Cell-specific reference generation and sensing
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsChristopher John Kawamura, Scott James Derner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A portion of charge of a memory cell may be captured and, for example, stored using a capacitor or intrinsic capacitance of the memory array that includes the memory cell. The memory cell may be recharged (e.g., re-written). The memory cell may then be read, and a voltage of the memory cell may be compared to a voltage resulting from the captured charge. A logic state of the memory cell may be determined based at least in part on the voltage comparison.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- capturing, using a first digit line of a first ferroelectric memory cell, a first voltage from the first ferroelectric memory cell;
- coupling the first digit line with a second digit line of a second ferroelectric memory cell to share the first voltage between the first digit line and the second digit line;
- decoupling the first digit line and the second digit line to store a second voltage on the second digit line based at least in part on sharing the first voltage;
- capturing, using the first digit line, a third voltage from the first ferroelectric memory cell;
- and
- determining a logic state of the first ferroelectric memory cell by coupling the first digit line and the second digit line with a sense component.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first ferroelectric memory cell couplable with a first digit line;
- a second ferroelectric memory cell couplable with a second digit line;
- a switching component configured to couple the first digit line with the second digit line to share, between the first digit line and the second digit line, a first voltage captured from the first ferroelectric memory cell using the first digit line;
- and
- a sense component configured to determine a logic state of the first ferroelectric memory cell using a second voltage stored on the second digit line and a third voltage stored on the first digit line, the second voltage and the third voltage based at least in part on sharing the first voltage between the first digit line and the second digit line.
A memory device, comprising:
- a first ferroelectric memory cell and a second ferroelectric memory cell;
- a switching component;
- a sense component;
- and
- a controller in electronic communication with the first ferroelectric memory cell, the second ferroelectric memory cell, the sense component, and the switching component, wherein the controller is operable to:
- capture, using a first digit line of the first ferroelectric memory cell, a first voltage from the first ferroelectric memory cell;
- couple, via the switching component, the first digit line with a second digit line of the second ferroelectric memory cell to share the first voltage between the first digit line and the second digit line;
- decouple, via the switching component, the first digit line and the second digit line to store a second voltage on the second digit line based at least in part on sharing the first voltage;
- capture, using the first digit line, a third voltage from the first ferroelectric memory cell;
- and
- determine a logic state of the first ferroelectric memory cell by coupling the first digit line and the second digit line to the sense component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.