Patent classifications
H01L27/11507
Memory Arrays, Ferroelectric Transistors, and Methods of Reading and Writing Relative to Memory Cells of Memory Arrays
Some embodiments include a ferroelectric transistor. The transistor has gate dielectric material configured as a first container, with the first container having a first inner surface. Metal-containing material is configured as a second container nested within said first container. The second container has a second inner surface with an area less than the first inner surface. Ferroelectric material is configured as a third container nested within the second container. The third container has a third inner surface with an area less than the second inner surface. Gate material is within the third container. Some embodiments include memory arrays having ferroelectric transistors as memory cells. Some embodiments include methods of writing/reading relative to memory cells of memory arrays when the memory cells are metal-ferroelectric-metal-insulator-semiconductor (MFMIS) transistors.
Silicon substrate having ferroelectric film attached thereto
A residual stress in a PZT type ferroelectric film 12 formed on a substrate body 11 by a sol-gel process is −14 MPa to −31 MPa, and the ferroelectric film 12 is crystal oriented in a (100) plane.
APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR FERROELECTRIC MEMORY CELL OPERATIONS
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for ferroelectric memory (FeRAM) cell operation. An FeRAM cell may have different charge regions it can operate across. Some regions, such as dielectric regions, may operate faster, but with reduced signal on a coupled digit line. To improve the performance while maintaining increased speed, two digit lines may be coupled to the same sense amplifier, so that the FeRAM cells coupled to both digit lines contribute signal to the sense amplifier. For example a first digit line in a first deck of the memory and a second digit line in a second deck of the memory may both be coupled to the sense amplifier. In some embodiments, additional digit lines may be used as shields (e.g., by coupling the shield digit lines to a ground voltage) to further improve the signal-to-noise ratio.
APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MEMORY USING IN-PLANE POLARIZATION
A memory device includes a semiconductor layer with an in-plane polarization component switchable between a first direction and a second direction. A writing electrode is employed to apply a writing voltage to the semiconductor layer to change the in-plane polarization component between the first direction and the second direction. A reading electrode is employed to apply a reading voltage to the semiconductor layer to measure a tunneling current substantially perpendicular to the polarization direction of the in-plane polarization component. The directions of the reading voltage and the writing voltage are substantially perpendicular to each other. Therefore, the reading process is non-destructive. Thin films (e.g., one unit cell thick) of ferroelectric material can be used in the memory device to increase the miniaturization of the device.
ERASABLE PROGRAMMABLE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY
An erasable programmable non-volatile memory includes a first transistor, a second transistor, an erase gate region and a metal layer. The first transistor includes a select gate, a first doped region and a second doped region. The select gate is connected with a word line. The first doped region is connected with a source line. The second transistor includes the second doped region, a third doped region and a floating gate. The third doped region is connected with a bit line. The erase gate region is connected with an erase line. The floating gate is extended over the erase gate region and located near the erase gate region. The metal layer is disposed over the floating gate and connected with the bit line.
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR SAME
A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method for the same are provided in such a manner that the oxygen barrier film and the conductive plug in the base of a capacitor are prevented from being abnormally oxidized. A capacitor is formed by layering a lower electrode, a dielectric film including a ferroelectric substance or a high dielectric substance, and an upper electrode in this order on top of an interlayer insulation film with at least a conductive oxygen barrier film in between, and at least a portion of a side of the conductive oxygen barrier film is covered with an oxygen entering portion or an insulating oxygen barrier film.
Memory cells
A memory cell includes a select device and a capacitor electrically coupled in series with the select device. The capacitor includes two conductive capacitor electrodes having ferroelectric material there-between. The capacitor has an intrinsic current leakage path from one of the capacitor electrodes to the other through the ferroelectric material. There is a parallel current leakage path from the one capacitor electrode to the other. The parallel current leakage path is circuit-parallel the intrinsic path and of lower total resistance than the intrinsic path. Other aspects are disclosed.
Artificial synapse with hafnium oxide-based ferroelectric layer in CMOS back-end
Artificial synaptic devices with an HfO.sub.2-based ferroelectric layer that can be implemented in the CMOS back-end are provided. In one aspect, an artificial synapse element is provided. The artificial synapse element includes: a bottom electrode; a ferroelectric layer disposed on the bottom electrode, wherein the ferroelectric layer includes an HfO.sub.2-based material that crystallizes in a ferroelectric phase at a temperature of less than or equal to about 400° C.; and a top electrode disposed on the bottom electrode. An artificial synaptic device including the present artificial synapse element and methods for formation thereof are also provided.
DOPED GRAPHENE ELECTRODES AS INTERCONNECTS FOR FERROELECTRIC CAPACITORS
A ferroelectric capacitor having a doped graphene bottom electrode and uses thereof are described. The doped graphene bottom electrode layer is deposited on a substrate with a ferroelectric layer deposited between the doped graphene layer and a top electrode.
Array of capacitors, array of memory cells, methods of forming an array of capacitors, and methods of forming an array of memory cells
A method of forming an array of capacitors comprises forming a plurality of horizontally-spaced groups that individually comprise a plurality of horizontally-spaced lower capacitor electrodes having a capacitor insulator thereover. Adjacent of the groups are horizontally spaced farther apart than are adjacent of the lower capacitor electrodes within the groups. A void space is between the adjacent groups. An upper capacitor electrode material is formed in the void space and in the groups over the capacitor insulator and the lower capacitor electrodes. The upper capacitor electrode material in the void space connects the upper capacitor electrode material that is in the adjacent groups relative to one another. The upper capacitor electrode material less-than-fills the void space. At least a portion of the upper capacitor electrode material is removed from the void space to disconnect the upper capacitor electrode material in the adjacent groups from being connected relative to one another. A horizontally-elongated conductive line is formed atop and is directly electrically coupled to the upper capacitor electrode material in individual of the groups. Other methods, including structure independent of method of manufacture, are disclosed.