Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Methods and apparatuses relating to automatic cell threshold voltage measurement
- Patent Title (中): 与自动电池阈值电压测量相关的方法和装置
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Application No.: US12352147Application Date: 2009-01-12
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Publication No.: US07920428B2Publication Date: 2011-04-05
- Inventor: Shigekazu Yamada
- Applicant: Shigekazu Yamada
- Applicant Address: US ID Boise
- Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US ID Boise
- Agency: TraskBritt
- Priority: JP2006228873 20060825
- Main IPC: G11C16/06
- IPC: G11C16/06

Abstract:
Methods and apparatuses for automatically measuring memory cell threshold voltages are disclosed. Measurement circuitry includes an internal reference current generator, a plurality of memory cells and a bit line pre-charge reference circuit. If the reference current is greater than the memory cell current, the bit line voltage will increase. Conversely, if the reference current is less than the memory cell current, the bit line voltage will decrease. The reference current is generated in large steps until a comparator, that compares the bit line voltage and a bit line pre-charge reference voltage, is switched. The reference current then generates a current in small steps until the comparator is again switched. The reference current converges on the memory cell current within an accuracy of 10 nA. The memory cell threshold voltage is then determined from the memory cell current. Systems including memory according to an embodiment of the invention are also disclosed.
Public/Granted literature
- US20090116290A1 METHODS AND APPARATUSES RELATING TO AUTOMATIC CELL THRESHOLD VOLTAGE MEASUREMENT Public/Granted day:2009-05-07
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