Semiconductor memory device having variable resistance memory and operating method

#A claim of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 is made to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-087836 filed Aug. 10, 2012, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

#The inventive concept relates generally to semiconductor memory devices including a variable resistance memory and operating methods for same.

#Semiconductor memory devices may be classified as volatile or nonvolatile according to their operative nature. Volatile memory devices—including static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), and the like—lose stored data in the absence of applied power. In contrast, nonvolatile memory devices are able to retain stored data in the absence of applied power. Nonvolatile memory devices include certain read only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, phase-change RAM (PRAM), magnetic RAM (MRAM), resistive RAM (RRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), and the like.

#Certain embodiments of the inventive concept are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a general block diagram illustrating a memory system according to an embodiment of the inventive concept.

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram further illustrating the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device of FIG. 1.

#Embodiments of the inventive concept will now be described in some additional detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The inventive concept, however, may be embodied in various different forms, and should not be construed as being limited to only the illustrated embodiments. Rather, these embodiments are provided as examples so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the inventive concept to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, known processes, elements, and techniques are not described with respect to some of the embodiments of the inventive concept. Unless otherwise noted, like reference numbers and labels denote like or similar elements throughout the attached drawings and written description. In the drawings, the size(s) and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

#It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the inventive concept.

#Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “under”, “above”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” or “under” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary terms “below” and “under” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. In addition, it will also be understood that when a layer is referred to as being “between” two layers, it can be the only layer between the two layers, or one or more intervening layers may also be present.