Electrically switchable permanent storage

• US 4,445,202 A
• Filed: 11/02/1981
• Issued: 04/24/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goetze, Volkmar, Miersch, Ekkehard F., Potz, Guenther
• Primary Examiner(s): Fears, Terrell W.
• Application Number:
  US06/317,669
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 365/174, 365/182, 365/189, 365/230, 365/218, 357/23 VT
• US Class Current: 365/185.14
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/12 using field-effect devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17712 one of the matrices at least being reprogrammable

Abstract

For read-only storages and in particular for PLA applications, improved coupling elements together with an associated personalization scheme permit the storing of at least two memory (or logic) connection patterns selectable independently of each other. Quick electrical switching between at least two functional modes in the same storage array, is also provided. One device field effect transistor (FET) cells with specific gate configurations depending on the respective personalization state are used as coupling elements. For instance, in a two-fold personalization permanent storage, the coupling elements consist of FETs with two gate sections provided one beside the other. For a connection to be established in only one of the two possible functions at the respective crosspoint, one of the gate sections is connected to the control line provided for the functional selection. The remaining gate section is connected to the associated input line. A connection in the other functional mode is provided correspondingly with only the control lines being switched. If at the respective crosspoint a connection is to be effective in both functional modes, both gate sections are jointly connected to the respective input line. By using only one common peripheral circuit, PLAs with multiple personalization properties can be made in integrated technology, with the same semiconductor area requirement as PLAs personalizable into only one functional mode.

Claims

1. A permanent storage array having at least two independently selectable logic functions comprising:

a matrix arrangement including a plurality of input and output lines forming crosspoints;

control lines for the selective activation of one of the at least two independently selectable functions;

coupling elements provided at said crosspoints which depending on their individual personalization selectively provide an electrically conductive path at a crosspoint, said coupling elements being formed of transistor structures with two gated electrodes and at least two gating electrodes, the associated circuit path between said two gated electrodes becoming conductive when a turn-on potential is applied to the at least two gating electrodes; and

connecting means connecting one of the gating electrodes of said coupling elements to the control line determinative of one of said selectable functions and the at least one remaining gating electrode of said coupling element to a corresponding input line for establishing connection in only one of said at least two independently selectable functions, said connecting means connecting all of the at least two gating electrodes of said coupling elements to the corresponding input line for establishing connections in all of said at least two independently selectable functions.

3. The storage array of claim 1 or 2 wherein the coupling elements in adjacent rows or columns have associated common row or column control lines or supply voltage lines.

4. The storage array of claims 1 or 3 wherein several arrays are assembled to form programmable logic array structures.

2. A permanent storage array for quickly executing at least two independently selectable logic functions comprising:

a matrix arrangement including a plurality of input and output lines forming crosspoints;

control lines for the selective activation of one of the at least two independently selectable functions;

coupling elements provided at said crosspoints which depending on their individual personalization selectively provide an electrically conductive path at a crosspoint, said coupling elements being formed of field effect transistors with at least two adjacent gate sections, the associated source-drain circuit path becoming conductive under the condition that a turn-on switching potential is applied to the at least two gate sections; and

connecting means electrically coupling one of the at least two gate sections of said transistors to the control line determinative of one of said selectable logic functions and the at least one remaining gate section to a corresponding input line for establishing a connection in only one of said at least two independently selectable functions, said connecting means electrically coupling all of said at least two sections of the transistor to the corresponding input line for establishing a connection in all of said at least two selectable functions.

5. The storage array of claim 2 wherein said coupling elements comprise:

integrated field effect transistor structures of the enhancement type which in the channel region between source and drain, beneath the boundaries between adjacent gate sections have doping areas supporting the channel formation.

6. The storage array of claim 2 wherein said gate sections of the coupling elements consist of polycrystalline silicon.

7. The storage array of claim 2 wherein the gate sections coupled to the input lines are a first polysilicon layer, and the control lines as well as the gate sections coupled thereto are a second polysilicon layer.

8. The storage array of claim 7 wherein the input lines are metal lines connected by contacts with the associated gate sections of polysilicon.