Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Industrial Technology Research Institute

Pei-Ling Tseng

Chung-Cheng Chou

Zheng-Jun Lin

Yu-Der Chih

Hsu-Shun Chen

Keng-Li Su

Chien-An Lai

Shyh-Shyuan Sheu

Chih-Sheng Lin

Hsueh-Chih Yang

Chin-I Su

Sue-Chen Liao

Meng-Fan Chang

Sih-Han Li

Tsai-Kan Chien

Chih-Ping Cheng

Zhe-Hui Lin

Chia-Chen Kuo

Szu-Chieh Liu

A memory circuit includes a bias voltage generator including a first node, a current source coupled between a first power supply node and the first node, and a first transistor and a first resistive device coupled in series between the first node and a power reference node. A drive circuit includes a second node, an amplifier including a first input terminal coupled to the first node and a second input terminal coupled to the second node, and a second transistor coupled between a second power supply node and the second node and including a gate coupled to an output terminal of the amplifier, and a resistive random-access memory (RRAM) device is coupled between the second node and the power reference node.

RRAM circuit and method

A resistive random-access memory (RRAM) circuit includes a current source configured to output a first current, a first n-type transistor including a first drain terminal configured to receive the first current, an RRAM device, second and third n-type transistors including respective second and third drain terminals coupled to an output terminal of the RRAM device, an amplifier including a non-inverting input coupled to the first drain terminal, an inverting input configured to receive a first reference voltage level, and an output coupled to a gate of each of the first through third n-type transistors, a fourth n-type transistor coupled between the second n-type transistor and a power supply reference node, and a comparator including a non-inverting input configured to receive a second reference voltage level, an inverting input coupled to each of the second and third drain terminals, and an output coupled to a gate of the fourth n-type transistor.

RRAM circuit

A memory device includes a memory cell and a sense amplifier. The sense amplifier has a reference circuit configured to output a reference voltage and a sensing circuit connected to the memory cell. A comparator includes a first input and a second input, with the first input connected to the reference circuit to receive the reference voltage, and the second input connected to the memory cell. A precharger is configured to selectively precharge the sensing circuit to a predetermined precharge voltage.

Memory sense amplifier with precharge

A semiconductor device includes an error correction code circuit and a register circuit. The error correction code circuit is configured to generate first data according to second data. The register circuit is configured to generate reset information according to a difference between the first data and the second data, for adjusting a memory cell associated with the second data. A method is also disclosed herein.

Semiconductor device and operation method thereof

In some aspects of the present disclosure, a memory device is disclosed. In some aspects, the memory device includes a first voltage regulator to receive a word line voltage provided to a memory array; a resistor network coupled to the first voltage regulator to provide an inhibit voltage to the memory array, wherein the resistor network comprises a plurality of resistors and wherein each of the resistors are coupled in series to an adjacent one of the plurality of resistors; and a switch network comprising a plurality of switches, wherein each of the switches are coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of resistors and to the memory array via a second voltage regulator.

Dynamic inhibit voltage to reduce write power for random-access memory

A memory circuit includes a bias voltage generator including a bias voltage node, an activation voltage generator including a resistive device, and a first amplifier, a drive circuit including a second amplifier including an input terminal coupled to the bias voltage node, and a resistive random-access memory (RRAM) array. The activation voltage generator and the first amplifier are configured to generate a portion of a bias voltage level on the bias voltage node based on a resistance of the resistive device, and the drive circuit is configured to output a drive voltage having the bias voltage level to the RRAM array.

The disclosed invention presents a self-tracking reference circuit that compensates for IR drops and achieves the target resistance state at different temperatures after write operations. The disclosed self-tracking reference circuit includes a replica access path, a configurable resistor network, a replica selector mini-array and a step current generator that track PVT variations to provide a PVT tracking level for RRAM verify operation.

Hybrid self-tracking reference circuit for RRAM cells

A resistive random-access memory (RRAM) circuit includes an RRAM device configured to output a cell current responsive to a bit line voltage, and a current limiter including an input terminal coupled to the RRAM device, first and second parallel current paths configured to conduct the cell current between the input terminal and a reference voltage node, and an amplifier configured to generate a first signal responsive to a voltage level at the input terminal and a reference voltage level. Each of the first and second current paths includes a switching device configured to selectively conduct a portion of the cell current responsive to the first signal.

A semiconductor device includes a memory circuit, an error correction code circuit, a register circuit and a write circuit. The memory circuit is configured to output, in response to at least one address signal, first data associated with at least one memory cell in the memory circuit. The error correction code circuit is configured to convert the first data to second data and configured to generate error information when the first data is not identical to the second data. The register circuit is configured to output, based on the error information, reset information corresponding to the at least one address signal. The write circuit is configured to reset the at least one memory cell according to the reset information. A method is also disclosed herein.

Semicoductor device and operation method thereof

A method of forming a filament in a resistive random-access memory (RRAM) device includes applying a cell voltage across a resistive layer of the RRAM device, detecting an increase in a current through the resistive layer generated in response to the applied cell voltage, and in response to detecting the increase in the current, using a first switching device to reduce the current through the resistive layer.

RRAM current limiting method

A memory circuit includes a bias voltage generator, a drive circuit, and a resistive random-access memory (RRAM) device. The bias voltage generator includes a first transistor configured to generate a voltage difference based on a first current and an activation voltage, and is configured to output the activation voltage and a bias voltage based on the voltage difference. The drive circuit is configured to receive the bias voltage and output a drive voltage having a voltage level based on the bias voltage, and the RRAM device is configured to receive the activation voltage and conduct a second current responsive to the drive voltage and the activation voltage.

Growing community of inventors

Miaoli County, Taiwan

Pei-Ling Tseng