Semiconductor memory provided with data-line equalizing circuit

• US 6,373,763 B1
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Morishita, Fukashi, Fujii, Nobuyuki, Yamazaki, Akira, Taito, Yasuhiko, Okamoto, Mako
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, David
• Application Number:
  US09/839,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20020051393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 365/203, 365/189.09, 365/189.11, 365/230.06, 365/202, 365/149
• US Class Current: 365/203
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4074 Power supply or voltage generation circuits, e.g. bias voltage generators, substrate voltage generators, back-up power, power control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4085 Word line control circuits, e.g. word line drivers, - boosters, - pull-up, - pull-down, - precharge
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4094 Bit-line management or control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/12 Bit line control circuits, e.g. drivers, boosters, pull-up circuits, pull-down circuits, precharging circuits, equalising circuits, for bit lines

Abstract

An equalizing circuit includes a plurality of N-channel MOS transistors for respectively setting a data line to a predetermined precharge voltage. The H-level voltage Vddb of a control signal for turning on these N-channel MOS transistors is set to a range higher than the sum of the precharge voltage and a transistor threshold voltage. A Vddb generation circuit steps up an external power-supply voltage and sets a voltage Vddb in a range lower than a step-up voltage for activating a word line.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device operating under reception of an external power-supply voltage comprising:

first and second data lines for transmitting a data signal having two data levels one of which corresponds to a first voltage; and

a plurality of memory cells for holding said data signal,

each of said plurality of memory cells including

a storage node for storaging the data level of said data signal,

a data transfer gate for electrically connecting said storage node with one of said first and second data lines in response to activation of a word line set to a second voltage higher than said first voltage, and

a data-line equalizing circuit for setting said first and second data lines to one same predetermined voltage in response to a control signal, said control signal being set to a third voltage higher than said external power-supply voltage and lower than said second voltage under activation.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first to third voltages is externally supplied.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first internal-voltage generation circuit for receiving said external power-supply voltage and generating said second voltage; and

a second internal-voltage generation circuit for receiving said external power-supply voltage and generating said third voltage.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein

each of said first and second internal-voltage generation circuits includes,

a charge pump section for generating corresponding one of said second and third voltages in accordance with charge pump operation,

a driving-clock generation section for generating a driving clock of said charge pump section,

a voltage division circuit for dividing corresponding one of said second and third voltages, and

a voltage detection circuit for instructing said driving-clock generation section to execute and stop generation of said driving clock in accordance with comparison between an output of said voltage division circuit and a reference voltage, and

said reference voltage input to said first internal-voltage generation circuit and said reference voltage input to second internal-voltage generation circuit are independently set correspondingly to said second and third voltages.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein

each of said first and second internal-voltage generation circuits includes,

a plurality of circuit elements formed on a semiconductor substrate,

a plurality of wirings for connecting said circuit elements each other, formed on a wiring layer formed on said semiconductor substrate through at least one insulating layer, and

a selective wiring formed in either of first and second connection change areas provided between one wiring and two other wirings among said plurality of wirings and selected in accordance with operating conditions of said first and second internal-voltage generation circuits to electrically connect corresponding wirings each other.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein

selection of the area in which said selective wiring is formed is executed by changing mask data used to form said wiring layer.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein

each of said first and second internal-voltage generation circuits includes a plurality of charge pump sections connected in parallel,

each of the charge pump sections generates corresponding one of said second and third voltages in accordance with said charge pump operation,

each of said first and second internal-voltage generation circuits further includes a driving-clock generation section for generating driving clocks of said charge pump sections, a voltage division circuit for dividing corresponding one of said second and third voltages, and a voltage detection circuit for instructing said driving-clock generation section to execute and stop generation of said driving clocks in accordance with comparison between an output of said voltage division circuit and a reference voltage,

said reference voltage input to said first internal-voltage generation circuit and said reference voltage input to second internal-voltage generation circuit are independently set correspondingly to said second and third voltages, and

said charge pump sections included in said first and second internal-voltage generation circuits have same circuit configuration.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein

the number of charge pump sections arranged in said first internal-voltage generation circuit is different from the number of charge pump sections arranged in said second internal-voltage generation circuit.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein

each of said charge pump sections includes,

a pump capacitor section connected between first and second internal nodes for receiving said driving clocks and capable of changing capacitance values,

a first rectifying element electrically connected in a forward direction from a node for supplying said external power-supply voltage to said second internal node, and

a second rectifying element electrically connected in a forward direction from said second internal node to an output node for outputting corresponding one of said second and third voltages.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein

said pump capacitor section includes,

a first capacitive element connected between said first and second internal nodes,

a second capacitive element one of whose electrodes is connected with said first internal node, and

a capacity adjustment section set between the other electrode of said second capacitive element and said second internal node to connect or disconnect the other electrode with or from said second internal node.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein

said pump capacitor section has first and second capacitive elements formed on a semiconductor substrate,

one electrode of said first and second capacitive elements is connected with said first internal node, and

said pump capacitor section further includes,

a first wiring formed on a wiring layer formed on said main semiconductor substrate through at least one insulating layer and electrically connected with the other electrode of said first capacitive element and said second internal node,

a second wiring formed on said wiring layer and electrically connected with the other electrode of said second capacitive element,

a third wiring formed on said wiring layer and electrically connected with a third internal node, and

a selective wiring formed on selected one of first and second connection change areas respectively formed between said second and first, and said second and third wirings to electrically connect corresponding wirings each other.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein

selection of the area in which said selective wiring is formed is executed by changing mask data used to form said wiring layer.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein

said data-line equalizing circuit includes

a first N-channel field-effect transistor electrically connected between said first data line and a node for supplying said predetermined voltage,

a second N-channel field-effect transistor electrically connected between said second data line and the node for supplying said predetermined voltage, and

a third N-channel field-effect transistor electrically connected between said first and second data lines, and

each of said first, second and third N-channel field-effect transistors has a gate to which said equalizing control signal is input.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein

said memory cells are separately arranged in a plurality of areas,

said first and second data lines are provided correspondingly to each of said plurality of areas, and

said semiconductor device further comprises

a first switching circuits provided corresponding to each of said plurality of areas, for electrically connecting a first node and corresponding one of said first data lines in response to a control signal set to said second voltage under activation,

a second switching circuits provided corresponding to each of said plurality of areas, for electrically connecting a second node and corresponding one of said second data lines in response to said control signal, and

a sense-amplifier circuit for amplifying a voltage difference between said first and second nodes wherein

said control signal is activated in selected one of said plurality of areas.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein

said data-line equalizing circuit sets said first and second data lines electrically connected with said first and second nodes to said predetermined voltage.

16. A semiconductor device comprising:

a memory cell including a capacitor for storing charges and an access transistor;

a data line pair including two data lines, one of said two data lines connected to said memory cell;

a word line connected to the gate of said access transistor, being set to a first voltage under activation;

a sense-amplifier circuit for amplifying a small voltage difference between said two data lines, said small voltage difference being generated representing the stored charges in said capacitor in response to the activation of said word line, to a voltage difference between the ground voltage and a second voltage; and

a data-line equalizing circuit for setting each of said two data lines to one same predetermined voltage in response to a control signal, said control signal being set to a third voltage higher than an external power-supply voltage and lower than said first voltage under activation.