Leakage compensated reference voltage generation system

• US 8,027,207 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pilo, Harold, Fifield, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Hoai V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huerta; Pablo
• Application Number:
  US12/639,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20110141824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 365/189.05, 365/96, 365/189.07, 365/225.7
• US Class Current: 365/189.09
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/16 using electrically-fusible links
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/18 Auxiliary circuits, e.g. for writing into memory
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/02 Detection or location of defective auxiliary circuits, e.g. defective refresh counters
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/021 in voltage or current generators
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/028 with adaption or trimming of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/147 Voltage reference generators, voltage or current regulators; Internally lowered supply levels; Compensation for voltage drops G11C5/141 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/062 Differential amplifiers of non-latching type, e.g. comparators, long-tailed pairs
• 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 e-fuse sense circuit employs a single ended sense scheme in which the reference voltage is compensated for leakage. A reference voltage generator includes a pull-up resistor of similar value to the selected bitline pull-up resistor. As the sensing trip point is adjusted by selection of a bitline pull-up resistor, a pair of pull-up and pull-down resistors are adjusted together to adjust the impedance of the reference voltage generator. A leakage-path simulation structure including a parallel connection of bitcells is added to the reference voltage generator. The leakage-path simulation structure imitates the bitcells on a bitline in the array of e-fuses. Leakage current on the bitline offsets the bitline voltage by a certain error voltage. The reference voltage is also offset by a fraction of the error voltage to balance the shifts in the ‘1’ and ‘0’ margin levels in the presence of leakage.

Claims

1. A semiconductor circuit comprising a reference voltage generator and at least one bitline unit,

wherein each of said at least one bitline unit comprises:

first bitcells connected in a parallel connection between a bitline and electrical ground;

a sense amplifier connected to said bitline; and

a pull-up resistor circuit located between a power supply node and said bitline,

wherein said reference voltage generator comprises;

a voltage divider circuit connected to said power supply node and electrical ground and a reference voltage line; and

a leakage current simulation circuit including second bitcells connected in a parallel connection between said reference voltage line and said electrical ground, wherein said leakage current simulation circuit provides a leakage current between said reference voltage line and electrical ground,

and wherein said sense amplifier generates an output by comparing a voltage in said reference voltage line and said bitline.

2. The semiconductor circuit of claim 1, wherein each of said first bitcells includes a series connection of an electrically programmable fuse (e-fuse) and a programming transistor.

3. The semiconductor circuit of claim 1, wherein said pull-up resistor circuit provides a selectable first resistance between said power supply node and said bitline, and wherein said voltage divider circuit provides a selectable second resistance between said power supply node and said reference voltage line.

4. The semiconductor circuit of claim 3, wherein said pull-up resistor circuit and said voltage divider circuit are configured so that said selectable first resistance is the same as said selectable second resistance.

5. The semiconductor circuit of claim 4, wherein said voltage divider circuit provides a selectable third resistance between said reference voltage line and electrical ground, and wherein said selectable third resistance is selected based on a setting for said selectable second resistance.

6. The semiconductor circuit of claim 5, wherein a ratio between said selectable second resistance to said selectable third resistance is constant irrespective of a setting selected for said selectable second resistance.

7. The semiconductor circuit of claim 6, wherein an alternating current (AC) input impedance of said voltage divider circuit varies with a setting selected for said selectable second resistance.

8. The semiconductor circuit of claim 1, wherein said voltage divider circuit comprises:

at least one p-type field effect transistor having a source connected to said power supply node, a drain connected to a node between two upper resistors, and a gate connected to a setting control input node; and

at least one n-type field effect transistor having a source connected to electrical ground, a drain connected to a node between two lower resistors, and a gate connected to said control input node through an inverter.

9. The semiconductor circuit of claim 8, further comprising:

a series connection of at least two upper resistors between said reference voltage line and said power supply node, wherein said at least two upper resistors includes said two upper resistors; and

a series connection of at least two lower resistors between said reference voltage line and electrical ground, wherein said at least two lower resistors includes said two lower resistors.

10. The semiconductor circuit of claim 9, wherein said pull-up resistor circuit comprises:

a plurality of resistors connected in a series connection between said power supply node and said bitline; and

at least another p-type field effect transistor connected between said power supply node and a node between an adjoining pair of resistors within said plurality of resistors.

11. The semiconductor circuit of claim 10, wherein a gate of said at least another p-type field effect transistor is connected to said control input node.

12. The semiconductor circuit of claim 10, wherein a sequence of resistance for successive resistors in said plurality of resistors is the same as a sequence of resistance for successive resistors in said series connection of said at least two upper resistors.

13. The semiconductor circuit of claim 12, wherein a sequence of resistance for successive resistors in said series connection of said at least two lower resistors is a scalar multiple of said sequence of resistance for successive resistors in said series connection of said at least two upper resistors.

14. The semiconductor circuit of claim 13, wherein said sequence of resistance for successive resistors in said plurality of resistors begins with a resistor located most proximate to said bitline, wherein said sequence of resistance for successive resistors in said series connection of said at least two upper resistors begins with a resistor located most proximate to said reference voltage line among said series connection of said at least two upper resistors, and wherein said sequence of resistance for successive resistors in said series connection of said at least two lower resistors begins with a resistor located most proximate to said reference voltage line among said series connection of said at least two lower resistors.

15. The semiconductor circuit of claim 1, wherein said leakage current simulation circuit includes a series connection of a first electrically programmable fuse (e-fuse) and a first programming transistor, and wherein each of said second bitcells includes a series connection of a second e-fuse and a second programming transistor.

16. The semiconductor circuit of claim 15, wherein said first programming transistor and said second programming transistor have a same design and same leakage characteristics.

17. The semiconductor circuit of claim 15, wherein a leakage current between said reference voltage line and electrical ground through said leakage current simulation circuit generates a leakage current between 5% and 100% of a leakage current from one of said at least one bitline unit to electrical ground in the absence of any programming of any of said first bitcells.

18. The semiconductor circuit of claim 16, wherein said first e-fuse and said second e-fuse have a same design.

19. The semiconductor circuit of claim 16, wherein each of said at least one bitline unit includes a first number of first bitcells, wherein said reference voltage generator includes a second number of second bitcells, and wherein said second number is between 25% and 400% of said first number.

20. The semiconductor circuit of claim 1, wherein said at least one bitline unit is a plurality of bitline units, each having a same design.