Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Infineon Technologies Ag

Qimonda Ag

Siemens Aktiengesell Schaft

Ict Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft Fur Halbleiterpruftechnik Mbh

Siemens Aktiengelsellschaft

Kurt Hoffmann

Oskar Kowarik

Rainer Kraus

Hans-Dieter Oberle

Manfred Paul

Georg Braun

Heinz H&ouml;nigschmid

Manfred Mauthe

Bernhard Lustig

Reiner Sigusch

Gottfried Wotruba

Karl J Zapf

Recai Sezi

Andreas Walter

Christine Dehm

Thomas R&ouml;hr

Johannes Stecker

Guenther Meusburger

Dieter Kantz

Hans D Oberle

Klaus Luther

Rudolf Mitterer

Roland Ernst

Heinrich Schulte

A memory arrangement includes: a first line for applying a reference voltage, a second line for applying an operating voltage, and a plurality of resistive memory elements, each element includes a resistive memory cell and a MOS memory cell selection transistor. A NOR memory arrangement is configured with each memory element including the resistive memory cell and selection transistor connected in series with the transistor connected to the first line, and the memory cell connected to the second line. A NAND memory arrangement is configured with a series of resistive memory elements forming a chain with each memory element including the resistive memory cell and selection transistor connected in parallel. The chain is connected to the first line disposed on a side of the memory cells facing the selection transistors and the second line disposed on a side of the memory cells which is remote from the selection transistors.

NOR and NAND memory arrangement of resistive memory elements

The present invention refers to a field emitter beam source () comprising at least one emitter (); at least one extracting electrode () to extract a beam current (I) from the emitter (); a current source () for providing a predetermined beam current (I); a first voltage source () for providing a first voltage (U) between the emitter () and the extracting electrode () to switch on the beam current (I); and a first switch (S) for disconnecting the first voltage source (). With such a field emitter beam source, the emitter voltage (U) necessary to emit a predetermined beam current (I) can be determined. This in turn enables the field emitter beam source () to generate beam current pulses with a fast rise time and a well defined beam current pulse charge Q.

Field emitter beam source and method for controlling a beam current

A method for improving read signals in a memory including passive memory elements provided at crossover locations of word and bit lines, and in which stored digital information is represented by a respective resistance of the memory elements includes: determining logic levels of information bits to be written to the memory elements associated with a respective bit line; inverting the logic levels of the information bits if more than half of information bits to be written to the memory elements associated with the respective bit line have a logic level corresponding to a low-value resistance of the memory elements; writing the information bits to the memory elements; and generating an additional check bit, a logic level of which represents an inverted or non-inverted state of the information bits.

Method for improving the read signal in a memory having passive memory elements

An evaluation configuration has a first MOS evaluation stage, an isolation stage, and a bipolar evaluation stage. The isolation stage is connected between the first MOS evaluation stage and the bipolar evaluation stage. The isolation stage isolates the first MOS evaluation stage from the bipolar evaluation stage. The evaluation configuration can reliably detect very small read signals and allows a high integration density.

Evaluation configuration for semiconductor memories

A DRAM memory cell having an isolation transistor formed from a bipolar transistor.

Semiconductor memory device

A circuit is provided for the non-destructive, self-normalizing reading-out of MRAM memory cells. Accordingly, read currents of a memory cell are normalized by currents that are maintained at a voltage at which the size of these currents is independent of the cell content. The circuit has a simple construction and without great expenditure, permits the normalization of a read signal.

Circuit for non-destructive, self-normalizing reading-out of MRAM memory cells

A semiconductor circuit is disclosed which contains a driving circuit which is integrated into a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type and includes positive voltage switching transistors for switching positive and/or zero voltage levels and negative switching transistors for switching negative and/or zero voltage levels. In addition, the driving circuit contains a control circuit which is positioned upstream from the driving circuit and is also embodied in the semiconductor substrate, which is connected to a substrate voltage. A negative voltage switching transistor of the driving circuit is configured inside an outer well which is embedded in the semiconductor substrate and is of a second conductivity type which is opposite to the first, and the outer well is connected to a supply voltage.

