Molecular synthesis device

Abstract

The disclosed technology relates to a molecular synthesis device. In one aspect, the molecular synthesis device comprises a synthesis array having an array of synthesis locations and an electrode arranged at each synthesis locations. The molecular synthesis device further comprises a non-volatile memory having an array of bit cells and a set of wordlines and a set of bitlines. Each bit cell comprises a non-volatile memory transistor having a control gate connected to a wordline, a first source/drain terminal, and a second source/drain terminal connected to a bitline. The electrode at each synthesis locations of the synthesis array is connected to the first source/drain terminal of a corresponding bit cell of the non-volatile memory.

Claims

1. A molecular synthesis device comprising: a synthesis array having: an array of synthesis locations; and an electrode arranged at each synthesis location; a non-volatile memory having: an array of bit cells; a set of wordlines; and a set of bitlines, wherein each bit cell comprises: a non-volatile memory transistor having a control gate connected to a wordline; a first source/drain terminal; and a second source/drain terminal connected to a bitline, wherein the electrode at each synthesis location of the synthesis array is connected to the first source/drain terminal of a corresponding bit cell of the non-volatile memory, and wherein the memory transistor of each bit cell is switchable between a low threshold voltage and a high threshold voltage; and a controller configured to: receive a data set indicating which electrodes of the synthesis array are to be enabled; set the memory transistors of each bit cell, connected to electrodes to be enabled, to the low threshold voltage and set the memory transistors of all other bit cells to the high threshold voltage; and apply a control voltage, intermediate between the low and the high threshold voltages, to the wordlines and an electrode voltage to the bitlines.

2. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 1, wherein bit cells of the array of the non-volatile memory arranged in a same array column are connected to a same bitline, and wherein bit cells of the array of the non-volatile memory arranged in a same array row are connected to a same wordline.

3. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory is a NOR flash memory.

4. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 1, wherein the memory transistor of each bit cell includes a floating gate or a charge trapping layer.

5. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 1, wherein the memory transistor of each bit cell is a ferroelectric transistor.

6. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 1, further comprising a substrate, wherein the non-volatile memory is formed on the substrate and the synthesis array is formed on the non-volatile memory.

7. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 6, wherein each memory transistor comprises a vertical channel formed in a semiconductor structure protruding vertically from the substrate, and wherein the first source/drain terminal of each memory transistor is arranged above the vertical channel.

8. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 6, wherein the electrode at each synthesis location is connected to the first source/drain terminal of the corresponding bit cell of the non-volatile memory by a via.

9. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode at each synthesis location is an electrode configured to, in response to being enabled: supply heat to generate bubbles, supply charge carriers, and/or generate ions at the synthesis location.

10. A method of selectively activating electrodes of an array of synthesis locations, wherein the electrode of each synthesis location is connected to a first source/drain terminal of a non-volatile memory transistor of a corresponding bit cell of an array of bit cells of a non-volatile memory device, and wherein the memory transistor of each bit cell is switchable between a low threshold voltage and a high threshold voltage and has a control gate connected to a wordline of a set of wordlines of the non-volatile memory device and a second source/drain terminal connected to a bitline of a set of bitlines of the non-volatile memory device, the method comprising: setting the memory transistors of each bit cells, connected to electrodes which are to be enabled, to the low threshold voltage and the memory transistors of all other bit cells to the high threshold voltage; and applying a control voltage, intermediate between the low and the high threshold voltages, to the wordlines and an electrode voltage to the bitlines.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the non-volatile memory is a NOR flash memory and the method comprises: performing a Fowler-Nordheim tunneling erase on each bit cells of the non-volatile memory where the memory transistors of the bit cells are set to the low threshold voltage; and setting the memory transistors of all other bit cells to the high threshold voltage by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling or channel hot electron injection.

12. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 3, wherein bit cells of the array of the non-volatile memory arranged in a same array column are connected to a same bitline, and wherein bit cells of the array of the non-volatile memory arranged in a same array row are connected to a same wordline.

13. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 9, wherein the non-volatile memory is a NOR flash memory.

14. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 9, wherein the memory transistor of each bit cell includes a floating gate or a charge trapping layer.

15. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 9, wherein the memory transistor of each bit cell is a ferroelectric transistor.

16. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 7, wherein the electrode at each synthesis location is connected to the first source/drain terminal of the corresponding bit cell of the non-volatile memory by a via.

17. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 8, wherein the electrode at each synthesis location is an electrode configured to, in response to being enabled: supply heat to generate bubbles, supply charge carriers, and/or generate ions at the synthesis location.

18. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 2, wherein the electrode at each synthesis location is an electrode configured to, in response to being enabled: supply heat to generate bubbles, supply charge carriers, and/or generate ions at the synthesis location.

19. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 1, wherein the array of synthesis locations are arranged in reaction wells configured to contain molecular synthesis reagents, and wherein the electrode at each synthesis location is configured to control molecular synthesis in the corresponding reaction well.

20. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 1, further comprising fluidic channels configured to supply, to the array of synthesis locations, molecular synthesis reagents for synthesizing polymers comprising at least two types of monomers.

21. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode at each synthesis location is an electrode configured to, in response to being enabled: supply thermal energy or electrical bias.

22. The molecular synthesis device according to claim 1, wherein the magnitude of the electrode voltage depends on the type of molecular synthesis reaction configured to occur at the respective synthesis location.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above, as well as additional objectives, features and advantages of the present inventive concept, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description, with reference to the appended drawings. In the drawings like reference numerals will be used for like elements unless stated otherwise.

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a molecular synthesis device.

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit layout of bit cells of a non-volatile memory.

(4) FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic perspective views of designs of memory transistors.

(5) FIGS. 4-6 illustrate programming of a non-volatile memory.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a molecular synthesis device 10 comprising a non-volatile memory 100 and a synthesis array 200.

(7) The non-volatile memory (NVM) 100 comprises an array 110 of bit cells 112, 114, 116, 122, 124, 126. The synthesis array 200 comprises an array of synthesis locations 212, 214, 216, 222, 224, 226 (commonly referenced 210). In FIG. 1 only six bit cells and synthesis locations are visible, however this would typically represent only a small part of the device 10 comprising bit cell arrays and synthesis arrays of much greater sizes.

(8) FIG. 2 shows a circuit layout of a portion of the array 110 including bit cells 112, 114, 122, 124. The NVM 100 is configured as a NOR flash memory. Each bit cell of the array 110 comprises a corresponding non-volatile memory transistor 113. Reference is in the following made to the memory transistor 113 of the bit cell 112 but the other bit cells of the array 110 comprise corresponding memory transistors 115, 123, and 125. The memory transistor 113 has a control gate 113cg, a first source/drain terminal 113s (hereinafter referred to as the first terminal 113s) and a second source/drain terminal 113d (hereinafter referred to as the second terminal 113d). The control gate 113cg is connected to a wordline WL0. The second terminal 113d is connected to a bit line BL0. The first terminal 113s is connected to an electrode 212e arranged at the synthesis location 212. Correspondingly, the terminal 115s of the memory transistor 115 is connected to an electrode 214e arranged at the synthesis location 214. The terminal 123s of the memory transistor 123 is connected to an electrode 222e arranged at the synthesis location 222. The terminal 125s of the memory transistor 125 is connected to an electrode 224e arranged at the synthesis location 224.

(9) The memory transistor 113 may be a field-effect transistor (FET). The memory transistor 113 may as shown in FIG. 2 be a floating gate FET comprising a floating gate 113fg arranged between the control gate 113cg and the channel. The floating gate 113fg may, for instance, be of a polysilicon or metal material. The memory transistor 113 may alternatively include an oxide- or dielectric-based charge trapping layer arranged between the control gate 113cg and the channel. The charge trapping layer may, for instance, be an oxide-nitride-oxide layer, a silicon dioxide layer, a silicon nitride layer, or other defect rich dielectric. Single-layered charge trapping layers as well as composite-layered charge trapping layers are possible. As both of these memory transistor types are based on charge trapping the bit cell comprising any of these transistor types may be referred to as a charge trap bit cell.

(10) Alternatively, the memory transistor 113 may instead be a ferroelectric FET comprising a ferroelectric layer 113fe arranged between the control gate 113cg and the channel. Any typical ferroelectric material suitable for a ferroelectric FET may be used. The ferroelectric layer may, for instance, be a layer of hafnium oxide (HfO2), (Pb,Zr)TiO3 or SrBi2Ta2O9.

(11) The NVM 100 comprises a set of wordlines WL0, WL1 and a set of bitlines BL0, BL1. The wordlines may extend along a row direction R of the array 110. The bitlines may extend along a column direction C of the array 110, perpendicular to the row direction R.

(12) As shown in FIG. 2, bit cells of the array 110 of the NVM 100 arranged in a same array column are connected to a same bitline. That is, the bit cells 112, 122 are connected to the bitline BL0. The bit cells 114, 124 are connected to the bitline BL1. Meanwhile, bit cells of the array 110 of the NVM 100 arranged in a same array row are connected to a same wordline. That is, the bit cells 112, 114 are connected to the wordline WL0. The bit cells 122, 124 are connected to the wordline WL1.

