Memory with margin current addition and related methods
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsEmanuela Calvetti, Marcella Carissimi, Marco Pasotti
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Abstract
In accordance with an embodiment, a memory includes: a memory element, a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense a difference during a sense operation between a sense current passing through the memory element and a reference current, and a margin current branch coupled in parallel with the memory element and configured to selectively add a margin current to the sense current.
Claims35
A memory comprising:
- a memory element, wherein the memory element comprises a phase change material (PCM) or a first variable resistance, or wherein the memory element is implemented with resistive random-access memory technology (RRAM) or magnetoresistive random-access memory technology (MRAM);
- a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense a difference during a sense operation between a sense current passing through the memory element and a reference current;
- and
- a margin current branch coupled in parallel with the memory element and configured to selectively add a margin current to the sense current.
A memory comprising:
- a memory element;
- a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense a difference during a sense operation between a sense current passing through the memory element and a reference current;
- and
- a margin current branch coupled in parallel with the memory element and configured to selectively add a margin current to the sense current, wherein the margin current branch comprises a control switch coupled to the sense amplifier circuit and configured to control flow of the margin current, and wherein the control switch is configured to perform a logic check operation on the memory element by adding the margin current to the sense current during the sense operation.
A memory comprising:
- a memory element;
- a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense a difference during a sense operation between a sense current passing through the memory element and a reference current;
- a margin current branch coupled in parallel with the memory element and configured to selectively add a margin current to the sense current, wherein the margin current branch comprises a control switch coupled to the sense amplifier circuit and configured to control flow of the margin current;
- and
- a controller configured to flag the memory element with an error value when the sense operation has a different output value when the margin current is added.
A memory comprising:
- a memory element;
- a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense a difference during a sense operation between a sense current passing through the memory element and a reference current;
- and
- a margin current branch coupled in parallel with the memory element and configured to selectively add a margin current to the sense current, wherein the margin current branch comprises a control switch coupled to the sense amplifier circuit and configured to control flow of the margin current, and wherein the margin current branch is configured to generate different margin currents.
A method for making a memory, the method comprising:
- forming a memory element, wherein the memory element comprises a phase change material (PCM) or a first variable resistance, or wherein the memory element is implemented with resistive random-access memory technology (RRAM) or magnetoresistive random-access memory technology (MRAM);
- forming a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense a difference during a sense operation between a sense current passing through the memory element and a reference current;
- and
- forming a margin current branch coupled in parallel with the memory element and configured to selectively add a margin current to the sense current.
A method for checking and refreshing a memory comprising a memory element, a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense a difference during a sense operation between a sense current passing through the memory element and a reference current, and a margin current branch coupled in parallel with the memory element, wherein the memory element comprises a phase change material (PCM) or a first variable resistance, or wherein the memory element is implemented with resistive random-access memory technology (RRAM) or magnetoresistive random-access memory technology (MRAM), the method comprising:
- during the sense operation, using the margin current branch to selectively add a margin current to the sense current.
A method for checking and refreshing a memory comprising a memory element, a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense a difference during a sense operation between a sense current passing through the memory element and a reference current, and a margin current branch coupled in parallel with the memory element, the method comprising:
- during the sense operation, using the margin current branch to selectively add a margin current to the sense current;
- and
- controlling a flow of the margin current with a control switch of the margin current branch, wherein the control switch is coupled to the sense amplifier circuit.
A method for checking and refreshing a memory comprising a memory element, a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense a difference during a sense operation between a sense current passing through the memory element and a reference current, and a margin current branch coupled in parallel with the memory element, the method comprising:
- during the sense operation, using the margin current branch to selectively add a margin current to the sense current;
- and
- flagging the memory element with an error value when the sense operation has a different output value when the margin current is added.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.