# US 10,770,138 B2 · Method of operating resistive memory device reducing read disturbance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,770,138 B2 - Document ID: US10770138B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/721,372 - Filed: 2019-12-19 - Published: 2020-04-23 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-08 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hee-Won Kim; Mu-Hui Park - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770138B2 ## CPC - G11C 13/004: {Reading or sensing circuits or methods} - G11C 13/0026: {Bit-line or column circuits} - G11C 13/0038: {Power supply circuits} - G11C 13/0069: {Writing or programming circuits or methods} - G11C 11/00: Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor (G11C14/00 - G11C21/00 take precedence) - G11C 11/16: using elements in which the storage effect is based on magnetic spin effect - G11C 13/0004: {comprising amorphous/crystalline phase transition cells} - G11C 13/003: {Cell access} - G11C 2213/72: Array wherein the access device being a diode - G11C 2213/79: Array wherein the access device being a transistor - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) ## Abstract A resistive memory device includes: a memory cell array including resistive memory cells disposed at respective intersections between word lines and bit lines, a first column selection circuit disposed on one side of the memory cell array and configured to selectively connect a bit line connected to a selected memory cell among the resistive memory cells, a second column selection circuit disposed on another side of the memory cell array opposite the first column selection circuit and configured to selectively connect the bit line connected to the selected memory cell, and a control circuit configured to determine a distant column selection circuit from among the first column selection circuit and the second column selection circuit relative to the selected memory cell, and enable the distant column selection circuit during a read operation directed to the selected memory. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A resistive memory device, comprising: a memory cell array including a plurality of resistive memory cells connected to a plurality of word lines in a first direction and a plurality of bit lines in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the plurality of word lines including a first word line and a second word line relatively closer to a selection circuit than the first word line, and the plurality of bit lines including a first bit line and a second bit line relatively closer to the selection circuit than the first bit line; the selection circuit having selection transistors, the selection transistors being turned on in response to a selection signal, the selection signal being applied to gates of the selection transistor; a write/read circuit configured to perform a write operation or a read operation with respect to a memory cell selected from among the plurality of resistive memory cells, the write/read circuit being connected to a plurality of data lines; and a control circuit configured to variably control a voltage level of the selection signal, wherein, when the selection transistors are connected between the plurality of data lines and the plurality of word lines, a first voltage level of the selection signal when the selected memory cell is connected to the first word line is set to be higher than a second voltage level of the selection signal when the selected memory cell is connected the second word line. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The resistive memory device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit determines the first word line as a distant word line from the selection circuit and determines the second word line as a proximate word line to the selection circuit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The resistive memory device of claim 2, further comprising: a row decoder configured to selectively enable one of the plurality of word lines and generate the voltage level of the selection signal, wherein the voltage level of the selection signal is generated based on at least one address bit of a column address applied to the row decoder. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The resistive memory device of claim 1, wherein, when the selection transistors are connected between the plurality of data lines and the plurality of bit lines, the first voltage level of the selection signal when the selected memory cell is connected to the first bit line is set to be higher than the second voltage level of the selection signal when the selected memory cell is connected the second bit line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The resistive memory device of claim 4, wherein the control circuit determines the first bit line as a distant bit line from the selection circuit and determines the second word line as a proximate bit line to the selection circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The resistive memory device of claim 5, further comprising: a column decoder configured to select one of the plurality of bit lines and generate the voltage level of the selection signal, wherein the voltage level of the selection signal is generated based on at least one address bit of a column address applied to the column decoder. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The resistive memory device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of resistive memory cells comprise phase change memory cells, and each of the phase change memory cells is formed of a Ge—Sb—Te (GST) phase-change material, each of the plurality of resistive memory cells is a single-level memory cell (SLC) configured to store a single bit of data according to a selected one of two resistance states, and the memory cell array comprises a vertical three-dimensional (3D) memory. