Semiconductor device for preventing read disturbance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10403344-B2
Application number	US-201715687628-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2017
Priority date	Jan 10, 2017
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed is a semiconductor device, including a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, a read circuit suitable for generating read data corresponding to a read current flowing in a first direction through a selected memory cell of the plurality of memory cells, a reverse read control circuit suitable for generating a reverse read control signal corresponding to the read data, and a reverse current generation circuit suitable for generating a reverse current flowing in a second direction through the selected memory cell in response to the reverse read control signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells;
a read circuit suitable for generating read data corresponding to a read current flowing in a first direction through a selected memory cell of the plurality of memory cells;
a reverse read control circuit suitable for generating a reverse read control signal corresponding to a data value of the read data by performing a logical operation on at least one of a sense enable signal, a read enable signal and the read data; and
a reverse current generation circuit suitable for generating a reverse current flowing in a second direction through the selected memory cell in response to the reverse read control signal,
wherein the reverse read control circuit comprises:
a determination unit suitable for generating a first determination signal corresponding to a resistance state of the selected memory cell by performing a logical operation on the read enable signal and the read data, or generating a second determination signal corresponding to a resistance state of the selected memory cell by performing a logical operation on the read data; and
a control unit suitable for generating the reverse read control signal by performing a logical operation on the first determination signal, or generating the reverse read control signal by performing a logical operation on the read enable signal, the sense enable signal and the second determination signal.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the reverse read control circuit is suitable for:
activating the reverse read control signal based on the read data having a first data value; and
deactivating the reverse read control signal based on the read data having a second data value.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , wherein:
the first data value corresponds to the read current flowing when the selected memory cell is a low resistance state, and
the second data value corresponds to the read current flowing when the selected memory cell is a high resistance state.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1 ,
wherein the read circuit comprises:
a sense amplification unit suitable for generating the read data based on the read current and a reference current, and enabled in response to the sense enable signal;
a read current source unit suitable for sourcing the read current from the sense amplification unit to the global bit line in response to the read enable signal; and
a read current sink unit suitable for sinking the read current from the global source line to the low voltage stage in response to the read enable signal.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the reverse current generation circuit is suitable for:
generating the reverse current in response to the reverse read control signal which is activated, and
not generating the reverse current in response to the reverse read control signal which is deactivated.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the reverse current generation circuit comprises:
a reverse current source unit suitable for sourcing the reverse current in response to the reverse read control signal; and
a reverse current sink unit suitable for sinking the reverse current in response to the reverse read control signal.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 6 , wherein the reverse current generation circuit further comprises a clamping unit suitable for limiting the reverse current.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of memory cells comprises a variable resistance element having a resistance state varied depending on a direction of the read current.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising a write circuit suitable for generating a write current flowing in a direction corresponding to write data through a selected memory cell of the plurality of memory cells.

10. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a global bit line;
a global source line;
a plurality of bit lines coupled to the global bit line;
a plurality of source lines coupled to the global source line;
a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells arranged in a row direction and column direction, wherein memory cells belonging to the plurality of memory cells and being aligned in the row direction are selected by a plurality of word lines and memory cells belonging to the plurality of memory cells and being aligned in the column direction are selected by the plurality of bit lines and the plurality of source lines;
a read circuit coupled to the global bit line, suitable for generating read data corresponding to a read current flowing in a first direction through a selected memory cell of the plurality of memory cells;
a reverse read control circuit suitable for generating a reverse read control signal corresponding to a data value of the read data by performing a logical operation on at least one of a sense enable signal, a read enable signal and the read data; and
a reverse current generation circuit coupled to the global bit line and the global source line in response to the reverse read control signal, suitable for generating a reverse current flowing in a second direction through the selected memory cell,
wherein the reverse read control circuit comprises:
a determination unit suitable for generating a first determination signal corresponding to a resistance state of the selected memory cell by performing a logical operation on the read enable signal and the read data, or generating a second determination signal corresponding to a resistance state of the selected memory cell by performing a logical operation on the read data; and
a control unit suitable for generating the reverse read control signal by performing a logical operation on the first determination signal, or generating the reverse read control signal by performing a logical operation on the read enable signal, the sense enable signal and the second determination signal.

11. The semiconductor device of claim 10 , wherein the reverse read control circuit is suitable for:
activating the reverse read control signal based on the read data having a first data value; and
deactivating the reverse read control signal based on the read data having a second data value.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein:
the first data value corresponds to the read current flowing when the selected memory cell is a low resistance state, and
the second data value corresponds to the read current flowing when the selected memory cell is a high resistance state.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 10 , wherein the reverse current generation circuit is suitable for:
generating the reverse current in response to the reverse read control signal which is activated, and
not generating the reverse current in response to the reverse read control signal which is deactivated.

14. The semiconductor device of claim 10 , wherein the reverse current generation circuit comprises:
a reverse current sink unit suitable for sinking the reverse current from the global bit line to a low voltage stage in response to the reverse read control signal; and
a reverse current source unit suitable for sourcing the reverse current from a high voltage stage to the global source line in response to an inverted signal of the reverse read control signal.

15. The semiconductor device of claim 14 , wherein the reverse current generation circuit further comprises a clamp unit suitable for being coupled between the reverse current source unit and the global source line and for limiting the reverse current.

16. T

Assignees

• Sk Hynix Inc

Inventors

• Lee Kyo-Yun

Classifications

• G11C2013/0045

  Read using current through the cell · CPC title

• G11C13/004

  Reading or sensing circuits or methods · CPC title

• G11C11/2273

  Reading or sensing circuits or methods · CPC title

• G11C11/1693

  Timing circuits or methods · CPC title

• G11C11/161

  details concerning the memory cell structure, e.g. the layers of the ferromagnetic memory cell · CPC title