Ferroelectric memory and method of operating same

Abstract

A ferroelectric non-volatile memory comprising: a plurality of memory cells each containing a ferroelectric FET, each of said ferroelectric FETs having a source, a drain, a substrate, and a gate. The FETs are arranged in an array comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. There are a plurality of row select lines, each associated with one of the rows of said ferroelectric FETs, and a plurality of column select lines, each associated with one of the columns of ferroelectric FETs. Each of the sources is directly electrically connected to its associated row select line, and each of the drains is directly electrically connected to its associated column select line. The source and substrate of each FET are also directly electrically connected. A memory cell is read by connecting its row select line to ground, and its column select line to a small voltage. All the gates, and the row select lines of non-selected cells are open or connected to a high resistance source. Thus, the current in the selected column select line and row select line is a measure of the state of the selected cell. Each FET is fabricated using a self-aligned process so that no portion of a source/drain underlies the gate.