Methods of forming a capacitor structure might include forming a first and second conductive regions having first and second conductivity types, respectively, in a semiconductor material, forming a dielectric overlying the first and second conductive regions, forming a conductor overlying the dielectric, and patterning the conductor, the dielectric, and the first and second conductive regions to form a first island of the first conductive region, a second island of the first conductive region, an island of the second conductive region, a first portion of the dielectric overlying the first island of the first conductive region separated from a second portion of the dielectric overlying the second island of the first conductive region and the island of the second conductive region, and a first portion of the conductor overlying the first portion of the dielectric separated from a second portion of the conductor overlying the second portion of the dielectric.

Methods of forming a capacitor structure might include forming a first and second conductive regions having first and second conductivity types, respectively, in a semiconductor material, forming a dielectric overlying the first and second conductive regions, forming a conductor overlying the dielectric, and patterning the conductor, the dielectric, and the first and second conductive regions to form a first island of the first conductive region, a second island of the first conductive region, an island of the second conductive region, a first portion of the dielectric overlying the first island of the first conductive region separated from a second portion of the dielectric overlying the second island of the first conductive region and the island of the second conductive region, and a first portion of the conductor overlying the first portion of the dielectric separated from a second portion of the conductor overlying the second portion of the dielectric.

A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cell rows, a row hammer management circuit and a refresh control circuit. The row hammer management circuit counts the number of times of access associated with each of the plurality of memory cell rows in response to an active command from an external memory controller to store the counted values in each of the plurality of memory cell rows as count data, determines a hammer address associated with at least one of the plurality of memory cell rows, which is intensively accessed more than a predetermined reference number of times, based on the counted values, and performs an internal read-update-write operation. The refresh control circuit receives the hammer address and to perform a hammer refresh operation on victim memory cell rows which are physically adjacent to a memory cell row corresponding to the hammer address.

A semiconductor chip with error detection and correction includes multiple pipes and each pipe is coupled to one or more ports on the semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip further includes a state machine coupled to the pipes to generate a number of events consisting of read- and/or scan-type events associated with a plurality of storage elements. The state machine is implemented in hardware and can centrally detect and correct erroneous memory entries across the plurality of storage elements.

Methods, systems, and devices related to an improved driver for non-binary signaling are described. A driver for a signal line may include a set of drivers of a first type and a set of drivers of a second type. When the driver drives the signal line using multiple drivers of the first type, at least one additional driver of the first type may compensate for non-linearities associated with one or more other drivers of the first type, which may have been calibrated at other voltages. The at least one additional driver of the first type may be calibrated for use at a particular voltage, to compensate for non-linearities associated with the one or more other drivers of the first type as exhibited at that particular voltage.

Provided is a method for executing a security related process comprising at least a first operation and a subsequent programming operation of a memory area in a first memory row of a first memory of a system and using as input security data stored in said second memory of said system, wherein said first memory is a non-volatile memory and said system comprises a first memory charge pump. The method comprises, when the execution of said security related process is triggered: opening (S2) the first memory row, charging (S3) said first memory charge pump, performing (S4) said first operations of the security related process, based on said security data from the second memory, and performing (S5) said programming operation of said memory area in said opened first memory row using said charged charge pump.

Memory devices, systems including memory devices, and methods of operating memory devices are described, in which security measures may be implemented to control access to a fuse array (or other secure features) of the memory devices based on a secure access key. In some cases, a customer may define and store a user-defined access key in the fuse array. In other cases, a manufacturer of the memory device may define a manufacturer-defined access key (e.g., an access key based on fuse identification (FID), a secret access key), where a host device coupled with the memory device may obtain the manufacturer-defined access key according to certain protocols. The memory device may compare an access key included in a command directed to the memory device with either the user-defined access key or the manufacturer-defined access key to determine whether to permit or prohibit execution of the command based on the comparison.

A device is provided. The device includes a physical unclonable function (PUF) cell array. The PUF cell array includes multiple bit cells, and generates a PUF response output, in response to a challenge input, based on a data state of one bit cell in the bit cells. Each of the bit cells stores a bit data and includes a transistor having a control terminal coupled to a word line and a first terminal coupled to a source line, a first memory cell having a first terminal coupled to a first data line and a second terminal coupled to a second terminal of the transistor, and a second memory cell having a first terminal coupled to a second data line, different from the first data line, and a second terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first memory cell at the second terminal of the transistor.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for hardware metering using a memory-type camouflaged cell. The apparatus includes memory including at least one camouflaged memory cell in which a key is hidden by a designer in advance and a controller for controlling whether to block the supply of power to the memory. The controller may perform reading a key from a corresponding key location in the multiple memory cells of the memory based on key location information stored in the controller when a key is input from the outside, determining whether the key input from the outside is the same as the key read from the memory, setting an authentic flag based on the determination result, and performing control based on the set authentic flag such that the memory operates normally or the supply of power is blocked.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for hardware metering using a memory-type camouflaged cell. The apparatus includes memory including at least one camouflaged memory cell in which a key is hidden by a designer in advance and a controller for controlling whether to block the supply of power to the memory. The controller may perform reading a key from a corresponding key location in the multiple memory cells of the memory based on key location information stored in the controller when a key is input from the outside, determining whether the key input from the outside is the same as the key read from the memory, setting an authentic flag based on the determination result, and performing control based on the set authentic flag such that the memory operates normally or the supply of power is blocked.