Semiconductor circuit configuration

A memory configuration includes a plurality of resistive ferroelectric memory cells. Each of the memory cells includes a selection transistor and a storage capacitor. The selection transistor has a given zone of a first conductivity type. The storage capacitor has a first and a second electrode. The first electrode is supplied with a fixed cell plate voltage, the second electrode is connected to the given zone of the first conductivity type. A source and a drain of a MOS transistor are supplied with the fixed cell plate voltage. The channel of the MOS transistor has a channel length extending over at least two of the memory cells. The given zone of the first conductivity type is connected, via a resistor, to the channel of the MOS transistor such that the given zone is electrically connected to the first electrode of the storage capacitor via the resistor and the MOS transistor.

Memory configuration including a plurality of resistive ferroelectric memory cells

A memory configuration includes a plurality of resistive ferroelectric memory cells. Each of the resistive ferroelectric memory cells includes a selection transistor and a storage capacitor. The selection transistor has a given zone of a first conductivity type. The storage capacitor has a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode is supplied with a fixed cell plate voltage. The second electrode is connected to the given zone of the first conductivity type. A semiconductor body of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type is provided. A line is formed by a highly doped zone of the first conductivity type. The line is supplied with the cell plate voltage. The second electrode of the storage capacitor is connected via the resistor to the line.

A circuit for generating a reference voltage for the reading out from and the evaluation of read output signals which are read out with a constant plate voltage from storage cells of a ferroelectric memory via bit lines. In the circuit, a reference voltage device is formed of two reference cells that are subjected to the action of complementary signals. The reference cells can be simultaneously read out in order to generate the reference voltage in a selection and evaluation device.

Circuit configuration for generating a reference voltage for reading a ferroelectric memory

A method for nondestructively reading memory cells of an MRAM memory, which includes steps of: determining a standard resistance of a memory cell at a voltage at which a resistance of the memory cell is independent of a stored content of the memory cell; determining an actual resistance of the memory cell at a voltage at which the resistance of the memory cell is dependent on the stored content of the memory cell; obtaining a normalized actual resistance of the memory cell by dividing the actual resistance by the standard resistance; obtaining a comparison result by comparing the normalized actual resistance with a reference value; and detecting the stored content of the memory cell dependent on the comparison result.

Method for nondestructively reading memory cells of an MRAM memory

A configuration for self-referencing a ferroelectric memory cell reads out the ferroelectric memory cell successively while a bit line is precharged to two different, opposing voltages. The voltage values read out from the ferroelectric memory cell are temporarily stored respectively in a first and a second capacitor and then fed to an evaluator circuit.

Configuration for self-referencing ferroelectric memory cells

An integrated buffer circuit includes a first series circuit connected between a first supply potential and a second supply potential (ground). The first series circuit has a voltage-controlled first constant current source, a first field effect transistor having a gate forming an input of the buffer circuit, a circuit node between the first current source and the first field effect transistor forming an output of the buffer circuit, and a first control input for controlling the first current source with a reference potential having a constant potential difference relative to the first supply potential. A second series circuit is connected between the first supply potential and the second supply potential. The second series circuit has a first resistor, a second constant current source furnishing a current being independent of the first supply potential, and a circuit node between the first resistor and the second current source, establishing the reference potential and being connected to the first control input of the first current source.

Integrated buffer circuit which functions independently of fluctuations

An integrated semiconductor circuit includes word lines and bit lines. A memory region has at least one memory cell field with memory cells addressable through the word lines and the bit lines, and a number of evaluator circuits corresponding to the number of the bit lines. Each of the evaluator circuits is connected with one of the bit lines and divides the one bit line into two at least approximately identical bit line halves. Logic units of a block perform digital processing of data read-out of the memory region through the bit lines and evaluated. Each of the logic units is connected to the two bit line halves of one of the bit lines. Various operating modes of the block of logic units are selected with mode select signals.

Integrated semiconductor circuit

An integrated semiconductor memory includes a memory cell field having memory cells disposed in matrix form, word lines and internal bit lines forming pairs of internal bit lines for triggering the memory cells. Internal weighting circuits are each assigned to a respective one of the internal bit line pairs. An external pair of bit lines is commonly assigned to the internal bit lines. Pairs of separation transistors are each assigned to a respective one of the internal bit line pairs for electrical separation of the respective internal bit line pair from the external pair of bit lines. A bit line decoder triggers the pairs of separation transistors. An external weighting circuit is provided. A discriminator device and a precharging device are connected to the external bit line pair. The internal bit lines of each pair of internal bit lines are triggered separately from one another. The internal bit lines of each pair of internal bit lines are connected to the external bit line pair separately from one another.

Growing community of inventors

Taufkirchen, Germany

Kurt Hoffmann