Non-contact measurement of memory cell threshold voltage

US10672500B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Micron Technology, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Amitava Majumdar · Boise, US
• Rajesh Kamana · Boise, US
• Hongmei Wang · Boise, US
• Shawn D. Lyonsmith · Boise, US
• Ervin T. Hill · Boise, US
• Zengtao T. Liu · Boise, US
• Marlon W. Hug · Kuna, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 22, 2019
• Grant date: Jun 2, 2020
• Expiry date: May 22, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10N70/021
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for non-contact measurement of memory cell threshold voltage, including at one or more intermediate stages of fabrication, are described. One access line may be grounded and coupled with one or more memory cells. Each of the one or more memory cells may be coupled with a corresponding floating access line. A floating access line may be scanned with an electron beam configured to set the floating access line to a particular surface voltage at the scanned bit line, and the threshold voltage of the corresponding memory cell may be determined based on whether setting the scanned bit line to the surface voltage causes a detectable amount current to flow through the corresponding memory cell.