摘要:
Methods for designing a 6T SRAM cell having greater stability and/or a smaller cell size are provided. A 6T SRAM cell has a pair access transistors (NFETs), a pair of pull-up transistors (PFETs), and a pair of pull-down transistors (NFETs), wherein the access transistors have a higher threshold voltage than the pull-down transistors, which enables the SRAM cell to effectively maintain a logic “0” during access of the cell thereby increasing the stability of the cell, especially for cells during “half select.” Further, a channel width of a pull-down transistor can be reduced thereby decreasing the size of a high performance six transistor SRAM cell without effecting cell the stability during access. And, by decreasing the cell size, the overall design layout of a chip may also be decreased.
摘要:
A DRAM array is provided capable of being interchanged between single-cell and twin-cell array operation for storing data in a single-cell or a twin-cell array format, respectively. Preferably, the DRAM array is operated in the single-cell array format during one operating mode and the DRAM array is operated in the twin-cell array format during another operating mode. Wordline decoding circuitry is included for interchanging the DRAM array between single-cell and twin-cell array operation. The wordline decoding circuitry includes a pre-decoder circuit for receiving a control signal and outputting logic outputs to wordline activation circuitry. The wordline activation circuitry then activates at least one wordline traversing the array for interchanging memory cells within the DRAM array between single-cell array operation and twin-cell array operation. Methods are also provided for converting data stored within the DRAM array from the single-cell to the twin-cell array format, and vice versa.
摘要:
The present invention provides an SOI SRAM architecture system which holds all the bitlines at a lower voltage level, for example, ground, or a fraction of Vdd, during array idle or sleep mode. Preferably, the bitlines are held at a voltage level approximately equal to Vdd minus Vth, where Vth represents the threshold voltage of the transfer devices of the SRAM cells. This prevents the body regions of the transfer devices of each cell of the array from fully charging up, and thus the system avoids the parasitic bipolar leakage current effects attributed to devices fabricated on a partially-depleted SOI substrate. Also, during idle or sleep mode, if all the bitlines are kept at about the Vdd minus Vth voltage level, power consumption by the SRAM architecture system is decreased. This is because the leakage path via one of the transfer gates of all the SRAM cells is greatly minimized. In the SOI SRAM architecture system of the present invention, before the SOI SRAM array is first accessed following the idle or sleep mode, the bitlines are quickly brought up to Vdd. Accordingly, there will not be sufficient time for the SOI body regions of the transfer devices to be charged up. Following access of the array, if the array becomes idle for a period of time, the bitlines are discharged to a lower voltage level again. To realize this, the SOI SRAM architecture system of the present invention includes circuitry for receiving at least one signal indicative of the operating mode of the array and for charging and discharging the array bitlines accordingly.
摘要:
A DRAM array is provided capable of being interchanged between single-cell and twin-cell array operation for storing data in a single-cell or a twin-cell array format, respectively. Preferably, the DRAM array is operated in the single-cell array format during one operating mode and the DRAM array is operated in the twin-cell array format during another operating mode. Switching circuitry is included for interchanging between single-cell and twin-cell array operation, and vice versa. Methods are also provided for converting data stored within the DRAM array from the single-cell to the twin-cell array format, and vice versa.
摘要:
A column redundancy architecture system for an embedded DRAM (eDRAM) having a wide data bandwidth and wide internal bus width is disclosed which provides column redundancy to defective datalines of the eDRAM. Internally generated column addresses of defective columns of each micro cell block are stored in a memory device during eDRAM array testing. Two redundancy reroute mechanisms are disclosed. The first redundancy reroute mechanism selects at least one defective dataline of the eDRAM and directly replaces the defective dataline(s) with at least one redundancy dataline. The second redundancy reroute mechanism discards the defective dataline column and replaces it with an adjacent dataline column. The dataline columns following the defective dataline column are then replaced with the next adjacent dataline columns including a redundancy dataline column.
摘要:
A low-voltage, low-power DC voltage generator system is provided having two negative voltage pump circuits for generating voltages for operating negative wordline and substrate bias charge pump circuits, a reference generator for generating a reference voltage, and a two-stage cascaded positive pump system having a first stage pump circuit and a second stage pump circuit. The first stage converts a supply voltage to a higher voltage level, e.g., one volt to 1.5 volts, to be used for I/O drivers, and the second stage converts the output voltage from the first stage to a higher voltage level, e.g., from 1.5 volts to about 2.5 volts, for operating a boost wordline charge pump circuit. The DC voltage generator system further includes a micro pump circuit for providing a voltage level which is greater than one-volt to be used as reference voltages, even when an operating voltage of the DC voltage generator system is at or near one-volt. A one-volt negative voltage pump circuit is also included for pumping the voltages of at least one corresponding charge pump circuit, even when an operating voltage of the DC generator system is at or near one-volt. The DC voltage generator system is specifically designed to be implemented within battery-operated devices having at least one memory unit. The low-power consumption feature of the DC voltage generator system extends battery lifetime and data retention time of the cells of the at least one memory unit.
