Patent · US Expired

Memory device and method of operating same

US6937507B2 · kind B2 · utility

247Cited by
17References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 5, 2003
Grant dateAug 30, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 3, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C2213/79
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An array of phase changing memory cells that includes a current source, a voltage sensor, a plurality of conductive bit lines electrically connected to the current source, a plurality of conductive word lines each electrically connected to a ground plane via a first resistor and to the voltage sensor, and a plurality of memory cells. Each memory cell is connected between one of the bit lines and one of the word lines and includes phase change memory material. One of the memory cells is selected by turning on switches just on the bit line and word line connected thereto, or by turning a switch connected in series between the corresponding bit and word lines, where the read current flows through the selected memory cell and the voltage sensor measures a voltage drop across the selected memory cell.

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