Patent · US Expired

Nonvolatile ferroelectric-semiconductor memory

US5541871A · kind A · utility

63Cited by
4References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 18, 1995
Grant dateJul 30, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 18, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C11/22
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Nonvolatile memory with simple structure where recorded information can be read without destroy: Voltage is impressed to control gate CG and channel is grounded at writing operation. Ferroelectric layer 32 is polarized in accordance with whether the applied voltage is larger than threshold voltage of the memory device. Control gate voltage V.sub.CC to make channel is little when the ferro-electric layer 32 is polarized with control gate side being positive (polarized with second status). Control gate voltage V.sub.CG to make channel is large when the ferroelectric layer 32 is polarized with control gate side being negative (polarized with first status). The reference voltage V.sub.ref is impressed to the control gate CG at reading operation. Large drain current flows when the ferroelectric layer is polarized with second status and little drain current flows when the ferroelectric layer is polarized with first status. Recorded information can be read by detecting the drain current. By this reading operation, polarization status is not destroyed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.