Intel Corporation

Micron Technology Incorporated

Intle Corporation

Owen W Jungroth

Mickey L Fandrich

Rajesh Sundaram

Raymond W Zeng

Shekoufeh Qawami

Derchang Kau

Khaled Hasnat

Daniel Chu

Prashant Majhi

Richard M Fastow

Steven E Wells

Kerry Dean Tedrow

Balaji Srinivasan

Gregory E Atwood

Richard J Durante

Ramkarthik Ganesan

Mark D Winston

Krishna Kumar Parat

Pranav Kalavade

Mase J Taub

Kurt B Robinson

Neal R Mielke

Deepak Thimmegowda

Mamun Ur Rashid

Virgil N Kynett

Richard D Pashley

Branislav Vajdic

Alan E Baker

Prasanna Srinivasan

Sung-Taeg Kang

Bharat M Pathak

Binh N Ngo

David S Meyaard

Thomas C Price

David J Kaplan

Rupinder K Bains

Apparatuses and methods for performing multithread, concurrent access of different partition of a memory are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may include a non-volatile memory array comprising a plurality of partitions. Each of the plurality of partitions may include a respective plurality of memory cells. The apparatus may include a plurality of local controllers that each independently and concurrently access a respective one of the plurality of partitions to execute a respective memory access command of a plurality of memory access commands. The apparatus may include a controller to receive the plurality of memory access commands and to determine a respective target partition of the plurality of partitions for each of the plurality of memory access commands. The controller may be provide each of the plurality of memory access commands to a local controller of the plurality of local controllers associated with the respective target partition.

Apparatuses and methods for concurrently accessing multiple partitions of a non-volatile memory

Apparatus, systems, or methods for a memory array having a plurality of word lines. A word line includes at least one word line plate, and the word line plate comprises a first material with a first resistivity. An edge of the word line plate is recessed and filled with a second material having a second resistivity that is lower than the first resistivity. As a result, the total resistance of the word line may be reduced compared to a word line using only the first material with the first resistivity. Other embodiments may also be described and claimed.

Resistance reduction for word lines in memory arrays

Apparatuses and methods for performing multithread, concurrent access of different partition of a memory are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may include a non-volatile memory array comprising a plurality of partitions. Each of the plurality of partitions may include a respective plurality of memory cells. The apparatus may further include a plurality of local controllers that are each configured to independently and concurrently access a respective one of the plurality of partitions to execute a respective memory access command of a plurality of memory access commands responsive to receiving the respective memory access command. The example apparatus may further include a controller configured to receive the plurality of memory access commands and to determine a respective target partition of the plurality of partitions for each of the plurality of memory access commands. The controller may be further configured to provide each of the plurality of memory access commands to a local controller of the plurality of local controllers associated with the respective target partition.

An integrated circuit memory includes a logic circuitry bonded to a memory array. For example, the logic circuitry is formed separately from the memory array, and then the logic circuitry and the memory array are bonded. The logic circuitry facilitates operations of the memory array and includes complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) logic components, such as word line drivers, bit line drivers, sense amplifiers for the memory array. In an example, instead of being bonded to a single memory array, the logic circuitry is bonded to and shared by two memory arrays. For example, the logic circuitry is between two memory arrays. Due to the bonding process, a bonding interface layer is formed. Thus, in such an example, a first bonding interface layer is between the logic circuitry and a first memory array, and a second bonding interface layer is between the logic circuitry and a second memory array.

Memory arrays with bonded and shared logic circuitry

Wafer-to-wafer bonding is used to form three-dimensional (3D) memory components such as 3D NAND flash memory with shared control circuitry on one die to access arrays on multiple dies. In one example, a non-volatile storage device includes a first die including a 3D array of non-volatile storage cells and CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) circuitry. A second die including a second 3D array of non-volatile storage cells is vertically stacked and bonded with the first die. At least a portion of the CMOS circuitry of the first die to access both the first 3D array of non-volatile storage cells of the first die and the second 3D array of non-volatile storage cells of the second die.

Three-dimensional (3D) memory with shared control circuitry using wafer-to-wafer bonding

The present disclosure relates to providing a wordline bridge between wordlines of adjacent tiles of memory cells to reduce the number wordline staircases in 3D memory arrays. An apparatus may include a memory array having memory cells. The memory array includes a first block of pages of the memory cells in a first tile and a second block of pages of the memory cells in a second tile. The apparatus may also include a polysilicon wordline bridge that couples first wordlines of the first block to second wordlines of the second block to couple the first tile to the second tile. The wordline bridge may be formed by applying a hard mask over the first tile, the second tile, and over a portion of polysilicon that connects the first tile to the second tile.

