Ferroelectric Space Charge Non-Destructive Read-Out memory

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Abstract
The Ferroelectric Space Charge (FESC) Memory is a technique to achieve Non-Destructive Read-Out (NDRO) of a ferroelectric memory that employs standard metal-ferroelectric-metal memory capacitors. The NDRO technique allows the polarization state of the capacitor to be read without altering the polarization. This provides the advantage that the memory capacitor is not subjected to the destructive read/rewrite cycle commonly employed in ferroelectric memories, so the lifetime of the device is limited only by the number of times the memory is written. In addition, the NDRO avoids the period of data volatility in the time interval between the read pulse and the subsequent rewrite of the data. The FESC NDRO approach utilizes changes in the dielectric response of the ferroelectric due to interactions between the internal space charges, the spontaneous polarization, and internal and external electrical potentials. The NDRO is implemented entirely in circuitry and does not require specialized ferroelectric devices. It has been proven in working breadboard circuits and hybrid memory modules. The FESC memory concept is the subject of several patents awarded to Draper Lab.