(13) For the purpose of providing voltages and currents to wordlines and bitlines, the NVM 100 may further comprise driver circuitry including wordline drivers and bitline drivers. The device 10 may comprise a controller 300, schematically indicated in FIG. 1. The controller 300 may be configured to control the NVM 100, such as the driver circuitry. The controller 300 may form part of the NVM 100. The controller 300 may be realized by active devices formed on a same semiconductor substrate as the NVM 100.

(14) With reference to FIG. 3A, the memory transistors 113, 115, 123, 125 of the NVM array 110 may be realized as vertical channel transistor devices, each comprising a vertical channel 113c, 115c, 123c, 125c formed in a semiconductor structure protruding vertically from an underlying semiconductor substrate. A corresponding via 113v, 115v, 123v, or 125v may be formed on top of each memory transistor 113, 115, 123, or 125 to connect each memory transistor with the corresponding electrode 212e, 214e, 216e, 222e, 224e, or 226e of the synthesis array 200.

(15) FIG. 3B shows an alternative design wherein each memory transistor 113, 115, 123, 125 comprises a horizontal channel exemplified by 113c, 115c, formed in a horizontally extending portion of a semiconductor substrate 101. Corresponding vias 113v, 115v, 123v, and 125v extend from the source/drain terminals of the corresponding transistors 113, 115, 123, and 125. Memory transistors formed as FinFETs or horizontal nanowire FETs are also possible.

(16) As shown in FIG. 1, the synthesis array 200 comprises an array of synthesis locations 212, 214, 216, 222, 224, 226. The synthesis array 200 may be provided in the form of a microarray. Each synthesis location 210 comprises a corresponding molecular synthesis medium, e.g. as indicated by 212m, 214m, 216m for locations 212, 214, 216. Furthermore, an electrode 212e, 214e, 216e, 222e, 224e, 226e is arranged at each synthesis location. As indicated in FIG. 2 for electrodes 212e, 214e, 222e, 224e, each electrode of the synthesis array 200 is connected to the first terminal of a corresponding bit cell of the array 110. Thus, there may be a one-to-one correspondence between the bit cells of the array 110 and the synthesis locations of the array 210. Advantageously, a footprint of each bit cell of the array 110 does not exceed (e.g., is less than) a footprint of the corresponding synthesis location of the array 210.

(17) The synthesis array 200 may comprise a synthesis compartment 210c. The synthesis locations 210 may be arranged on a substrate surface of, for instance, glass, inside the synthesis compartment. Alternatively, each synthesis location 210 may include corresponding synthesis compartments 212c, 214c, 216c adapted to contain the molecular synthesis medium 212m, 214m, 216m. Such individual synthesis compartments (i.e. “microwells”) may be formed by cavities or depressions formed in a base substrate of, for instance, glass.

(18) The molecular synthesis device 10 may further comprise fluidic channels (e.g. microfluidic channels) adapted to forward liquids such as reagents to the synthesis compartment(s). The device 10 may comprise reagent compartments, each one comprising one or more reagents and each being connected to the reagent compartments via one of the fluidic channels. A controller of the device 10, such as the controller 300, may control forwarding of liquids from the reagent compartments to the synthesis compartment(s) of the synthesis array 210, for instance, by controlling valves along the fluidic channels.

(19) Regardless of whether a common synthesis compartment or individual synthesis compartments are provided, corresponding electrodes 212e, 214e, 216e, 222e, 224e, 226e may be arranged at each synthesis locations 212, 214, 216, 222, 224, 226 of the array 210, in contact with the corresponding synthesis compartments.

(20) Each electrodes 212e, 214e, 216e, 222e, 224e, 226e may accordingly contact the molecular synthesis medium of the corresponding synthesis locations 212, 214, 216, 222, 224, 226. Each electrode may thereby influence the chemical environment in the molecular synthesis medium of the associated synthesis location. The electrodes 212e, 214e, 216e, 222e, 224e, 226e may be formed of a conventional electrode material such as Al, Au, Ag, or Cu.

(21) The synthesis array 210 may in addition to the indicated (first) electrodes 212e, 214e, 216e, 222e, 224e, 226e comprise a second electrode arranged at each synthesis location 212, 214, 216, 222, 224, 226. The second electrode may be common to all synthesis locations 212, 214, 216, 222, 224, 226 or an individual second electrode may be provided for each synthesis locations 212, 214, 216, 222, 224, 226. The (first) electrodes 212e, 214e, 216e, 222e, 224e, 226e and the second electrode(s) may be arranged on opposite sides of the molecular synthesis mediums 212m, 214m, 216m, or synthesis compartment(s) 210c or 212c, 214c, 216c, 222c, 224c, 226c. The (first) electrodes 212e, 214e, 216e, 222e, 224e, 226e and the second electrode(s) may be configured as corresponding anode-cathode pairs.

