Three-dimensional (3D) memory devices with 3D phase-change memory (PCM) and methods for forming and operating the 3D memory devices are disclosed. In an example, a 3D memory device includes a first semiconductor structure including an array of NAND memory cells, and a first bonding layer including first bonding contacts. The 3D memory device also further includes a second semiconductor structure including a second bonding layer including second bonding contacts, a semiconductor layer and a peripheral circuit and an array of PCM cells between the second bonding layer and the semiconductor layer. The 3D memory device further includes a bonding interface between the first and second bonding layers. The first bonding contacts are in contact with the second bonding contacts at the bonding interface.

A nonvolatile memory apparatus performs a plurality of read operations by using a plurality of read voltages. A first read operation is performed by applying a first read voltage to a memory cell. A second read operation is selectively performed based on whether a snap-back of the memory cell occurs during the first read operation. The second read operation is performed by applying a second read voltage having a higher voltage level than the first read voltage to the memory cell.

Artificial neuromorphic circuit includes synapse and post-neuron circuits. Synapse circuit includes phase change element, first switch having at least three terminals, and second switch. Phase change element includes first and second terminals. First switch includes first, second and control terminals. Second switch includes first, second and control terminals. First switch is configured to receive first pulse signal. Second switch is coupled to phase change element and first switch, and is configured to receive second pulse signal. Post-neuron circuit includes capacitor and input terminal. Input terminal of post-neuron circuit charges capacitor in response to first pulse signal. Post-neuron circuit generates firing signal based on voltage level of capacitor and threshold voltage. Post-neuron circuit generates control signal based on firing signal. Control signal controls turning on of second switch. Second pulse signal flows through second switch to control state of phase change element to determine weight of artificial neuromorphic circuit.

The present disclosure includes three dimensional memory arrays. An embodiment includes a first plurality of conductive lines separated from one another by an insulation material, a second plurality of conductive lines arranged to extend substantially perpendicular to and pass through the first plurality of conductive lines and the insulation material, and a storage element material formed between the first and second plurality of conductive lines where the second plurality of conductive lines pass through the first plurality of conductive lines. The storage element material is between and in direct contact with a first portion of each respective one of the first plurality of conductive lines and a portion of a first one of the second plurality of conductive lines, and a second portion of each respective one of the first plurality of conductive lines and a portion of a second one of the second plurality of conductive lines.

Apparatuses and methods for setting a duty cycler adjuster for improving clock duty cycle are disclosed. The duty cycle adjuster may be adjusted by different amounts, at least one smaller than another. Determining when to use the smaller adjustment may be based on duty cycle results. A duty cycle monitor may have an offset. A duty cycle code for the duty cycle adjuster may be set to an intermediate value of a duty cycle monitor offset. The duty cycle monitor offset may be determined by identifying duty cycle codes for an upper and for a lower boundary of the duty cycle monitor offset.

A circuit for performing energy-efficient and high-throughput multiply-accumulate (MAC) arithmetic dot-product operations and convolution computations includes a two dimensional crossbar array comprising a plurality of row inputs and at least one column having a plurality of column circuits, wherein each column circuit is coupled to a respective row input. Each respective column circuit includes an excitatory memristor neuron circuit having an input coupled to a respective row input, a first synapse circuit coupled to an output of the excitatory memristor neuron circuit, the first synapse circuit having a first output, an inhibitory memristor neuron circuit having an input coupled to the respective row input, and a second synapse circuit coupled to an output of the inhibitory memristor neuron circuit, the second synapse circuit having a second output. An output memristor neuron circuit is coupled to the first output and second output of each column circuit and has an output.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a memory cell comprising a high electron affinity dielectric layer at a bottom electrode. The high electron affinity dielectric layer is one of multiple different dielectric layers vertically stacked between the bottom electrode and a top electrode overlying the bottom electrode. Further, the high electrode electron affinity dielectric layer has a highest electron affinity amongst the multiple different dielectric layers and is closest to the bottom electrode. The different dielectric layers are different in terms of material systems and/or material compositions. It has been appreciated that by arranging the high electron affinity dielectric layer closest to the bottom electrode, the likelihood of the memory cell becoming stuck during cycling is reduced at least when the memory cell is RRAM. Hence, the likelihood of a hard reset/failure bit is reduced.

A method, a circuit, and a system for reading memory cells. The method may include: applying a first voltage with a first polarity to a plurality of the memory cells; applying a second voltage with a second polarity to one or more of said plurality of the memory cells; applying at least a third voltage with the first polarity to one or more of said plurality of the memory cells; detecting electrical responses of memory cells to the first voltage, the second voltage, and the third voltage; and determining a logic state of respective memory cells based on the electrical responses of the memory cells to the first voltage, the second voltage, and the third voltage.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of word line structures disposed over the substrate to be spaced apart from each other in a first direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate. Each of the plurality of word line structures extends in a second direction parallel to the surface of the substrate. In addition, the semiconductor device includes a switching layer disposed over the substrate to contact side surfaces of the plurality of word line structures, and bit line structures disposed over the substrate to extend in the first direction and to contact a surface of the switching layer. The switching layer is configured to perform a threshold switching operation, and has a variable programmable threshold voltage.

A non-volatile memory structure, and methods of manufacture, which may include a first memory element and a second memory element between a first terminal and a second terminal. The first memory element and the second memory element may be in parallel with each other between the first and second terminal. This may enable the hybrid non-volatile memory structure to store values as a combination of the conductance for each memory element, thereby enabling better tuning of set and reset conductance parameters.