Resistive memory storage apparatus and operating method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021335421-A1
Application number	US-202117226052-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2021
Priority date	Apr 24, 2020
Publication date	Oct 28, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A resistive memory storage apparatus including a memory cell, a selecting transistor and a memory controller is provided. The memory cell outputs a writing current during a writing pulse width period. The selecting transistor is coupled to the memory cell. The memory controller is coupled to the selecting transistor and the memory cell. The memory controller is configured to apply a control voltage that gradually changes to a predetermined voltage level to a control end of the selecting transistor during a resistance transition phase of the writing pulse width period and set the control voltage to the predetermined voltage level during a filament stabilization phase after the resistance transition phase, so as to limit the writing current to a predetermined current value. In addition, an operating method for a resistive memory storage apparatus is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A resistive memory storage apparatus, comprising:
a memory array, comprising a plurality of memory cells, wherein each of the plurality of memory cells outputs a writing current during a writing pulse width period; a first selecting transistor, coupled to the plurality of memory cells, wherein the first selecting transistor comprises a control end; and a memory controller, coupled to the selecting transistor and the plurality of memory cells, configured to apply a first control voltage gradually changing to a first voltage level according to the writing current to the control end of the first selecting transistor during a first resistance transition phase of the writing pulse width period, and set the first control voltage to the first voltage level during a first filament stabilization phase after the first resistance transition phase, so as to limit the writing current to a first predetermined current value.

2 . The resistive memory storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the writing pulse width period comprises a plurality of resistance transition phases and a plurality of filament stabilization phases, and the writing current is limited to the corresponding predetermined current value during each of the plurality of filament stabilization phases.

3 . The resistive memory storage apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of resistance transition phases comprise the first resistance transition phase and a second resistance transition phase after the first filament stabilization phase, the plurality of filament stabilization phases comprise the first filament stabilization phase and a second filament stabilization phase after the second resistance transition phase, the memory controller is configured to gradually change the first control voltage to the first voltage level during the first resistance transition phase, and to gradually change the first control voltage to a second voltage level during the second resistance transition phase, and is configured to set the first control voltage to the second voltage level during the second filament stabilization phase, wherein the second voltage level is greater than the first voltage level.

4 . The resistive memory storage apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the memory controller is configured to gradually increase the first control voltage from an initial control voltage to a final control voltage during the first resistance transition phase, and the final control voltage is greater than the first voltage level.

5 . The resistive memory storage apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the writing current is limited to a second predetermined current value greater than the first predetermined current value during the second filament stabilization phase.

6 . The resistive memory storage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second selecting transistor coupled to the plurality of memory cells and the memory controller,
wherein the second selecting transistor comprises a first end, a second end and a control end, the first end of the second selecting transistor is coupled to the plurality of memory cells, the second end of the second selecting transistor is coupled to a source line, and the writing current is output from the second end of the second selecting transistor to the memory controller, wherein the first selecting transistor further comprises a first end and a second end, the first end of the first selecting transistor is coupled to a bit line, the second end of the first selecting transistor is coupled to the plurality of memory cells, and the first selecting transistor provides the writing current to one of the plurality of memory cells according to the first control voltage, wherein each of the plurality of memory cells comprises a transistor and a variable resistor, wherein the memory controller is configured to provide the second selecting transistor with a first saturation voltage for fully turning on the second selecting transistor during the writing pulse width period, and provide the transistor with a second saturation voltage for fully turning on the transistor during the writing pulse width period.

7 . The resistive memory storage apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the memory controller comprises:
a logic control circuit, configured to receive a setting of the first predetermined current value, a setting of the length of the first filament stabilization phase, and receive the writing current; a timing control circuit, configured to output a second control voltage applied to the control end of the second selecting transistor, and output a third control voltage applied to a control end of the transistor; a voltage adjust circuit, configured to update a voltage level of the first control voltage according to the output of the logic control circuit, the output of the timing control circuit and the writing current, and output the updated first control voltage to the control end of the first selecting transistor; and a current sense circuit, configured to detect the writing current and output the writing current to the logic control circuit.

8 . The resistive memory storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory controller is configured to set the length of the first filament stabilization phase to be shorter than the length of the first resistance transition phase.

9 . The resistive memory storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory controller is configured to set the length of the first filament stabilization phase to be longer than the length of the first resistance transition phase.

10 . The resistive memory storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory controller is configured to complete a writing operation during the writing pulse width period without a verification operation.

11 . An operating method for a resistive memory storage apparatus, wherein the resistive memory storage apparatus comprises a plurality of memory cells and a first selecting transistor coupled to the plurality of memory cells, the operation method comprising:
during a writing pulse width period, reading a writing current from one of the plurality of memory cells, wherein the writing pulse width period comprises a plurality of resistance transition phases and a plurality of filament stabilization phases, the plurality of resistance transition phases comprise a first resistance transition phase and a second resistance transition phase, and the plurality of filament stabilization phases comprise a first filament stabilization phase and a second filament stabilization phase; during the first resistance transition phase, providing a control end of the first selecting transistor with a control voltage gradually changing to a first voltage level according to the writing current to provide the writing current to one of the plurality of memory cells; during the first filament stabilization phase after the first resistance transition phase, providing the control end of the first selecting transistor with the control voltage fixed to the first voltage level to limit the writing current to a first predetermined current value; during the second resistance transition phase after the first filament stabilization phase, providing the control end of the first selecting transistor with the control voltage gradually changing to a second voltage level greater than the first voltage level according to the writing current; and during the second filament stabilization phase after the second resistance transition phase, providing the control end of the first selecting transistor with the control voltage fixed to the second voltage level to limit the writing current to a second predetermined current value.

12 . The

Assignees

• Winbond Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Lin Lih-Wei
• Cheng Lung-Chi
• Cheng Ju-Chieh
• Kuo Ying-Shan

Classifications

• G11C2013/0078

  Write using current through the cell · CPC title

• G11C13/0069 Primary

  Writing or programming circuits or methods · CPC title

• G11C13/0061

  Timing circuits or methods · CPC title

• G11C13/004

  Reading or sensing circuits or methods · CPC title

• G11C2213/79

  Array wherein the access device being a transistor · CPC title