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The resistive memory device of claim 1, wherein the write/read circuit comprises a precharge circuit and a sense amplifier, the precharge circuit precharges the plurality of data lines to a voltage level of a precharge voltage during a precharge period, and the sense amplifier senses data stored in the selected memory cell by comparing a voltage level of a data line coupled to the selected memory cell with a voltage level of a reference voltage after the precharge period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The resistive memory device of claim 8, further comprising a voltage generator electrically connected to the selection circuit and the write/read circuit, wherein the voltage generator generates the precharge voltage and the reference voltage and applies a set voltage level of the selection signal in response to a voltage control signal applied from the control circuit. ### Claim 10 A method of operating a resistive memory device comprising a memory cell array including a plurality of resistive memory cells connected to a plurality of word lines in a first direction and a plurality of bit lines in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the plurality of word lines including a first word line and a second word line relatively closer to a selection circuit than the first word line, and the plurality of bit lines including a first bit line and a second bit line relatively closer to the selection circuit than the first bit line, the method comprising: performing an access operation of selecting a memory cell from among the plurality of resistive memory cells; connecting the selected memory cell to a data line through the selection circuit, the selection circuit having selection transistors, each of the selection transistors being connected between a plurality of data lines and one of the plurality of word lines and the plurality of bit lines, the selection transistors being turned on in response to a column selection signal; determining a physical distance between the selection circuit and the selected memory cell; and differently applying a voltage level of the column selection signal to gates of the selection transistors based on the physical distance, wherein, when the selection transistors are connected between the plurality of data lines and the plurality of word lines, a first voltage level of the column selection signal when the selected memory cell is connected to the first word line is set to be higher than a second voltage level of the column selection signal when the selected memory cell is connected the second word line. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the determining of the physical distance between the selection circuit and the selected memory cell comprises: determining the first word line as a distant word line from the selection circuit; and determining the second word line as a proximate word line to the selection circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: applying at least one address bit of a column address to a row decoder, wherein the row decoder generates the voltage level of the column selection signal based on the at least one address bit of the column address. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the determining of the physical distance between the selection circuit and the selected memory cell includes: determining the first bit line as a distant bit line from the selection circuit; and determining the second bit line as a proximate bit line to the selection circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: applying at least one address bit of a row address to a column decoder, wherein the column decoder generates the voltage level of the column selection signal based on the at least one address bit of the row address. ### Claim 15 A resistive memory device, comprising: a memory cell array including a first resistive memory cell and a second resistive memory cell, the first resistive memory cell being connected between a first word line extending in a first direction and a first bit line extending in a second direction, and the second resistive memory cell being connected between a second word line extending in the first direction and a second bit line extending in the second direction; and a first row selection transistor configured to connect the first word line and a read circuit, a gate node of the first row selection transistor being connected to a row decoder; and a second row selection transistor configured to connect the second word line and the read circuit, a gate node of the second row selection transistor being connected to the row decoder, wherein the row decoder is configured to bias the gate node of the first row selection transistor to a first select voltage level from an unselect voltage level when the first resistive memory cell is selected, and to bias the gate node of the second row selection transistor to a second select voltage level from the unselect voltage level when the second resistive memory cell is selected, and the first select voltage level and the second select voltage level are different from each other. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The resistive memory device of claim 15, wherein the first resistive memory cell and the second resistive memory cell comprise SLC PRAM and are formed of Ge—Sb—Te, the first direction and the second direction are substantially perpendicular to each other, the row decoder is configured to receive a column address information and generate the first and second select voltage levels based on the column address information, the column address information is configured to be received by a column decoder, the column decoder is configured to select one of bit lines based on the column address information and not on a row address information, and the row decoder is configured to select one of word lines based on the row address information and not on the column address information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The resistive memory device of claim 16, further comprising: a write circuit being connected to the first row selection transistor and the second row selection transistor, wherein the read circuit comprises a sense amplifier and a precharge circuit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The resistive memory device of claim 17, wherein the row decoder is configured to receive the column address information and generate the first and second select voltage levels based on the at least one of the column address information and the row address information. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The resistive memory device of claim 18, wherein, when the first word line and the second word line are the same and the first bit line is relatively distant to the first row selection transistor than the second bit line, a difference between the first select voltage level and the unselect voltage level is greater than a difference between the second select voltage level and the unselect voltage level. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The resistive memory device of claim 18, wherein, when the first bit line and the second bit line are the same and the first word line is relatively distant to the first row selection transistor than second word line, a difference between the first select voltage level and the unselect voltage level is greater than a difference between the second select voltage level and the unselect voltage level.