Disclosed are monolithically integrated three-dimensional (3D) DRAM array structures that include one-transistor, one-capacitor (1T1C) cells embedded at multiple device tiers of a layered substrate assembly. In some embodiments, vertical electrically conductive data-line and ground pillars extending through the substrate assembly provide the transistor source and ground voltages, and horizontal electrically conductive access lines at multiple device levels provide the transistor gate voltages. Process flows for fabricating the 3D DRAM arrays are also described.

An integrated circuit device having insulated gate field effect transistors (IGFETs) having a plurality of horizontally disposed channels that can be vertically aligned above a substrate with each channel being surrounded by a gate structure has been disclosed. The integrated circuit device may include a temperature sensor circuit and core circuitry. The temperature senor circuit may include at least one portion formed in a region other than the region that the IGFETs are formed as well as at least another portion formed in the region that the IGFETs having a plurality of horizontally disposed channels that can be vertically aligned above a substrate with each channel being surrounded by a gate structure are formed. By forming a portion of the temperature sensor circuit in regions below the IGFETs, an older process technology may be used and device size may be decreased and cost may be reduced.

A memory device with reduced latency is provided. The memory device includes a burst read mode with a burst length of M.sub.0 (M.sub.0 is an integer greater than or equal to 2), a global sense amplifier array, M.sub.0 local memory cell arrays <1> to <M.sub.0>, and M.sub.0 local sense amplifier arrays <1> to <M.sub.0>. A memory cell includes a transistor and a capacitor. A local memory cell array <J> (J is an integer from 1 to M.sub.0) is stacked over a local sense amplifier array <J>. The local memory cell array <J> comprises M.sub.0 blocks <J_1> to <J_M.sub.0> differentiated by row, The local sense amplifier array <J> in an idle state retains the data of the block <J_J>. The block <J_J> is specified when the local memory cell array <J> is the first local memory cell array to be accessed in a burst read mode.

A semiconductor memory device may include a row address generating circuit, a row active pulse generating circuit and a word line activating circuit. The row address generating circuit may generate a row address in response to a refresh command, a row active pulse, and a normal address. The row active pulse generating circuit may generate a row active pulse in response to a refresh signal and an active signal. The word line activating circuit may selectively enable a word line in response to the row address and the row active pulse.

A semiconductor memory device including an access transistor configured as a vertical transistor comprises a channel portion and a pair of source/drain regions; a storage capacitor connected to one of the pair of source/drain regions; a bit line connected to the other of the pair of source/drain regions, a first semiconductor layer provided in the source/drain region to which the bit line is connected. Preferably, the first semiconductor layer comprises SiGe.

A memory includes a first cell array configured to include a plurality of first memory cells connected to a plurality of word lines, a second cell array configured to include a plurality of second memory cells connected to the plurality of word lines, wherein a group of the plurality of second memory cells which are connected to a corresponding word line stores the number of activations for the corresponding word line, and an activation number update unit configured to update a value stored in the corresponding group of the plurality of second memory cells connected to the activated word line of the plurality of word lines.

A memory includes a first cell array configured to include a plurality of first memory cells connected to a plurality of word lines, a second cell array configured to include a plurality of second memory cells connected to the plurality of word lines, wherein a group of the plurality of second memory cells which are connected to a corresponding word line stores the number of activations for the corresponding word line, and an activation number update unit configured to update a value stored in the corresponding group of the plurality of second memory cells connected to the activated word line of the plurality of word lines.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for refresh modes. A memory may need to perform targeted refresh operations to refresh the ‘victim’ word lines which are near to frequently accessed ‘aggressor’ word lines. To refresh the victims at a high enough rate, it may be desirable to refresh multiple victims as part of the same refresh operation. However, certain word lines (e.g., word lines in a same section or adjacent sections of the memory) cannot be refreshed together. The memory may have a section comparator, which may check stored aggressor addresses and may provide a signal if there are not two stored addresses which can be refreshed together. Based, in part, on the signal, the memory may activate one of several different refresh modes, which may control the types of refresh operation performed responsive to a refresh signal.

A method for processing blocks of flash memory to decrease raw bit errors from the flash memory is provided. The method includes identifying one or more blocks of the flash memory for a refresh operation and writing information regarding the identified blocks, to a data structure. The method includes issuing background reads to the identified blocks, according to the data structure, as the refresh operation. The method may be embodied on a computer readable medium. In some embodiments the background reads may be based on a time based refresh responsive to an increase in raw bit error count in the flash memory over time.

A method for processing blocks of flash memory to decrease raw bit errors from the flash memory is provided. The method includes identifying one or more blocks of the flash memory for a refresh operation and writing information regarding the identified blocks, to a data structure. The method includes issuing background reads to the identified blocks, according to the data structure, as the refresh operation. The method may be embodied on a computer readable medium. In some embodiments the background reads may be based on a time based refresh responsive to an increase in raw bit error count in the flash memory over time.