A storage circuit includes a memory cell array of memory cells each including a variable resistance type element, a resistance-voltage conversion circuit RT.sub.j to convert a resistance value of a memory cell MC.sub.ij to be read to a data voltage, a reference circuit and RT.sub.R to generate a reference voltage, a sense amplifier to determine read data by receiving the data voltage and the reference voltage via first and second input terminals, respectively, and comparing both voltages with each other, and an analog buffer circuit arranged between the resistance-voltage conversion circuit RT.sub.j and a first input terminal of the sense amplifier or between the reference circuit and RT.sub.R and a second input terminal of the sense amplifier. Current driving capability of the analog buffer circuit is large.

A semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell including a switching element and a variable resistance element, and a circuit for switching the memory cell ON, performing a first read operation on the memory cell, generating a first voltage based on the first read operation, switching the memory cell ON after first data is written to the memory cell, performing a second read operation while the memory cell is maintained to be ON when the first data is stored in the memory cell during the first read operation, performing the second read operation after the memory cell transitions from ON to OFF at least once when second data is stored in the memory cell during the first read operation, generating a second voltage based on the second read operation, and determining the data stored in the memory cell during the first read operation based on the first and second voltages.

Some embodiments relate to a probabilistic random number generator. The probabilistic random number generator includes a memory cell comprising a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), and an access transistor coupled to the MTJ of the memory cell. A variable current source is coupled to the access transistor and is configured to provide a plurality of predetermined current pulse shapes, respectively, to the MTJ to generate a bit stream that includes a plurality of probabilistic random bits, respectively, from the MTJ. The predetermined current pulse shapes have different current amplitudes and/or pulse widths corresponding to different switching probabilities for the MTJ.

A storage circuit (11) includes memory cells (MCij), each of which includes an MTJ element, and reference cells (RCi), each of which includes a series circuit of an MTJ element set to a low-resistance state and a linear resistor (FR). A RW circuit (23j) that includes a sense amplifier is provided in each column of a memory cell array (21), and compares a data voltage on a corresponding bit line (BLj) with a reference voltage. The sense amplifier includes a pair of PMOS transistors to which the data voltage and the reference voltage are applied, a CMOS sense latch that is connected to a current path of the PMOS transistors.

In-vehicle detection system includes nonvolatile memory, a controller (SoC) that reads and writes data from and in nonvolatile memory, and detector that outputs detection information to SoC. SoC changes a control signal of nonvolatile memory in accordance with the output of detector.

A memory device for storing data comprises a memory bank comprising a plurality of addressable memory cells, wherein the memory bank is divided into a plurality of segments. The memory device also comprises a cache memory operable for storing a second plurality of data words, wherein further each data word of the second plurality of data words is either awaiting write verification or is to be re-written into the memory bank. The cache memory is divided into a plurality of primary segments, wherein each primary segment of the cache memory is direct mapped to a corresponding segment of the plurality of segments of the memory bank, wherein each primary segment of the plurality of primary segments of the cache memory is sub-divided into a plurality of secondary segments, and each of the plurality of secondary segments comprises at least one counter for tracking a number of valid entries stored therein.

The disclosure is directed to spin-orbit torque MRAM structures and methods. A SOT channel of the SOT-MRAM includes multiple heavy metal layers and one or more dielectric dusting layers each sandwiched between two adjacent heavy metal layers. The dielectric dusting layers each include discrete molecules or discrete molecule clusters of a dielectric material scattered in or adjacent to an interface between two adjacent heavy metal layers.

A memory system includes a non-volatile memory chip that includes a memory cell array, and a memory controller. The memory controller is configured to perform a read operation on the non-volatile memory chip by instructing the non-volatile memory chip to perform a sensing operation to read data stored in the memory cell array, estimating a time when the read data becomes ready to be transferred from the non-volatile memory chip to the memory controller, and instructing the non-volatile memory chip, after the estimated time, to perform a transfer operation to transfer the read data to the memory controller.

According to one embodiment, a memory device includes first and second wiring lines, memory cells between first and second wiring lines, first and second common wiring lines, a first selecting circuit between one ends of the first wiring lines and the first common wiring line, and a second selecting circuit between the other ends of the first wiring lines and the first common wiring line. A path between the first wiring line and the first common wiring line through the first selecting circuit and a path between the first wiring line and the first common wiring line through the second selecting circuit are defined as first and second paths, one of the first and second paths is set to an electrically conductive state.

Some embodiments relate to a probabilistic random number generator. The probabilistic random number generator includes a memory cell comprising a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), and an access transistor coupled to the MTJ of the memory cell. A variable current source is coupled to the access transistor and is configured to provide a plurality of predetermined current pulse shapes, respectively, to the MTJ to generate a bit stream that includes a plurality of probabilistic random bits, respectively, from the MTJ. The predetermined current pulse shapes have different current amplitudes and/or pulse widths corresponding to different switching probabilities for the MTJ.