Memory cell with built-in process variation tolerance

• US 7,672,152 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2008
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation (Purdue University)
• Original Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation (Purdue University)
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Jaydeep P., Roy, Kaushik
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN
• Application Number:
  US12/038,314
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 365/156
• US Class Current: 365/154
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/41 forming static cells with positive feedback, i.e. cells not needing refreshing or charge regeneration, e.g. bistable multivibrator or Schmitt trigger
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/412 using field-effect transistors only
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/50 Marginal testing, e.g. race, voltage or current testing

Abstract

A Schmitt Trigger (ST) based, fully differential, 10-transistor (10T) SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) bitcell suitable for sub-threshold operation. The Schmitt trigger based bitcell achieves 1.56× higher read static noise margin (SNM) (V_DD=400 mV) compared to a conventional 6T cell. The robust Schmitt trigger based memory cell exhibits built-in process variation tolerance that gives tight SNM distribution across the process corners. It utilizes fully differential operation and hence does not require any architectural changes from the present 6T architecture. The 10T bitcell has two cross-coupled Schmitt trigger inverters which each consist of four transistors, including a PMOS transistor and two NMOS transistors in series, and an NMOS feedback transistor which is connected between the inverter output and the junction between the series-connected NMOS transistors. Each inverter has one associated NMOS access transistor.

Claims

1. A semiconductor memory cell with built-in process variation tolerance, comprising:

a pair of cross-coupled inverters each having first and second series-connected transistors and each having a switching threshold;

an access transistor electrically connected to a first of said inverters; and

a feedback mechanism for changing the switching threshold of at least said first inverter in response to an input transition.

2. The memory cell of claim 1, wherein said feedback mechanism includes a feedback transistor with a control input connected to an output of said first inverter and an output connected to another terminal of one of said first and second transistors in said first inverter.

3. The memory cell of claim 2, wherein said feedback mechanism includes a second transistor which is connected in series with said feedback transistor and with one of said first and second transistors in said first inverter.

4. The memory cell of claim 3, wherein said feedback mechanism is further configured to change the switching threshold of the second of said inverters in response to an input transition, said feedback mechanism including a feedback transistor with a control input connected to an output of said second inverter and an output connected to another terminal of one of said first and second transistors in said second inverter, and a second transistor which is connected in series with said feedback transistor and with one of said first and second transistors in said second inverter.

5. The memory cell of claim 4, further comprising an access transistor electrically connected to said second inverter;

wherein said inverters are CMOS devices, and said feedback mechanism transistors and said access transistor are all NMOS transistors.

6. An SRAM bitcell with built-in process variation tolerance, comprising:

a pair of cross-coupled Schmitt trigger inverters, each including a PMOS transistor in series with two series-connected NMOS transistors;

a memory cell access transistor electrically connected to each of said Schmitt trigger inverters;

a first bit line connected to one of said Schmitt trigger inverters through a first of said access transistors;

a second bit line connected to the other of said Schmitt trigger inverters through a second of said access transistors; and

a word line connected to control inputs for both access transistors.

7. The SRAM bitcell of claim 6, wherein said Schmitt trigger inverters each include an NMOS feedback transistor, said feedback transistor having a gate connected to a junction between said PMOS transistor and said series-connected NMOS transistors, a source connected to a junction between said series-connected NMOS transistors, and a drain connected to a voltage supply line.

8. The SRAM bitcell of claim 7, wherein said bitcell is a 10-transistor bitcell in which each Schmitt trigger inverter consists of said PMOS transistor, said two series-connected NMOS transistors, and said NMOS feedback transistor, and in which each access transistor is a single NMOS transistor.