A memory circuit including cells connected in rows and in columns, each cell including a programmable resistive element and a control transistor, the memory circuit further including a control circuit capable of, during a cell programming phase: applying a first voltage to a control conductive track of the column including the cell; applying a second voltage to the first control conductive track of the row including the cell; applying a third voltage capable of turning on the cell control transistor to a second row control conductive track including the cell; and applying a fourth voltage capable of turning off the control transistors to the control conductive tracks of columns which do not include the cell.

A memory device includes a memory cell array, a read circuit, and a control logic. The memory cell array includes a memory cell having a resistance level that varies depending on data stored therein. The memory cell is connected to a first signal line and a second signal line. The read circuit is configured to read the data. The control logic is configured to precharge a sensing node, connected to the first signal line through a first switching device, and a first node, connected to the second signal line through a second switching device, to different voltage levels during a first period, and develop a voltage of the sensing node based on the resistance level of the memory cell during a second period.

A storage array programming method and device for a resistive random access memory (RAM) are proposed. The resistive RAM comprising a storage array, the storage array comprising a group of storage units to which data is to be written. The programming method comprises: reading the currently stored data in the group of storage units and comparing bit by bit the currently stored data with the data to be written to determine whether the currently stored data is consistent with the data to be written, and generating a data write state according to the determination result; determining the data write state, and by a set operation or a reset operation, writing the data to be written only to the storage units where the currently stored data is inconsistent with the data to be written; checking whether any storage unit having a write failure exists during the set operation or the reset operation; if so, then repeating the previous steps until the writing is completed. The programming method can avoid repetitive writing, thus not only reducing write interference with a unit to improve writing efficiency of the unit, but also reducing power consumption of writing.

The disclosure relates to a memory cell formed in a wafer comprising a semiconductor substrate covered with a first insulating layer, the insulating layer being covered with an active layer made of a semiconductor, the memory cell comprising a selection transistor having a control gate and a first conduction terminal connected to a variable-resistance element, the gate being formed on the active layer and having a lateral flank covered with a second insulating layer, the variable-resistance element being formed by a layer of variable-resistance material, deposited on a lateral flank of the active layer in a first trench formed through the active layer along the lateral flank of the gate, a trench conductor being formed in the first trench against a lateral flank of the layer of variable-resistance material.

The invention provides a resistive memory with better area efficiency without degrading reliability, which includes an array area, word lines, a local bit line, source lines, and a shared bit line. In the array area, memory cells are arranged in a matrix, and each memory cells includes a variable resistance element and an accessing transistor. The word lines extend in a row direction of the array area and are connected to the memory cells in the row direction. The local bit line extends in a column direction of the array area. The source lines extend in the column direction and are connected to first electrodes of the memory cells in the column direction. The shared bit line is connected to the local bit line. The shared bit line extends in the row direction and is connected to second electrodes of the memory cells in the row direction.

According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory cell array; a generation circuit generating a reference current; a sense amplifier comparing a cell current flowing through a memory cell with the reference current; a first clamp transistor connected between the sense amplifier and the memory cell; a second clamp transistor connected between the sense amplifier and the generation circuit; a first interconnect layer connected to a gate of the first clamp transistor; a second interconnect layer connected to a gate of the second clamp transistor and arranged adjacent to the first interconnect layer; and a first shield line arranged adjacent to one of the first interconnect layer and the second interconnect layer, a fixed voltage being applied to the first shield line.

An apparatus is described that includes a resistive random access memory cell having a word line that is to receive a narrowed word line signal that limits an amount of time that an access transistor is on so as to limit the cell's high resistive state and/or the cell's low resistive state. Another apparatus is described that includes a resistive random access memory cell having SL and BL lines that are to receive respective signals having different voltage amplitudes to reduce source degeneration effects of the resistive random access memory cell's access transistor. Another apparatus is described that includes a resistive random access memory cell having a storage cell comprising a bottom-side OEL layer. Another apparatus is described that includes a resistive random access memory cell having a storage cell within a metal layer that resides between a pair of other metal layers where parallel SL and BL lines of the resistive random access memory cell respectively reside.

A memory cell includes a single bi-directional resistive memory element (BRME) having a first terminal directly connected to a first power rail and a second terminal coupled to an internal node; and a first transistor having a control electrode coupled to the internal node, and a first current electrode coupled to a first bitline, and a second current electrode coupled to one of a group consisting of: a read wordline and the first power rail.

A memory device includes a first line coupled to a first terminal of a first memory cell, a second bit line coupled to a first terminal of a second memory cell, a sense amplifier coupled to a second end of the first bit line and a second end of the second bit line, a capacitor including a first terminal coupled to a first input of the sense amplifier and a second terminal coupled to a switch. The switch couples the second terminal of the capacitor to the second bit line during a calibration phase of a read operation and to the first bit line during a sense phase of the read operation. A current/voltage source drives current on the first bit line while the second line is floating during the calibration phase, and drives current on the second bit line while the first bit line is floating during the sense phase.

A memory array includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each memory cell including a cell transistor and a variable resistance element connected to an end of the cell transistor, and a cell transistor performance measuring cell including a MOS transistor. The cell transistor performance measuring cell is used to stabilize resistance values in a low resistance state and a high resistance state of the variable resistance element irrespective of variations in the cell transistor and thereby improve read characteristics and reliability characteristics of a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device.