Other

Attopsemi Technology Co., Ltd

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Intel Corporation

Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Hewlett-packard Company

Hitachi Micro Systems, Inc.

Renesas Electronics Corporation

Vitelic Corporation

Chung, Shine C.

Shine Chien Chung

Tao-Wen Chung

Fu-Lung Hsueh

Yu-Jen Wang

Chun-Jung Lin

Po-Yao Ke

Hung-Sen Wang

Koji Nii

Yue-Der Chih

Tao Wen Chung

John Y Chan

Paul G Emerson

James T Koo

Siu K Tsang

Wei-Yang Lin

Sho Long Chen

An electronic device and method of generating a Physically Unclonable Function ('PUF') value is disclosed. An OTP memory with a plurality of OTP cells that can be reliably and deterministically programmed with a minimum and a maximum program voltage being selected for pre-conditioning. All OTP cells can be programmed at least once around the minimum program voltage to hide the program status. Data to be programmed into the OTP can be a fixed, time-varying voltage or data from an entropy source. The programmed OTP data can be masked for weak bits and further randomized to generate PUF output by compressing a bit stream into a single bit, e.g., single parity bit. The PUF output can be through a hash function and/or to generate keys.

Physically unclonable function produced using OTP memory

Programmable resistive memory can be integrated with wide-bandgap semiconductor devices on a wide-bandgap semiconductor, silicon, or insulator substrate. The wide-bandgap semiconductor can be group IV-IV, III-V, or II-VI crystal or compound semiconductor, such as silicon carbide or gallium nitride. The programmable resistive memory can be PCRAM, RRAM, MRAM, or OTP. The OTP element can be a metal, silicon, polysilicon, silicided polysilicon, or thermally insulated wide-bandgap semiconductor. The selector in a programmable resistive memory can be a MOS or diode fabricated by wide-bandgap semiconductor.

Programmable resistance memory on wide-bandgap semiconductor technologies

An OTP with ultra-low power read can be programmed with a minimum and a maximum program voltage. When programming within the range, the post-program OTP to pre-program resistance ratio can be larger than N, where N&#x3e;50, so that more sensing techniques, such as single-end sensing, can be used to reduce read current. At least one of the OTP cells can be coupled to a common bitline, which can be further coupled to a first supply voltage lines via a plurality of datalines. The resistance in the at least one OTP cell can be evaluated by strobing at least one comparator output of the discharging bitline/dataline.

One-time programmable memories with ultra-low power read operation and novel sensing scheme

A time-based sensing circuit to convert resistance of a one-time programmable (OTP) element into logic states is disclosed. A one-time programmable (OTP) memory has a plurality of OTP devices. At least one of the OTP devices can have at least one OTP element that is selectively accessible via a wordline and a bitline. The bitline can be coupled a capacitor and the capacitor can be precharged and discharged. By comparing the discharge rate of the capacitor to discharge rate of a reference capacitor in a reference unit (e.g., reference cell, reference resistance, reference selector, etc.), the PRE resistance can be determined larger or smaller than a reference resistance and then converting the OTP element resistance into a logic state.

One-time programmable memories with low power read operation and novel sensing scheme

An One-Time Programmable (OTP) memory is built in at least one of nano-wire structures. The OTP memory has a plurality of OTP cells. At least one of the OTP cells can have at least one resistive element and at least one nano-wires. The at least one resistive element can be built by an extended source/drain or a MOS gate. The at least one nano-wires can be built on an isolated structure that has at least one MOS gate dividing nano-wires into at least one first active region and a second active region. The first active region can be doped with a first type of dopant and the second active region can be doped with a first or second type of dopant. The OTP element can be coupled to the first active region with the other end coupled to a first supply voltage line. The second active region can be coupled to a second voltage supply line and the MOS gate is coupled to a third voltage supply line. A plurality of address lines can be decoded into a plurality of wordlines coupled to the second or third voltage supply lines. Another plurality of address lines can be decoded into a plurality of bitlines coupled to the first supply voltage lines. By selecting the proper address lines, a target OTP cell can be selected for programming into another logic state or for reading of its logic state.

One-time programmable memory using gate-all-around structures

A method of testing an OTP memory is disclosed. An OTP program mechanism that uses heat accelerated electromigration can be fully tested. In one embodiment, an OTP cell's programmability can be tested if an initial OTP element resistance is less than a predetermined resistance, as such insures that sufficient heat can be generated to be programmable. A non-destructive program state, or fake reading 1, can be created by low-voltage programming a cell while reading the same cell at the same time. Accordingly, alternative 0s and 1s patterns can be generated to fully test every functional block of an OTP memory.

Fully testible OTP memory

Programmable resistive memory can be fabricated with a non-single-crystalline silicon formed on a flexible substrate. The non-single-crystalline silicon can be amorphous silicon, low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS), organic semiconductor, or metal oxide semiconductor. The flexible substrate can be glass, plastics, paper, metal, paper, or any kinds of flexible film. The programmable resistive memory can be PCRAM, RRAM, MRAM, or OTP. The OTP element can be a silicon, polysilicon, organic or metal oxide electrode. The selector in a programmable resistive memory can be a MOS or diode with top gate, bottom gate, inverted, staggered, or coplanar structures.

