Embodiments of systems and methods that ensure integrity of data during unexpected power interruption of loss are disclosed. In some embodiments, critical data is saved quickly and efficiently using backup power. Data integrity is ensured even when the reliability of backup power sources is an issue. In some embodiments, by skipping the updating and saving of system data while operating on backup power, significant reduction of time for saving critical data can be achieved. System data can be restored next time the data storage system is restarted. Improvements of data storage system reliability are thereby attained.

A semiconductor memory device may include a cell array comprising a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell connected to a word line and a bit line, the cell array divided into a plurality of blocks, each block including a plurality of word lines, the plurality of blocks including at least a first defective block; a nonvolatile storage circuit configured to store address information of the first defective block, and to output the address information to an external device; and a fuse circuit configured to cut off an activation of word lines of the first defective block.

A memory device, an operating method of the memory device, and a fabricating method of the memory device are provided. A memory device includes: a semiconductor column extending vertically on a substrate and including a source region of a first conductivity type, an intrinsic region, and a drain region of a second conductivity type; a first gate electrode disposed adjacent to the drain region to cover the intrinsic region; a second gate electrode spaced apart from the first gate electrode and disposed adjacent to the source region to cover the intrinsic region; a first gate electrode disposed between the first gate electrode and the intrinsic region; and a second gate insulating layer disposed between the second gate electrode and the intrinsic region.

An IC may include an array of memory cells formed in a semiconductor, including memory cells arranged in rows and columns, each memory cell may include a floating body region defining at least a portion of a surface of the memory cell, the floating body region having a first conductivity type; a buried region located within the memory cell and located adjacent to the floating body region, wherein the buried region has a second conductivity type, wherein the floating body region is bounded on a first side by a first insulating region having a first thickness and on a second side by a second insulating region having a second thickness, and a gate region above the floating body region and the second insulating region and is insulated from the floating body region by an insulating layer; and control circuitry configured to provide electrical signals to said buried region.

According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a connector, a volatile semiconductor memory element, multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory elements, and a controller. A wiring pattern includes a signal line that is formed between the connector and the controller and that connects the connector to the controller. On the opposite side of the controller to the signal line, the multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory elements are aligned along the longitudinal direction of the substrate.

A method for operating a storage device includes sending a request for a internal operation time for an internal operation to an external device, receiving an internal operation command corresponding to the request from the external device, and performing the internal operation during the internal operation time based on the internal operation command.

Efficient data path architecture for flash devices requiring multi-pass programming utilizes an external memory as an intermediate buffer to store the encoded data used for a first pass programming of the flash device. The stored encoded data can be read from the external memory for subsequent passes programming instead of fetching the data from an on-chip memory, which stores the data received from a host system. Thus, the on-chip memory can be made available to speed up the next data transfer from the host system.

An aspect includes coherency management between volatile memory and non-volatile memory in a through-silicon via (TSV) module of a computer system. A plurality of TSV write signals is simultaneously provided to the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory. A plurality of values of the TSV write signals is captured within a buffer of the non-volatile memory corresponding to a data set written to the volatile memory. Storage space is freed within the buffer as the data set corresponding to the values of the TSV write signals stored within the buffer is written to a non-volatile memory array within the non-volatile memory.

A clock mode configuration circuit for a memory device is described. A memory system includes any number of memory devices serially connected to each other, where each memory device receives a clock signal. The clock signal can be provided either in parallel to all the memory devices or serially from memory device to memory device through a common clock input. The clock mode configuration circuit in each memory device is set to a parallel mode for receiving the parallel clock signal, and to a serial mode for receiving a source synchronous clock signal from a prior memory device. Depending on the set operating mode, the data input circuits will be configured for the corresponding data signal format, and the corresponding clock input circuits will be either enabled or disabled. The parallel mode and the serial mode is set by sensing a voltage level of a reference voltage provided to each memory device.

According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a connector, a volatile semiconductor memory element, multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory elements, and a controller. A wiring pattern includes a signal line that is formed between the connector and the controller and that connects the connector to the controller. On the opposite side of the controller to the signal line, the multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory elements are aligned along the longitudinal direction of the substrate.