Single event upset hardened memory cell

• US 5,905,290 A
• Filed: 08/02/1993
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Houston, Theodore W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaudhuri, Olik
• Assistant Examiner(s): KELLEY, NATHAN K
• Application Number:
  US08/101,348
• Time in Patent Office: 2,115 Days
• Field of Search: 365/72, 365/156, 257/379, 257/380, 257/532, 257/536
• US Class Current: 257/380
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4125 Cells incorporating circuit means for protecting against loss of information

Abstract

A bi-stable logic device 110 comprises first and second inverters 112 and 114. A first resistive connection 140 is made between the input 134 of the first inverter 112 and the output B_-- of the second inverter 114 and a second resistive connection 142 is made between the input 138 of the second inverter 114 and the output B of the first inverter 112. The first and said second resistive connections are also capacitively coupling. The device 110 is hardened from single event upset. Other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A bi-stable logic device comprising:

first and second inverters each said first and second inverters including an input and an output;

a first resistor between the input of said first inverter and the output of said second inverter;

a second resistor coupled between the input of said second inverter and the output of said first inverter;

a capacitive coupling between the input of said first inverter and the output of said first inverter such that said first resistor isolates said capacitive coupling from the output of said second inverter and said second resistor isolates said capacitive coupling from the input of said second inverter.

2. The device of claim 1 and further comprising a second capacitive coupling between the input of said second inverter and the output of said second inverter.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said first and second resistors comprise lumped resistors.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said capacitive coupling comprises at least one lumped capacitor.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein said first and second resistors and said capacitive coupling comprise a distributed resistor/capacitor connection.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein said first and second resistors are separated by a thin insulating layer.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said first resistor comprises single crystal silicon and said second resistor comprises polysilicon.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein said first and second resistors comprise polysilicon.

9. The device of claim 2 and further comprising a first transistor connected in series with said first resistor and a second transistor connected in series with said second resistor.

10. The device of claim 2 and further comprising a first transistor connected in parallel with said first resistor and a second transistor connected in parallel with said second resistor.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said first and second inverters comprise CMOS transistors, each transistor including a source, a drain and a gate.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said gate of said transistors overlap said drain of said transistors.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein said bi-stable logic device is one cell in an array of static random access memory cells.

18. The device of claim 11 wherein said first and second inverters comprise CMOS transistors, each transistor including a source, a drain and a gate.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein said gate of said transistors overlap said drain of said transistors.

14. An integrated circuit device comprising:

an insulating layer formed on a semiconductor substrate;

a semiconductor layer formed on said insulating layer;

first and second inverters formed in said semiconductor layer each of said first and second inverters including an input and an output;

a first resistor between the input of said first inverter and the output of said second inverter;

a second resistor coupled between the input of said second inverter and the output of said first inverter;

a capacitive coupling between the input of said first inverter and the output of said first inverter such that said first resistor isolates said capacitive coupling from the output of said second inverter and said second resistor isolates said capacitive coupling from the input of said second inverter.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said first and second resistors comprise lumped resistors and said capacitive coupling comprises a lumped capacitor.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein said first and second resistors and said capacitive coupling comprise a distributed resistor/capacitor connection.

17. The device of claim 14 wherein said first and second resistors are separated by a thin insulating layer.

20. An electronic latch with enhanced dynamic negative feedback comprising:

first and second elements wherein negative feedback is provided by capacitive coupling from an input of said first element to an output of said first element; and

an isolation element connected between said input of said first element and an output of said second element.

21. The latch of claim 20 wherein said first and second elements comprise inverters.

22. The latch of claim 20 wherein said isolation element is a resistor.

26. The latch of claim 21 wherein said first and second elements comprise CMOS inverters, each CMOS inverter comprising an n-channel and a p-channel transistor, each having a source and drain and a gate.

27. The latch of claim 26 wherein a gate-to-drain capacitance with said n-channel and said p-channel transistor of said first element provides a negative feedback which increases restoration current.

23. An integrated circuit memory device comprising:

first and second inverters formed in a semiconductor layer, each said first and second inverters including an input region and an output region;

a first resistive region formed in said semiconductor layer, said first resistive region coupling said input of said first inverter to said output of said second inverter;

an insulating layer formed over said first resistive region;

a resistive layer formed over said insulating layer; and

a second resistive region coupling said input of said second inverter to said output of said first inverter, said second resistive region formed in said resistive layer.

24. The device of claim 23 and further comprising an insulating layer formed on a semiconductor substrate wherein said semiconductor layer is formed over said insulating layer.

25. The device of claim 23 wherein said resistive layer comprises polysilicon.

28. An integrated circuit memory device comprising:

first and second inverters formed in a semiconductor layer, each said first and second inverters including an input region and an output region;

a first resistive region coupling said input of said first inverter to said output of said second inverter;

an insulating layer formed over said first resistive region;

a resistive layer formed over said insulating layer; and

a second resistive region coupling said input of said second inverter to said output of said first inverter, said second resistive region formed in said resistive layer.

29. The device of claim 28 wherein said first resistive region is formed in a resistive layer overlying said semiconductor layer.

30. The device of claim 28 wherein said first resistive region is formed in said semiconductor layer.

31. The device of claim 28 wherein said semiconductor layer comprises a silicon layer.

32. The device of claim 28 wherein said resistive layer comprises a polysilicon layer.