(22) The molecular synthesis device 10 is in principle usable for any synthesis application in which synthesis at a synthesis location may be enabled or inhibited by controlling a voltage of an electrode. A molecule, such as a polymer, may be provided at each synthesis location. For instance, a molecule may be attached to a corresponding surface of a synthesis compartment at each synthesis location of the array 210, respectively. By way of example, the molecular synthesis medium may comprise a liquid solution wherein activation of an electrode through electrolysis may trigger ion formation, the ions in turn enabling or inhibiting a synthesis reaction at the synthesis location. As is known in the art, a changed ion concentration in an electrolyte such as water may influence the pH of the electrolyte. Thus, reactions sensitive to pH value may be enabled or inhibited by appropriate control of the electrode voltage. Other examples include generating bubbles or supplying thermal energy to the synthesis location by controlling the electrode voltage.

(23) One possible synthesis reaction is polymer synthesis by click chemistry reactions. Click chemistry reactions were introduced by Sharples and co-workers in 2001 and relates to a class of small molecule reactions known to a person skilled in chemical synthesis. Homo-bifunctional monomers may be linked together using click chemistry reactions between the functional groups of the monomers. Thus, the functional groups are selected so that the monomers can be linked together using a click chemistry reaction. A homo-bifunctional monomer may comprise a core structure having identical functional groups attached at two different positions of the core structure. A desired polymer may be produced by linking together, through a click chemistry reaction, monomers selected from a group of different homo-bifunctional monomers having at least two different core structures. The core structures may, for instance, have different sterical sizes. By way of example, a monomer A may comprise a benzene moiety and a monomer B may lack a benzene moiety, i.e. A may be more “bulky” than B. The functional group of the monomer A may be an azide whereas the functional group of the monomer B may be an alkyne. A click chemistry reaction may thus be a copper catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) and the electrode may be used to locally transfer the copper catalyst between Cu(I) and Cu(II), i.e. between an active Cu(I) state and an inactive Cu(II) state. More generally, the electrode of each corresponding synthesis location may be used to activate a redox-active catalyst that catalyses the click chemistry reaction between the homo-bifunctional monomers at the corresponding synthesis location.

(24) A polymer may be attached to each synthesis location 212, 214, 216, 222, 224, 226 of the synthesis array 210, respectively. The polymers may, for instance, be attached to a surface of the corresponding electrodes 212e, 214e, 216e, 222e, 224e, 226e of the synthesis locations 212, 214, 216, 222, 224, 226. A click chemistry reaction may thereby be electro-induced at each synthesis location by controlling the voltage of the electrode at the synthesis location.

(25) The molecular synthesis device 10 may be used for data storage applications. Digital information in the form of a set of data symbols may be encoded or stored in one or more molecules synthesized in the synthesis array 200. Each data symbol may be a one or a multi-bit symbol. A sequence of data symbols may be written in a synthesis location by sequentially synthesizing a storage molecule, in accordance with the sequence of data symbols. For each data symbol of the sequence to be stored, one or more reagents selected from a predetermined set of reagents, in accordance with the value of the symbol to be encoded, may be supplied to the synthesis compartment(s). Thereafter, a synthesis reaction may be enabled simultaneously in selected synthesis locations by selectively enabling the electrodes using the NVM 100, as will described below. To illustrate, a storage polymer may be synthesized (e.g. by click chemistry) as a chain of monomers A and B, wherein monomer A encodes a “0” of an input data sequence and a monomer B encodes a “1” of the input data sequence.

(26) In a memory application the synthesis array 200 may be referred to as a molecular memory. The synthesis locations of the array of synthesis locations 210 may be referred to as molecular memory cells. The molecular synthesis medium of each synthesis location may be referred to as the molecular storage medium.

(27) Methods of selectively activating electrodes of the synthesis array 200 by programming the NOR-flash NVM 100 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4-6. The FIGS. 4-6 are schematic views of the array 110 of the NVM 100 wherein horizontal lines indicate wordlines, vertical lines indicate bitlines and circles indicate bit cells of the array 110.

