Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a memory device. The memory device includes an active current path including a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ); and a reference current path including a reference resistance element. The reference resistance element has a resistance that differs from a resistance of the MTJ. An asynchronous, delay-sensing element has a first input coupled to the active current path and a second input coupled to the reference current path. The asynchronous, delay-sensing element is configured to sense a timing delay between a first rising or falling edge voltage on the active current path and a second rising or falling edge voltage on the reference current path. The asynchronous, delay-sensing element is further configured to determine a data state stored in the MTJ based on the timing delay.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a memory device. The memory device includes an active current path including a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ); and a reference current path including a reference resistance element. The reference resistance element has a resistance that differs from a resistance of the MTJ. An asynchronous, delay-sensing element has a first input coupled to the active current path and a second input coupled to the reference current path. The asynchronous, delay-sensing element is configured to sense a timing delay between a first rising or falling edge voltage on the active current path and a second rising or falling edge voltage on the reference current path. The asynchronous, delay-sensing element is further configured to determine a data state stored in the MTJ based on the timing delay.

Technical solutions are described for storing weight in a crosspoint device of a resistive processing unit (RPU) array. An example method includes setting a state of each single bit counter from a set of single bit counters in the crosspoint device, the states of the single bit counters representing the weight to be stored at the crosspoint device. The method further includes adjusting electrical conductance of a resistor device of the crosspoint device. The resistor device includes a set of resistive circuits, each resistive circuit associated with a respective single bit counter from the set of single bit counters, the electrical conductance adjusted by activating or deactivating each resistive circuit according to a state of the associated single bit counter.

A semiconductor device including a substrate that has a first region and a second region, a plurality of lower conductive patterns on the substrate, the plurality of lower conductive patterns including a first conductive pattern in the first region of the substrate and a second conductive pattern in the second region of the substrate, a magnetic tunnel junction on the first conductive pattern, a contact between the magnetic tunnel junction and the first conductive pattern, a through electrode on the second conductive pattern, and a plurality of upper conductive patterns on the magnetic tunnel junction and the through electrode. The contact includes a first contact on the lower conductive patterns, a second contact on the first contact, and a first barrier layer that covers a bottom surface and a lateral surface of the second contact.

A semiconductor device including a substrate that has a first region and a second region, a plurality of lower conductive patterns on the substrate, the plurality of lower conductive patterns including a first conductive pattern in the first region of the substrate and a second conductive pattern in the second region of the substrate, a magnetic tunnel junction on the first conductive pattern, a contact between the magnetic tunnel junction and the first conductive pattern, a through electrode on the second conductive pattern, and a plurality of upper conductive patterns on the magnetic tunnel junction and the through electrode. The contact includes a first contact on the lower conductive patterns, a second contact on the first contact, and a first barrier layer that covers a bottom surface and a lateral surface of the second contact.

Endurance mechanisms are introduced for memories such as non-volatile memories for broad usage including caches, last-level cache(s), embedded memory, embedded cache, scratchpads, main memory, and storage devices. Here, non-volatile memories (NVMs) include magnetic random-access memory (MRAM), resistive RAM (ReRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), phase-change memory (PCM), etc. In some cases, features of endurance mechanisms (e.g., randomizing mechanisms) are applicable to volatile memories such as static random-access memory (SRAM), and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). The endurance mechanisms include a wear leveling scheme that uses index rotation, outlier compensation to handle weak bits, and random swap injection to mitigate wear out attacks.

Endurance mechanisms are introduced for memories such as non-volatile memories for broad usage including caches, last-level cache(s), embedded memory, embedded cache, scratchpads, main memory, and storage devices. Here, non-volatile memories (NVMs) include magnetic random-access memory (MRAM), resistive RAM (ReRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), phase-change memory (PCM), etc. In some cases, features of endurance mechanisms (e.g., randomizing mechanisms) are applicable to volatile memories such as static random-access memory (SRAM), and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). The endurance mechanisms include a wear leveling scheme that uses index rotation, outlier compensation to handle weak bits, and random swap injection to mitigate wear out attacks.

Exemplary apparatus includes a nonvolatile memory, a volatile memory separate from the nonvolatile memory, and a controller configured to access the volatile memory and the nonvolatile memory. Exemplary volatile memory is configured to function as a read/write cache. The controller may be configured to perform a read/modify/write memory operation that involves both the volatile memory and the nonvolatile memory. Exemplary devices may have a host interface and may include a data connection configured to perform double data rate data transfer. Exemplary volatile memory may support byte-granularity memory read operations, and the density of the volatile memory may be substantially less than the density of the nonvolatile memory.

Exemplary apparatus includes a nonvolatile memory, a volatile memory separate from the nonvolatile memory, and a controller configured to access the volatile memory and the nonvolatile memory. Exemplary volatile memory is configured to function as a read/write cache. The controller may be configured to perform a read/modify/write memory operation that involves both the volatile memory and the nonvolatile memory. Exemplary devices may have a host interface and may include a data connection configured to perform double data rate data transfer. Exemplary volatile memory may support byte-granularity memory read operations, and the density of the volatile memory may be substantially less than the density of the nonvolatile memory.

A semiconductor device including a substrate that has a first region and a second region, a plurality of lower conductive patterns on the substrate, the plurality of lower conductive patterns including a first conductive pattern in the first region of the substrate and a second conductive pattern in the second region of the substrate, a magnetic tunnel junction on the first conductive pattern, a contact between the magnetic tunnel junction and the first conductive pattern, a through electrode on the second conductive pattern, and a plurality of upper conductive patterns on the magnetic tunnel junction and the through electrode. The contact includes a first contact on the lower conductive patterns, a second contact on the first contact, and a first barrier layer that covers a bottom surface and a lateral surface of the second contact.