8-T SRAM cell circuit, system and method for low leakage current

• US 7,619,916 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Pvt Ltd. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Pvt Ltd. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Goel, Ankur
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Viet Q
• Application Number:
  US11/825,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20080151605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 365/154, 365/156, 365/63, 365/72, 365/188
• US Class Current: 365/156
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/412 using field-effect transistors only

Abstract

An SRAM cell has reduced gate and sub-threshold leakage currents. The SRAM cell is designed to include eight operatively coupled transistors to reduce leakage currents irrespective of data stored in the SRAM cell. The transistors lower the effective supply voltage at different nodes, when either bit ‘0’ or ‘1’ is stored in the SRAM cell. The reduced effective supply voltage is passed to other coupled transistors for minimizing leakages. The SRAM cell operates in an active mode and dissipates no dynamic power during active mode to inactive mode transition and vice-versa operations. The SRAM cell is also capable of reducing bit line leakage currents under suitable conditions.

Claims

1. An SRAM cell for providing low leakage current comprising:

a first PMOS transistor having a source connected to a power supply voltage node, a gate connected to a first control signal node, and a drain connected to a first virtual power supply voltage node;

a second PMOS transistor having a source connected to the power supply voltage node, a gate connected to the first virtual power supply voltage node and a drain connected to the first control signal node;

a first inserted NMOS transistor having a source connected to the first control signal node, a gate connected to a second control signal node, and a drain connected to a second virtual power supply voltage node;

a third NMOS transistor having a source, and a gate connected to a word line, and a drain connected to a third virtual power supply voltage node;

a first NMOS transistor having a source connected to the third virtual power supply voltage node, a gate connected to the second virtual power supply voltage node, and a drain connected to a ground voltage node;

a second NMOS transistor having a source connected to the second virtual power supply voltage node, and a gate connected to the third virtual power supply voltage node, and a drain connected to the ground voltage node; and

a fourth NMOS transistor having a source connected to the second virtual power supply voltage node, a drain, and a gate connected to the word line,

wherein a second inserted NMOS transistor having a source connected to the first virtual power supply voltage node, and a drain connected to the third virtual power supply voltage node, and a gate connected to the second control signal node such that, when the SRAM cell stores bit ‘

1’

, the second inserted NMOS transistor is operatively coupled to provide low leakage currents and when the SRAM cell stores bit ‘

0’

, the first inserted NMOS transistor is operatively coupled to provide low leakage currents.

2. The SRAM cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein said virtual power supply voltage is a voltage level obtained by lowering a power supply voltage by a threshold voltage of a transistor.

3. The SRAM cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first control signal and said second control signal are activated, when said SRAM cell is operating in an active mode.

4. The SRAM cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second control signal is a power supply voltage.

5. The SRAM cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bit line and said complementary bit line are charged at a power supply voltage.

6. The SRAM cell as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bit line and said complementary bit line are precharged to said virtual power supply voltage for reducing a bit-line leakage current.

7. An SRAM array for providing low leakage current comprising:

a plurality of SRAM cells, each of said SRAM cell connected to a word line in a row and in a column to a bit line, a complementary bit line, a power supply voltage, and a ground voltage, wherein each of said SRAM cell comprising;

a first PMOS transistor having a source connected to a power supply voltage node, a gate connected to a first control signal node, and a drain connected to a first virtual power supply voltage node;

a second PMOS transistor having a source connected to the power supply voltage node, a gate connected to the first virtual power supply voltage node and a drain connected to the first control signal node;

a first inserted NMOS transistor having a source connected to the first control signal node, a gate connected to a second control signal node, and a drain connected to a second virtual power supply voltage;

a third NMOS transistor having a source connected to the corresponding bit line, and a gate connected to the corresponding word line, and a drain connected to a third virtual power supply voltage node;

a first NMOS transistor having a source connected to the third virtual power supply voltage node, a gate connected to the second virtual power supply voltage node, and a drain connected to a ground voltage node;

a second NMOS transistor having a source connected to the second virtual power supply node, and a gate connected to the third virtual power supply voltage node, and a drain connected to the ground voltage node; and

a fourth NMOS transistor having a source connected to the second virtual power supply voltage node, a drain connected to the corresponding complementary bit line, and a gate connected to the corresponding word line,

wherein a second inserted NMOS transistor having a source connected to the first virtual power supply voltage node, and a drain connected to the third virtual power supply voltage node, and a gate connected to the second control signal node such that, when the SRAM cell stores bit ‘

1’

, the second inserted NMOS transistor is operatively coupled to provide low leakage currents and when the SRAM cell stores bit ‘

0’

, the first inserted NMOS transistor is operatively coupled to provide low leakage currents.

8. The SRAM array as claimed in claim 7, wherein said virtual power supply voltage is a voltage level obtained by lowering said power supply voltage by a threshold voltage of a transistor.

9. The SRAM array as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first control signal and said second control signal are activated, when said SRAM cell is operating in an active mode.

10. The SRAM array as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second control signal is a power supply voltage.

11. The SRAM array as claimed in claim 7, wherein said bit line and said complementary bit line are charged at a power supply voltage.

12. The SRAM array as claimed in claim 7, wherein said bit line and said complementary bit line are precharged to said virtual power supply voltage for reducing a bit-line leakage current.