According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes: a memory cell array; a plurality of bit lines respectively connected to memory cells; a word line commonly connected to the memory cells; and a control circuit. The control circuit programs a first memory cell of a first state and a second memory cell of a second state by using a first program pulse. The control circuit applies a first voltage to a first bit line connected to the first memory cell, and applies a second voltage lower than the first voltage to a second bit line connected to the second memory cell at a first time within a first period during which the first program pulse is applied. The control circuit applies the second voltage to the first and second bit lines at a second time within the first period.

A memory device and associated techniques improve a settling time of bit lines in a memory device during a read or verify operation. Bit line control (BLC) transistors in the sense circuits are briefly turned off during a sensing process. After the read voltage on a selected word line is changed to a second word line level or higher, a control gate voltage of the BLC transistor is lowered, helping to inhibit a current flow from a sense circuit through a bit line when a voltage of the bit line is settling. The voltage of the bit line may be settling in response to a memory cell coupled to the selected word line undergoing a transition from off to on. A settling time of the bit line is shortened by stopping the current flow from the sense circuit. Transition of the memory cell from off to on is also improved.

A semiconductor device includes a gate insulator layer above a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode above the gate insulating layer, a sidewall insulator layer on sidewalls of the gate electrode and above the substrate, source and drain regions within the substrate on both sides of the gate electrode, a first region within the substrate below a part of the sidewall insulator layer closer to the source region and having an impurity concentration lower than the source region, a second region provided within the substrate below a part of the sidewall insulator layer closer to the drain region and having an impurity concentration lower than the drain region, a channel region provided within the substrate between the first and second regions, and a third region within the substrate below the channel region and including impurities of a different type and having an impurity concentration higher than the channel region.

A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a controller, a semiconductor memory component, first and second capacitors, and a jumper element. The substrate has a conductor pattern. The conductor pattern includes a first conductor portion and a second conductor portion. The first conductor portion overlaps at least a part of the first capacitor in a thickness direction of the substrate and is electrically connected to the first capacitor. The second conductor portion overlaps at least a part of the second capacitor in the thickness direction of the substrate and is electrically connected to the second capacitor. The first conductor portion and the second conductor portion are separated from each other, and are electrically connected to each other by the jumper element.

A method for achieving a feedforward operation and/or a recurrent operation in an artificial neural network having a self-training learning function. The forgoing artificial neural network (ANN) comprises MN numbers nonvolatile memory cells that are arranged to form a memory array, and the nonvolatile memory cell can be a non-overlapped implementation (NOI) MOSFET, a RRAM element, a PCM element, a MRAM element, or a SONOS element. By applying this novel method to the ANN, it is able to perform the feedforward and recurrent operations in the MN numbers of nonvolatile memory cells storing with different bit weights that are formed by injected electrons through the self-training learning function of the ANN.

A memory device and associated techniques improve a settling time of bit lines in a memory device during a read or verify operation. Bit line control (BLC) transistors in the sense circuits are briefly turned off during a sensing process. After the read voltage on a selected word line is changed to a second word line level or higher, a control gate voltage of the BLC transistor is lowered. This helps to inhibit a current flow from a sense circuit through a bit line when a voltage of the bit line is settling. The voltage of the bit line may be settling in response to a memory cell coupled to the selected word line undergoing a transition from off to on. A settling time of the bit line is shortened by stopping the current flow from the sense circuit. The transition of the memory cell from off to on is also improved.

Quantum dot circuit and a method of characterizing such a circuit Voltages that enable control of electron occupation in a series of quantum dots are determined by a method of measuring effects of gate electrode voltages on a quantum dot circuit. The quantum dot circuit comprises a channel (10), first gate electrodes (14a-14e) that extend over locations along the edge of the channel to create potentials barriers defining the potentials well therebetween, as well as second gate electrodes (16a-16d) adjacent to potential wells, for controlling depths of the successive electrical potential wells between the potential barriers. First, channel currents are measured in a pre-scan of bias voltages of the first gates for controlling the potential barriers. The result is used to set their bias levels in, a scan over a two-dimensional range of combinations of bias voltages on the second gates for controlling the depths. In this scan an indication of charge carrier occupation of potential wells at consecutive positions along the channel such as electromagnetic wave reflection is measured. Pattern matching with a pattern of crossing occupation edges is applied to the result. This involves a two-dimensional image that has the combinations of the bias voltages as image points and the indication of charge carrier occupation as image values. The pattern matching detects an image point where the image matches a pattern of crossing edges along predetermined directions.

A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, a controller, a semiconductor memory component, first and second capacitors, and a jumper element. The substrate has a conductor pattern. The conductor pattern includes a first conductor portion and a second conductor portion. The first conductor portion overlaps at least a part of the first capacitor in a thickness direction of the substrate and is electrically connected to the first capacitor. The second conductor portion overlaps at least a part of the second capacitor in the thickness direction of the substrate and is electrically connected to the second capacitor. The first conductor portion and the second conductor portion are separated from each other, and are electrically connected to each other by the jumper element.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes first and second memory cells, a first word line, first and second sense amplifiers, first and second bit lines, a controller. The first and second sense amplifiers each include first and second transistors. The first bit line is connected between the first memory cell and the first transistor. The second bit line is connected between the second memory cell and the second transistor. In the read operation, the controller is configured to apply a kick voltage to the first word line before applying the read voltage to the first word line, and to apply a first voltage to a gate of the first transistor and a second voltage to a gate of the second transistor while applying the kick voltage to the first word line.

A content addressable memory cell includes a first floating body transistor and a second floating body transistor. The first floating body transistor and the second floating body transistor are electrically connected in series through a common node. The first floating body transistor and the second floating body transistor store complementary data.