Memory array and operation method thereof
AssigneeWinbond Electronics Corp.
InventorLih-Wei Lin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A memory array and its operation method are provided. The array includes plural sets of word lines; plural bit lines; and plural memory cell each arranged at intersection of the plural sets of word lines and the plural bit lines. Each memory cell has first and second conductive filament component and a switch circuit, and one ends of the first and the second conductive filament components are coupled to corresponding bit lines and the other ends thereof are coupled to the switch circuit. In the differential mode, read is performed based on the reading currents of the first and the second conductive filament components. In the single-ended mode, read is performed based on a reference current and a reading current of the first or the second conductive filament component that is formed successfully.
Claims19
A memory array, comprising:
- a plurality of sets of word lines, wherein each set of the plurality of sets of word lines comprises a first word line, a second word line, and a third word line;
- a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of sets of source lines;
- and
- a plurality of memory cells, each of the plurality of memory cells is respectively arranged at an intersection of the plurality of sets of word lines and the plurality of bit lines,
- wherein each memory cell comprises a first and a second conductive filament components and a switch circuit, and one ends of the first and the second conductive filament components are coupled to a corresponding bit in the plurality of bit lines, other ends of the first and the second conductive filament components are coupled to the switch circuit,
- after each of the plurality of memory cells is subject to a filament forming, one of the first and the second conductive filament components is formed to create a conductive filament, and the other is in a high resistance state,
- when the memory array is operated in a differential mode, reading is performed according to reading currents of the first and second conductive filament component, and
- when the memory array is operated in a single-ended mode, reading is performed according to a reading current of the first or the second conductive filament component which forms the conductive filament and a reference current.
A method of operating a memory array, wherein the memory array comprises:
- a plurality of sets of word lines, wherein each set of the plurality of sets of word lines comprises a first word line, a second word line, and a third word line;
- a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of sets of source lines;
- and a plurality of memory cells, each of the plurality of memory cells is respectively arranged at an intersection of the plurality of sets of word lines and the plurality of bit lines, each memory cell comprises a first and a second conductive filament components and a switch circuit, and one ends of the first and the second conductive filament components are coupled to a corresponding bit in the plurality of bit lines, other ends of the first and the second conductive filament components are coupled to the switch circuit, and the operation method includes:
- performing a filament forming on each of the plurality of memory cells, wherein one of the first and second conductive filament components is formed to create a conductive filament after the filament forming is finished, and the other one of the first and second conductive filament components is in a high resistance state;
- and
- operating the memory array in a differential mode or a single-ended mode to read each of the plurality of memory cells,
- wherein, when the memory array is operated in the differential mode, reading is performed according to a first reading current of the first conductive filament component and a second reading current of the second conductive filament component,
- when the memory array is operated in the single-ended mode, reading is performed according to a reading current of the first or the second conductive filament component which forms the conductive filament and a reference current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.