Memory cell and memory cell array having an electrically floating body transistor, and methods of operating same

Abstract

A technique of writing, programming, holding, maintaining, sampling, sensing, reading and/or determining the data state of a memory cell of a memory cell array (for example, a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells which consist of an electrically floating body transistor). In one aspect, the present inventions are directed to techniques to control and/or operate a semiconductor memory cell (and memory cell array having a plurality of such memory cells as well as an integrated circuit device including a memory cell array) having one or more electrically floating body transistors in which an electrical charge is stored in the body region of the electrically floating body transistor. The techniques of the present inventions may employ bipolar transistor currents to control, write and/or read a data state in such a memory cell. In this regard, the present inventions may employ a bipolar transistor current to control, write and/or read a data state in/of the electrically floating body transistor of the memory cell.