Semiconductor Memory with Temporary Chip for Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed and highly integrated semiconductor devices face significant heating issues, which can lead to performance degradation and increased power consumption, particularly in memory devices where repeated access to memory regions exacerbates heating, especially when adjacent regions are accessed simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device architecture that includes a control chip with temperature sensors and a memory scheduler to generate temperature tables, determine heating degrees, and manage access between normal memory chips and temporary memory chips, allowing for dynamic switching to reduce heat stress by accessing temporary memory chips during high heat conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If refresh operation is performed on heated memory region at shorter time intervals to prevent data loss, then data reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between heated and non-heated memory regions. Temperature sensors detect local temperature variations, and the refresh operation is selectively applied only to heated regions at shorter intervals, while non-heated regions undergo normal refresh cycles. This localized approach maintains data reliability in critical areas without unnecessarily increasing power consumption across the entire memory device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through temperature sensors that continuously monitor memory region temperatures and feed this information back to the control logic. Based on this feedback, the system dynamically adjusts refresh intervals for specific regions. When temperature exceeds a threshold, the refresh interval is shortened; when temperature is acceptable, normal intervals are used, thereby optimizing the balance between data reliability and power consumption.
2Productivity
If multiple memory chips are stacked vertically to increase integration, then device integration is improved, but heating problem is exacerbated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the memory device into multiple vertically stacked chips, each with its own temperature sensors and control logic. This segmentation allows independent temperature monitoring and management for each chip. The control chip coordinates refresh operations across all stacked chips, enabling selective refreshing based on local temperature conditions and reducing overall thermal accumulation while maintaining high integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The control chip acts as an intermediary between the stacked memory chips and the external system. It receives temperature information from sensors in each chip, processes this data, and coordinates appropriate refresh operations. This intermediary function enables centralized management of thermal conditions across the vertically stacked structure, allowing the system to maintain high integration while actively managing the heating problem through coordinated control.
3Speed
If memory regions are accessed repeatedly at high frequencies to maintain performance, then access speed is improved, but heating in memory regions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the refresh interval adaptive rather than fixed. The control logic dynamically adjusts refresh intervals based on real-time temperature measurements and access patterns. When temperature rises due to high-frequency access, the system automatically extends refresh intervals or redirects access to cooler regions. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain high access speeds when conditions permit while preventing thermal runaway during intensive operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes operational parameters (refresh interval, access routing) based on temperature conditions. When memory regions exceed temperature thresholds, the system modifies parameters such as extending refresh intervals or redirecting access requests to alternative regions. This parameter change strategy enables the system to maintain high performance during normal operation while mitigating heating effects during intensive use periods.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes: a first memory chip including a plurality of first memory regions; a temporary memory chip including a plurality of temporary memory regions; and a control chip suitable for accessing a first access target memory region among the plurality of first memory regions or a first temporary memory region among the plurality of temporary memory regions based on first access information and first temperature readout information corresponding to the plurality of first memory regions.