Micron Technology Incorporated

John A Winegard

Gary L Howe

Vijayakrishna J Vankayala

Harish V Gadamsetty

Vipul Surlekar

A memory device, includes a memory partition. The memory partition includes a memory region comprising a memory element coupled to a wordline of the memory region, a sense amplifier region comprising a sense amplifier coupled to the memory element to sense a data state of the memory element, a sub-wordline region coupled to the wordline of the memory region, and a minigap region disposed at the intersection of the sub-wordline region and the sense amplifier region. The minigap includes a first plurality of transistors having a continuous layout in at least one direction across the minigap region with a second plurality of transistors of the sense amplifier region.

Memory device layout with intersecting region between sub-wordline and sense amplifier

Apparatuses and methods for improved memory cycle times are disclosed. An example apparatus may include first and second lines and a sense amplifier. The sense amplifier is directly coupled to the first and second lines. The sense amplifier may sense a differential signal between the first and second lines and amplify the same. An example method may include accessing a first memory cell coupled to a first line of a pair of lines and accessing a second memory cell coupled to a second line of the pair of lines. A differential is sensed between the pair of lines with a sense amplifier coupled directly to the pair of lines, and the sensed differential is amplified. The sense amplifier is coupled to an input/output bus to provide the amplified sensed differential to the input/output bus.

Growing community of inventors

McKinney, TX, United States of America

John A Winegard