Three-dimensional integrated circuit with optically coupled shared memories

A three-dimensional integrated device with optically coupled shared memories, comprising a plurality of memory layers overlaid one over the other with insulating layers inserted between adjacent memory layers, each of said memory layers having a plurality of memory cells, each cell made of a capacitor switchable by a transistor, address lines associated with said memory cells respectively, each address line being connected to said transistor of the associated cell so as to selectively make the transistor conductive, and data lines connected to said transistors, each data line carrying a datum in the form of presence and absence of charge transferable to and from said cell through said transistors;

• optical combinations juxtaposed to said cells, each optical combination made of a light emitter element and a light-sensitive switch element, said optical combinations of adjacent memory layers being visibly aligned;
• and bias line means associated with each optical combination and adapted to be selectively actuated so as to cause said light emitter element to emit light depending on datum stored in the corresponding cell and to cause said light-sensitive switch to close circuit thereof upon receiving light from adjacent memory layer, whereby said datum in the cell of one memory layer is copied onto the corresponding cell of adjacent memory layer.