation is according to a voltage pulse protocol. The data storage cells of the apparatus are provided in two or more electrically separated segments each constituting non-overlapping physical address subspaces of the data storage apparatus physical address space. A number of data storage cells in each segment are preset to the same polarization by an active voltage pulse with a specific polarization. In a first addressing operation one or more data storage cells are read by applying an active pulse with the same polarization to each data storage cell and recording the output charge response. On basis thereof the output data in subsequent second addressing operation are copied onto preset data storage cells in another segment of the data storage apparatus, this segment being selected on the basis of its previous addressing history.

Method for operating a data storage apparatus employing passive matrix addressing

In a method for reducing detrimental phenomena related to disturb voltages in a data storage apparatus employing passive matrix addressing, particularly a memory device or a sensor device, an application of electric potentials conforming to an addressing operation is generally controlled in a time-coordinated manner according to a voltage pulse protocol. In an addressing operation a data storage cell is set to a first polarization state by means of a first active voltage pulse and then, dependent on the voltage pulse protocol, a second voltage pulse which may be a second active voltage pulse of opposite polarity to that of the first voltage pulse, is applied and used for switching the data storage cell to a second polarization state. The addressed cell is thus set to a predetermined polarization state as specified by the addressing operation. The data storage cells of the apparatus are provided in two or more electrically separated segments such that each segment comprises a separate physical address space for the apparatus. In an addressing operation the data are directed to a segment that is selected based on information on prior and/or scheduled applications of active voltage pulses to the segments.

In a method for operating a passive matrix-addressable ferroelectric or electret memory device, a voltage pulse protocol based on a 1/3 voltage selection rule is used in order to keep disturb voltages at minimum, the voltage pulse protocol comprising cycles for read and write/erase bases on time sequence of voltage pulses with defined parameters. The method comprises a refresh procedure wherein cells for refresh are selected and refresh requests processed by a memory device controller, the refresh requests are monitored and processed in regard of ongoing or scheduled memory operations, and refresh voltage pulses with defined parameters are applied to the memory cells selected for refresh, while simultaneously ensuring that non-selected memory cells are subjected to zero voltage or voltages which do not affect the polarization state of these cells.

Method for operating a passive matrix-addressable ferroelectric or electret memory device

In a memory and/or data processing device having at least two stacked layers which are supported by a substrate or forming a sandwiched self-supporting structure, wherein the layers include memory and/or processing circuitry with mutual connections between the layers and/or to circuitry in the substrate, the layers the are mutually arranged such that contiguous layers form a staggered structure on at least one edge of the device and at least one electrical edge conductor is provided passing over the edge on one layer and down one step at a time, enabling the connection to an electrical conductor in any of the following layers in the stack. A method for manufacturing a device of this kind includes the steps for adding the layers successively, one layer at a time, such that the layers form a staggered structure, and for providing one or more layers with at least one electrical contact pad for linking to one or more interlayer edge connectors.

Vertical electrical interconnections in a stack

In a method for forming interlayer connections, metal conducting paths in an overlaying layer and vias forming the deposit in one and the same operation. In an interlayer connection formed in this manner the vias are provided integral with connecting conducting paths in the overlaying layer.

Interlayer connections for layered electronic devices

A method of driving a passive matrix display or memory array of cells comprising an electrically polarizable material exhibiting hysteresis, in particular a ferroelectric material, wherein the polarization state of individual cells can be switched by application of electric potentials or voltages to word and bit lines in the matrix or array.

Addressing of memory matrix

In a method in the fabrication of an organic thin-film semiconducting device comprising an electrode arrangement with electrodes contacting a semiconducting organic material, an anode in the electrode arrangement is made as a two-layer structure, where the first layer is a conducting or semiconducting material or a combination thereof deposited on a substrate and a second layer is a conducting polymer with a work function higher than that of the material in the first layer. A third layer consisting of semiconducting organic material and forming the active material of the device is deposited on the top of the anode, and the cathode made of a fourth layer of a metal deposited on a third layer. In a preferred embodiment a low work function metal is used in the first layer, a doped conjugated polymer such as PEDOT-PSS in the second layer, while the cathode may be formed of the same metal as used in the first layer. Use in the manufacturing of the electrode arrangement in an organic thin-film diode or in a transistor structure.

Method in the fabrication of organic thin-film semiconducting devices

In a method of driving a passive matrix display or memory array of cells comprising an electrically polarizable material exhibiting hysteresis, in particular a ferroelectric material, wherein the polarization state of individual cells can be switched by application of electric potentials or voltages to word and bit lines in the matrix or array, a potential on selected word and bit lines is controlled to approach or coincide with one of n predefined potential levels and the potentials on all word and bit lines are controlled in time according to a protocol such that word lines are sequentially latched to potentials selected among n potentials, while the bit lines are either latched sequentially to potentials selected among n potentials, or during a certain period of a timing sequence given by the protocol connected to circuitry for detecting charges flowing between a bit line or bit lines and cells connecting thereto. This timing sequence is provided with a read cycle during which charges flowing between the selected bit line or bit lines connecting thereto are detected and a &ldquo;refresh/write cycle&rdquo; during which the polarization of the cells connecting with selected word and bit lines are brought to correspond with a set of predetermined values.

A data storage/processing apparatus includes ROM and/or WORM and/or REWRITEABLE memory modules and/or processing modules provided as a single main layer or multiple main layers on top of a substrate. Transistors and/or diodes operate the apparatus. In one set of embodiments, at least some of the transistors and/or diodes are provided on or in the substrate. In another set of embodiments, at least some of the layers on the top of the substrate include low-temperature compatible organic materials and/or low temperature compatible processes inorganic films, and the transistors and/or diodes need not be disposed on or in the substrate. In a related fabricating method, the memory and/or processing modules are provided on the substrate by depositing the layers in successive steps under thermal conditions that avoid subjecting an already-deposited, processed underlying layers to static or dynamic temperatures exceeding given stability limits, particularly with regard to organic materials.

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Linköping, Sweden

Johan Carlsson