摘要:
Capping a low resistivity metal conductor line or via with a refractory metal allows for effectively using chemical-mechanical polishing techniques because the hard, reduced wear, properties of the refractory metal do not scratch, corrode, or smear during chemical-mechanical polishing. Conductive lines and vias are created using a combination of both physical vapor deposition (e.g., evaporation or collimated sputtering) of a low resistivity metal or alloy followed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of a refractory metal and subsequent planarization. Altering a ratio of SiH4 to WF6 during application of the refractory metal cap by CVD allows for controlled incorporation of silicon into the tungsten capping layer. Collimated sputtering allows for creating a refractory metal liner in an opening in a dielectric which is suitable as a diffusion barrier to copper based metalizations as well as CVD tungsten. Ideally, for faster diffusing metals like copper, liners are created by a two step collimated sputtering process wherein a first layer is deposited under relatively low vacuum pressure where directional deposition dominates (e.g., below 1 mTorr) and a second layer is deposited under relatively high vacuum pressure where scattering deposition dominates (e.g., above 1 mTorr). For refractory metals like CVD tungsten, the liner can be created in one step using collimated sputtering at higher vacuum pressures.
摘要:
Capping a low resistivity metal conductor line or via with a refractory metal allows for effectively using chemical-mechanical polishing techniques because the hard, reduced wear, properties of the refractory metal do not scratch, corrode, or smear during chemical-mechanical polishing. Superior conductive lines and vias are created using a combination of both physical vapor deposition (e.g., evaporation or collimated sputtering) of a low resistivity metal or alloy followed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of a refractory metal and subsequent planarization. Altering a ratio of SiH.sub.4 to WF.sub.6 during application of the refractory metal cap by CVD allows for controlled incorporation of silicon into the tungsten capping layer. Collimated sputtering allows for creating a refractory metal liner in an opening in a dielectric which is suitable as a diffusion barrier to copper based metalizations as well as CVD tungsten. Ideally, for faster diffusing metals like copper, liners are created by a two step collimated sputtering process wherein a first layer is deposited under relatively low vacuum pressure where directional deposition dominates (e.g., below 1 mTorr) and a second layer is deposited under relatively high vacuum pressure where scattering deposition dominates (e.g., above 1 mTorr). For refractory metals like CVD tungsten, the liner can be created in one step using collimated sputtering at higher vacuum pressures.
摘要:
Capping a low resistivity metal conductor line or via with a refractory metal allows for effectively using chemical-mechanical polishing techniques because the-hard, reduced wear, properties of the refractory metal do not scratch, corrode, or smear during chemical-mechanical polishing. Superior conductive lines and vias are created using a combination of both physical vapor deposition (e.g., evaporation or collimated sputtering) of a low resistivity metal or alloy followed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of a refractory metal and subsequent planarization. Altering a ratio of SiH.sub.4 to WF.sub.6 during application of the refractory metal cap by CVD allows for controlled incorporation of silicon into the tungsten capping layer. Collimated sputtering allows for creating a refractory metal liner in an opening in a dielectric which is suitable as a diffusion barrier to copper based metalizations as well as CVD tungsten. Ideally, for faster diffusing metals like copper, liners are created by a two step collimated sputtering process wherein a first layer is deposited under relatively low vacuum pressure where directional deposition dominates (e.g., below lmtorr) and a second layer is deposited under relatively high vacuum pressure where scattering deposition dominates (e.g., above 1 mTorr). For refractory metals like CVD tungsten, the liner can be created in one step using collimated sputtering at higher vacuum pressures.
摘要:
Capping a low resistivity metal conductor line or via with a refractory metal allows for effectively using chemical-mechanical polishing techniques because the hard, reduced wear, properties of the refractory metal do not scratch, corrode, or smear during chemical-mechanical polishing. Superior conductive lines and vias are created using a combination of both physical vapor deposition (e.g., evaporation or collimated sputtering) of a low resistivity metal or alloy followed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of a refractory metal and subsequent planarization. Altering a ratio of SiH.sub.4 to WF.sub.6 during application of the refractory metal cap by CVD allows for controlled incorporation of silicon into the tungsten capping layer. Collimated sputtering allows for creating a refractory metal liner in an opening in a dielectric which is suitable as a diffusion barrier to copper based metalizations as well as CVD tungsten. Ideally, for faster diffusing metals like copper, liners are created by a two step collimated sputtering process wherein a first layer is deposited under relatively low vacuum pressure where directional deposition dominates (e.g., below 1 mTorr) and a second layer is deposited under relatively high vacuum pressure where scattering deposition dominates (e.g., above 1 mTorr). For refractory metals like CVD tungsten, the liner can be created in one step using collimated sputtering at higher vacuum pressures.