MEMORY MODULE HAVING MEMORY CHIP AND REGISTER BUFFER

• US 20120250264A1
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PS4 Luxco S.a.r.l.
• Original Assignee: Elpida Memory Incorporated (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Inventors: OSANAI, Fumiyuki, SUGANO, Toshio, NAKAMURA, Masayuki
• Application Number:
  US13/431,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20120250264A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/728
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/04 Supports for storage elements , e.g. memory modules; Mounting or fixing of storage elements on such supports

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a memory module that includes a register buffer and a memory chip each mounted on a module substrate. Each of the command address output terminals belonging to the first group provided on the register buffer is connected to an associated one of the command address input terminals belonging to the first group provided on the memory chip through associated ones of the plurality of contact plugs and the first wiring layer. Each of the command address output terminals belonging to the second group provided on the register buffer is connected to an associated one of the command address input terminals belonging to the second group provided on the memory chip through associated ones of the plurality of contact plugs and the second wiring layer.

Claims

1. A memory module comprising:

a module substrate that includes a plurality of wiring layers including at least first and second wiring layers, and a plurality of contact plugs penetrating through the plurality of wiring layers;

a register buffer that is mounted on the module substrate and includes a plurality of output terminals classified into at least first and second groups; and

a memory chip that is mounted on the module substrate and includes a plurality of input terminals classified into at least first and second groups, wherein

each of the output terminals belonging to the first group is connected to an associated one of the input terminals belonging to the first group through associated ones of the plurality of contact plugs and the first wiring layer, and

each of the output terminals belonging to the second group is connected to an associated one of the input terminals belonging to the second group through associated ones of the plurality of contact plugs and the second wiring layer.

2. The memory module as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the plurality of contact plugs are classified into at least first to fourth groups,

each of the output terminals belonging to the first group is connected to the associated one of the input terminals belonging to the first group through an associated one of the contact plugs belonging to the first group, the first wiring layer, and an associated one of the contact plugs belonging to the third group, and

each of the output terminals belonging to the second group is connected to the associated one of the input terminals belonging to the second group through an associated one of the contact plugs belonging to the second group, the second wiring layer, and an associated one of the contact plugs belonging to the fourth group.

3. The memory module as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the plurality of contact plugs belonging to the third group are arranged in a second direction,

the plurality of contact plugs belonging to the fourth group are arranged in the second direction so as to adjoin the plurality of contact plugs belonging to the third group in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the second direction, and

each of the plurality of contact plugs belonging to the third group and each of the plurality contact plugs belonging to the fourth group do not have the same coordinate in the second direction.

4. The memory module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an additional memory chip that is mounted on the module substrate and includes a plurality of input terminals classified into at least first and second groups, wherein

the plurality of wiring layers further include third and fourth wiring layers,

each of the output terminals belonging to the first group is connected to an associated one of the input terminals belonging to the first group of the additional memory chip through associated ones of the contact plugs and the third wiring layer, and

each of the output terminals belonging to the second group is connected to an associated one of the input terminals belonging to the second group of the additional memory chip through associated ones of the contact plugs and the fourth wiring layer.

5. The memory module as claimed in claim 2, further comprising an additional memory chip that is mounted on the module substrate and includes a plurality of input terminals classified into at least first and second groups, wherein

each of the output terminals belonging to the first group is connected to an associated one of the input terminals belonging to the first group of the additional memory chip through the associated one of the contact plugs belonging to the first group, the first wiring layer and the associated one of the contact plugs belonging to the third group, and

each of the output terminals belonging to the second group is connected to an associated one of the input terminals of the second group of the additional memory chip through the associated one of the contact plugs belonging to the second group, the second wiring layer and the associated one of the contact plugs belonging to the fourth group.

6. The memory module as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the module substrate further includes first and second surfaces opposing to each other,

the resister buffer and the memory chip being provided on the first surface of the module substrate, and

the additional memory chip being provided on the second surface of the module substrate.

7. The memory module as claimed in claim 5, wherein the resister buffer, the memory chip and the additional memory chip are provided on one surface of the module substrate.

8. The memory module as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the module substrate further includes a plurality of connecter receiving a plurality of address command signals from an outside of the memory module, respectively, and

the resister buffer receiving the address command signals through the connecters and outputting a plurality of internal address command signals based on the address command signals from the output terminals to input terminals of the memory chip, respectively.

9. A module comprising:

a module substrate includes a plurality of wiring layers including at least first and second wiring layers, and first and second contact plugs, each of the first and second contact plugs penetrating through the wiring layers;

a resister buffer mounted on the module substrate and including first and second output terminals; and

a plurality of chips mounted on the module substrate, each of the chips including first and second input terminals, wherein

the first output terminal of the resister buffer is commonly connected to the first input terminals of the chips through the first contact plug and the first wiring layer, and

the second output terminal of the resister buffer is commonly connected to the second input terminals of the chips through the second contact plug and the second wiring layer.

10. The module as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a plurality of additional chips mounted on the module substrate, each of the additional chips including third and fourth input terminals, wherein

the wiring layers of the module substrate further include third and fourth wiring layers,

the first output terminal of the resister buffer is commonly connected to the third input terminals of the additional chips through the first contact plug and the third wiring layer, and

the second output terminal of the resister buffer is commonly connected to the fourth input terminals of the additional chips through the second contact plug and the fourth wiring layer.

11. The module as claimed in claim 10, wherein

the module substrate includes a first area on a surface of the module substrate extending in a first direction and a second area on the surface of the module substrate extending in the first direction in parallel with the first area,

the chips are arranged in the first direction in the first area, and

the additional chips are arranged in the first direction in the second area.

12. The module as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a plurality of additional chips mounted on the module substrate, each of the additional chips including third and fourth input terminals, wherein

the first output terminal of the resister buffer is commonly connected to the third input terminals of the additional chips through the first contact plug and the first wiring layer, and

the second output terminal of the resister buffer is commonly connected to the fourth input terminals of the additional chips through the second contact plug and the second wiring layer.

13. The module as claimed in claim 12, wherein

the module substrate includes a first area on a first surface of the module substrate extending in a first direction and a second area on a second surface opposing to the first surface of the module substrate extending in the first direction and located on a back side of the first area,

the chips are arranged in the first direction in the first area, and

the additional chips are arranged in the first direction in the second area.

14. The module as claimed in claim 12, wherein

the module substrate includes a first area on a surface of the module substrate extending in a first direction, a second area on the surface of the module substrate extending in the first direction and a third area on the surface of the module substrate between the first and second areas,

the chips are arranged in the first direction in the first area,

the additional chips are arranged in the first direction in the second area, and

the resister buffer is provided in the third area.

15. The module as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the first and second output terminals of the resister buffer are arranged in a first direction, and

the first and second input terminals of each of the chips are arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction.

16. The module as claimed in claim 15, wherein

the first and second output terminals of the resister buffer are adjacent to each other, and

the first and second input terminals of each of the chips are adjacent to each other.

17. The module as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the module substrate includes a plurality of connecters receiving a plurality of command address signals from an outside of the module, respectively, and

the resister buffer receives the command address signals through the connecters and outputs first and second internal command address signals based on the command address signals from the first and second output terminals to the first and second input terminals of each of the chips, respectively.