Programmable resistance memory on thin film transistor technology

Architecture, design, structure, layout, and method of forming a Programmable Resistive Device (PRD) memory in standard cell library are disclosed. The PRD memory has a plurality of PRD cells. At least one of the PRD cells can have a PRD element coupled to a first supply voltage line and coupled to a second supply voltage line through a program selector. The PRD cells reside in a standard cell library and following most of the standard cell design and layout guidelines.

Programmable resistive memory formed by bit slices from a standard cell library

A time-based sensing circuit to convert resistance of a programmable resistive element into logic states is disclosed. A programmable resistive memory has a plurality of programmable resistive devices. At least one of the programmable resistive devices can have at least one programmable resistive element (PRE) that is selectively accessible via a wordline and a bitline. The bitline can be coupled a capacitor and the capacitor can be precharged and discharged. By comparing the discharge rate of the capacitor to discharge rate of a reference capacitor in a reference unit (e.g., reference cell, reference resistance, reference selector, etc.), the PRE resistance can be determined larger or smaller than a reference resistance and then converting the PRE resistance into a logic state.

Programmable resistive memories with low power read operation and novel sensing scheme

An One-Time Programmable (OTP) memory is built in at least one of nano-wire structures. The OTP memory has a plurality of OTP cells. At least one of the OTP cells can have at least one resistive element and at least one nano-wires. The at least one resistive element can be built by an extended source/drain or a MOS gate. The at least one nano-wires can be built on a common well or on an isolated structure that has at least one MOS gate dividing nano-wires into at least one first active region and a second active region.

One-time programmable devices using gate-all-around structures

Building programmable resistive devices in contact holes at the crossover of a plurality of conductor lines in more than two vertical layers is disclosed. There are plurality of first conductor lines and another plurality of second conductor lines that can be substantially perpendicular to each other, though in two different vertical layers. A diode and/or a programmable resistive element can be fabricated in the contact hole between the first and second conductor lines. The programmable resistive element can be coupled to another programmable resistive device or shared between two programmable devices whose diodes conducting currents in opposite directions and/or coupled to a common conductor line. The programmable resistive memory can be configured to be programmable by applying voltages to conduct current flowing through the programmable resistive element to change its resistance for a different logic state.

Programmable resistive device and memory using diode as selector

A programmable resistive memory has a plurality of programmable resistive devices (PRD) and at least one sensing circuit. The at least one of the programmable resistive device can include at least one programmable resistive element (PRE). The sensing circuit can include one PRD unit and a reference unit. Each unit has at least one capacitor to charge to a second supply voltage line and to discharge to the first supply voltage line through the PRE and the reference element, respectively. The capacitors are also coupled to comparators to monitor discharging voltages with respect to a reference voltage. By comparing the time difference when the comparators change their outputs, the magnitude of the PRE resistance with respect to the reference element resistance can be determined and converted into logic states.

Low power read operation for programmable resistive memories

A memory system for use in a system-in-package device (SiP) is disclosed. The memory system includes two cache memories. The first cache memory is on a first die of the SiP and the second cache memory is on a second die of the SiP. Both cache memories include tag random access memories (RAMs) corresponding to data stored in the corresponding cache memories. The second cache memory is of a different cache level from the first cache memories. Also, the first cache memory is on a first die of the SiP, and the second cache memory includes a first portion on the first die of the SiP, and a second portion on a second die of the SiP. Both cache memories can be checked concurrently for data availability by a single physical address.

System and method for concurrently checking availability of data in extending memories

Junction diodes fabricated in standard CMOS logic processes can be used as program selectors for One-Time Programmable (OTP) devices, such as electrical fuses. At least one portion of the electrical fuse can have at least one extended area to accelerate programming. An extended area is an extension of the fuse element beyond contact or via longer than required by design rules. The extended area also has reduced or substantially no current flowing through. The program selector can be at least one MOS. The OTP device can have the at least one OTP element coupled to at least one diode in a memory cell.

One-time programmable devices having program selector for electrical fuses with extended area

A method of programming electrical fuses reliably is disclosed. If a programming current exceeds a critical current, disruptive mechanisms such as rupture, thermal runaway, decomposition, or melt, can be a dominant programming mechanism such that programming is not be very reliable. Advantageously, by controlled programming where programming current is maintained below the critical current, electromigration can be the sole programming mechanism and, as a result, programming can be deterministic and very reliable. In this method, fuses can be programmed in multiple shots with progressive resistance changes to determine a lower bound that all fuses can be programmed satisfactorily and an upper bound that at least one fuse can be determined failed. If programming within the lower and upper bounds, defects due to programming can be almost zero and, therefore, defects are essentially determined by pre-program defects.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Shine Chien Chung