Wordline bridge in a 3D memory array

A method, apparatus, and system for controlling the voltage levels across capacitors coupled between a first node and a second node of an integrated circuit so that the voltage levels across these capacitors will not exceed the breakdown voltage limitation of these capacitors. The voltage level between the first and second nodes of the integrated circuit can vary from a second voltage level to a first voltage level when the integrated circuit transitions from a second power state to a first power state, respectively. A first capacitor and a second capacitor are connected in series between the first and second nodes of the integrated circuit forming a middle node between the first and second capacitors. The voltage level of the middle node is set to a third voltage level when the integrated circuit is placed in the first power state such that the voltage level between the first and middle nodes doesnotexceed the breakdown voltage of the first capacitor and the voltage level between the middle and second nodes does not exceed the breakdown voltage of the second capacitor.

Method and apparatus for reducing stress across capacitors used in integrated circuits

According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided that includes a first global bit line, a second global bit line, a first block, a second block, and a reference cell array. The first block contains a first local bit line and a plurality of memory cells coupled to the first local bit line. The first local bit line can be selectively coupled to the first global bit line based upon a first control input. The second block contains a second local bit line and a plurality of memory cells coupled to the second local bit line. The second local bit line can be selectively coupled to the second global bit line based upon a second control input. The reference cell array contains a plurality of reference cells. The plurality of reference cells can be selectively coupled to either the first global bit line or the second global bit line based upon a third control input.

Method and apparatus for matched-reference sensing architecture for non-volatile memories

A circuit includes (i) an N-channel device having a gate, a source connected to low voltage, and a drain connected to a memory select gate, (ii) a P-channel device having a gate, a source, and a drain connected to the drain of the N-channel device, and (iii) a voltage supply connected to the source of the P-channel device, the voltage supply switching between a first high voltage and a first lower voltage. A gate driver supplies, to the gates of the N-channel and P-channel devices, a second high voltage, a second low voltage, or an intermediary voltage between the second high voltage and second low voltage. The gate driver supplies the intermediary voltage when the voltage supply switches between the first high voltage and first lower voltage.

Voltage driver for a memory

An integrated circuit (IC) memory device having an interface coupled with a volatile random access memory (RAM) array and a nonvolatile flash memory array. Data to be written from an external device to the IC memory device is initially written to the volatile RAM array to provide for fast execution of a write operation, and is then written from the volatile RAM array to the nonvolatile flash memory array via the interface in a manner that is relatively transparent to external devices and the user. The interface may be configured to transfer data from the volatile RAM array to the external device if a read request matches an address tag field stored in the volatile RAM array. Data from first and second block addresses in the volatile RAM array and flash memory array may be merged in a flash merge buffer, and validity bits may be used to ensure that potentially stale data in the flash memory array is not used and that data coherency is maintained. Data may also be simultaneously written to or read from the volatile RAM array during at least a portion of the time in which data is being read from or written to the flash memory array. A check may be made to ensure that the flash merge buffer is empty before reading data from the flash memory array.

Integrated circuit memory and method for transferring data using a volatile memory to buffer data for a nonvolatile memory array

A method, apparatus, and system for controlling the voltage levels across capacitors coupled between a first node and a second node of an integrated circuit so that the voltage levels across these capacitors will not exceed the breakdown voltage limitation of these capacitors. The voltage level between the first and second nodes of the integrated circuit can vary from a second voltage level to a first voltage level when the integrated circuit transitions from a second power state to a first power state, respectively. A first capacitor and a second capacitor are connected in series between the first and second nodes of the integrated circuit forming a middle node between the first and second capacitors. The voltage level of the middle node is set to a third voltage level when the integrated circuit is placed in the first power state such that the voltage level between the first and middle nodes does exceed the breakdown voltage of the first capacitor and the voltage level between the middle and second nodes does not exceed the breakdown voltage of the second capacitor.

A flash memory device having a page buffer circuit providing a shared resource between a flash array controller circuit and a user. The page buffer circuit comprises a Plane A and a Plane B, wherein each of the planes A and B is a static random access memory array. The page buffer circuit further comprises a mode control circuit for enabling access to the planes A and B over a host bus in a user mode and access to the planes A and B by the flash array controller in a flash array controller mode.

System and method for allocating and sharingpage buffers for a flash

A nonvolatile memory includes a global line. A plurality of memory blocks and a redundant block are also included in the memory, each block having a plurality of local lines and a decoder for selectively connecting the global line to one of the local lines when the decoder is enabled and for isolating the local lines from the global line when the decoder is disabled. When one of the plurality of blocks is found to be a defective block, the defective block is replaced by the redundant block. Circuitry is provided for disabling the decoder of the defective block and enabling the decoder of the redundant block whenever the defective block is addressed.

Growing community of inventors

Sonora, CA, United States of America

Owen W Jungroth