(28) In a first step shown in FIG. 4 the entire array 110 is erased by performing a Fowler-Nordheim tunneling erase of each bit cell. Thereby the memory transistor of each bit cell is set to the low threshold voltage, as indicated by the non-filled circles in the figure. The entire array 110 may be erased simultaneously or in a block-wise manner. For instance, a wordline erase control voltage Verase in the range of −10 to −14 V may be applied to the wordlines while a bitline erase control voltage of about 0 V (i.e. about ground) may be applied to the bitlines. The voltages may be applied as pulses, for instance with a duration on the order of 1-10 milliseconds.

(29) In a second step the memory transistor of each bit cell connected to an electrode of the synthesis array 200 which is not to be activated is set to the high threshold voltage. Thereby the memory transistor of selected bit cell is set to the high threshold voltage, as indicated by the filled circles in the FIGS. 5 and 6. The programming of these bit cells to the high threshold voltage may be performed sequentially, along one wordline at a time.

(30) FIG. 5 illustrates programming bit cells using Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. A wordline programming voltage Vprog in the range of 10 to 14 V may be applied to the wordline connected to bit cells which are to be programmed while a bit line programming voltage of about 0 V may be applied to the associated bitlines. Programming of bit cells which are to remain in the low threshold voltage state may be inhibited by applying a bitline inhibit control voltage Vinhibit to the associated bitlines. The Vinhibit voltage may be a voltage intermediate between Vprog and 0 V. For instance, a voltage of 6 V may be sufficient to inhibit Fowler-Nordheim tunneling in a bit cell. The programming and inhibit voltages may be applied as pulses, for instance, with a duration on the order of 10-100 microseconds.

(31) FIG. 6 illustrates programming bit cells using channel hot electron injection. A wordline programming voltage Vprog in the range of 6 to 10 V may be applied to the wordline connected to bit cells which are to be programmed while a bit line programming voltage Vche of about 3-4 V may be applied to the associated bitlines. Bit cells which are to remain in the low threshold voltage state may be supplied by a zero wordline and/or bitline voltage. The programming and inhibit voltages may be applied as pulses, for instance, with a duration on the order of 10-100 microseconds.

(32) In use of the device 10, the controller 300 may receive a data set indicating bit cells of the NVM array 110 which are to be set to a high and a low threshold voltage state, respectively, the data set thus indicating the electrodes of the synthesis array 200 which are to be enabled. In response, the controller 300 may program the array 110 by erasing the array 110 and thereafter selectively programming bit cells by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling or channel hot electron injection, as described above.

(33) Subsequent to programming, the electrodes may be selectively activated by applying a read control voltage, intermediate between the low and the high threshold voltages, to the wordlines and an electrode voltage to the bit lines. By way of example, a read control voltage in the range of 1-3 V may be applied, selected by taking the low and high threshold voltages into account. The magnitude of the electrode voltage may depend on the particular synthesis reaction that is to be controlled. The electrode voltage may, as a non-limiting example, be in the range of 1-5 V.

(34) In response, bit cells in the low threshold voltage state will be switched on, thus connecting an electrode of the synthesis array 200 to a bit line and activating the electrode. Meanwhile, bit cells in the high threshold voltage state will not be switched on, thereby keeping an electrode of the synthesis array 200 disconnected from a bit line and thus keeping the electrode disabled. The wordline and bitline read control voltages may be maintained as long as is required to allow the synthesis reactions to complete. The NVM array 110 may thereafter be erased and programmed again, in accordance with a new data set received by the controller 300.

(35) As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art the magnitudes of the voltages and the pulse durations mentioned above merely represent non-limiting examples and the actual magnitudes will depend on the electrical properties of the memory transistors of the bit cells. Moreover, although the programming is described in connection with charge trap bit cells, bit cells including memory transistors in the form of ferroelectric FETs may be programmed in a corresponding manner by applying appropriate voltages to the wordlines and bitlines to switch the polarizations of ferroelectric FETs.

(36) Optionally, the NVM 100 may further comprise switching circuitry (e.g., including one or more transistors) configured to switchably connect the memory transistors of the array 110 to the corresponding electrodes. The switching circuitry may be controlled by the controller 300. During programming of the array 110, the first source/drain terminals of the bit cells of the array 110 may be disconnected from their corresponding electrodes by the switching circuitry. During read-out of the array 110, the first source/drain terminals of the bit cells of the array 110 may be connected to their corresponding electrodes by the switching circuitry. Thereby, in the event that the electrode does not provide an impedance sufficiently high to allow programming by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling, the first terminals of the memory transistors may be connected to a high impedance during the bit cell programming.

(37) In the above the inventive concept has mainly been described with reference to a limited number of examples. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other examples than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the inventive concept, as defined by the appended claims.