Semiconductor integrated circuit device

• US 8,174,901 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Matsubara, Ken, Kasai, Hideo, Kawada, Kenji, Mizuno, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US12/721,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20100232232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 365/189.05, 365/148, 365/226, 365/163, 365/230.08, 365/189.16, 365/185.18, 365/51, 365/63, 365/205, 365/228, 365/189.04
• US Class Current: 365/185.23
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/06 Auxiliary circuits, e.g. for writing into memory
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/32 Timing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/3418 Disturbance prevention or evaluation; Refreshing of disturbed memory data
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/02 with means for avoiding parasitic signals

Abstract

This invention is to reduce the number of memory gate drivers, while lessening the number of times of disturb occurrence in a memory array configuration that implements writing in small byte units. A memory array comprises a plurality of sub-arrays, MG transfers, SL drivers, and CG drivers. Each sub-array includes a plurality of memory gate lines, control gate lines, source lines, and bit lines. Memory cells are arranged in positions of intersections of these lines. The control gate lines, CG drivers, source lines, and SL drivers are common to the sub-arrays, whereas the memory gate lines and MG buffer circuits are provided for each sub-array. Thereby, the units in which data is written are decreased and adverse effects of disturb are reduced without increasing the circuit size of the memory array.

Claims

1. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising:

a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, each including;

a read select gate terminal;

a write gate terminal;

a data input/output terminal; and

a power supply terminal;

a plurality of sub-arrays, each including;

read gate lines to which the write gate terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled;

read gate line driving circuits which drive said read gate lines;

read select gate lines to which the read select gate terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled;

power supply lines to which the power supply terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled; and

data lines each of which is coupled to said data input/output terminals;

a memory array including;

the sub-arrays;

write gate line driving circuits which are provided in common to the read select gate lines included in each of said sub-arrays;

power supply line driving circuits which are commonly coupled to said power supply terminals included in each of said sub-arrays; and

read gate line transfer circuits which are commonly coupled to said read gate line driving circuits;

a write data transfer circuit whose components are coupled respectively to said data lines included in said sub-arrays and transfers data to be written into at least one of said nonvolatile memory cells when writing data into said nonvolatile memory cells;

a data line selecting circuit whose components are coupled respectively to said data lines included in said sub-arrays and selects a data line when reading data from at least one of said nonvolatile memory cells; and

an amplifier circuit which is commonly coupled to the components of said data line select circuit and amplifies a data signal appearing on the data line selected by said data line selecting circuit.

5. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, further comprising circuits for selecting a gate line driving circuit to select one of said read gate line driving circuits.

6. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein said memory cells are of a split gate type in which an insulating film is formed over a channel region between said data input/output terminal and said power supply terminal, the read select gate terminal is formed over said insulating film in a position nearer to said data input/output terminal, the write gate terminal is formed over said insulating film in a position nearer to said power supply terminal, and a charge storing layer is further formed between said insulating film and said write gate terminal.

7. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1 wherein, in said memory array, the number of said write gate line driving circuits is smaller than the number of said read gate line driving circuits and the number of said power supply line driving circuits is smaller than the number of said read gate line driving circuits.

2. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising:

an input/output circuit which inputs and outputs data and instructions;

a bus which is coupled to said input/output circuit and serves as a path for transmitting the data and instructions;

an operational circuit which is coupled to said bus, receives the data and instructions, and performs operational processing for the data; and

a memory module which is coupled to said operational circuit and stores a result of operational processing performed by said operational circuit and instructions to be used by said operational circuit,

said memory module including;

a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, each including a read select gate terminal, a write gate terminal, a data input/output terminal, and a power supply terminal;

a plurality of sub-arrays, each including;

read gate lines to which the write gate terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled;

read gate line driving circuits which drive said read gate lines;

read select gate lines to which the read select gate terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled;

power supply lines to which the power supply terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled; and

data lines each of which is coupled to a subset of said data input/output terminals;

a memory array including;

said sub-arrays;

write gate line driving circuits which are provided in common to the read select gate lines included in each of said sub-arrays;

power supply line driving circuits which are commonly coupled to said power supply terminals included in each of said sub-arrays; and

read gate line transfer circuits which are commonly coupled to said read gate line driving circuits;

a write data transfer circuit whose components are coupled respectively to said data lines included in said sub-arrays and transfers data to be written into at least one of said nonvolatile memory cells when writing data into said nonvolatile memory cells;

a data line selecting circuit whose components are coupled respectively to said data lines included in said sub-arrays and selects a data line when reading data from at least one of said nonvolatile memory cells; and

an amplifier circuit which is commonly coupled to the components of said data line select circuit and amplifies a data signal appearing on the data line selected by said data line selecting circuit.

8. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 2, wherein said memory module receives via said bus an address signal for selecting at least one of or at least one pair of said nonvolatile memory cells, data to be written into the at least one of or the at least one pair of nonvolatile memory cells, and a write instruction, a write gate line driving circuit, one of said power supply line driving circuits, and a desired one of said read gate line driving circuits included in a desired one of said sub-arrays are selected according to said address signal, and, via a write data transfer circuit activated by said write instruction, the data is written into the at least one of or the at least one pair of nonvolatile memory cells coupled to the desired read gate line driving circuit included in the desired sub-array.

9. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 2, further comprising circuits for selecting a gate line driving circuit to select one of said read gate line driving circuits.

12. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 2, wherein said memory cells are of a split gate type in which an insulating film is formed over a channel region between said data input/output terminal and said power supply terminal, the read select gate terminal is formed over said insulating film in a position nearer to said data input/output terminal, the write gate terminal is formed over said insulating film in a position nearer to said power supply terminal, and a charge storing layer is further formed between said insulating film and said write gate terminal.

15. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 2, wherein, in said memory array, the number of said write gate line driving circuits is smaller than the number of said read gate line driving circuits and the number of said power supply line driving circuits is smaller than the number of said read gate line driving circuits.

3. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising:

a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, each including;

a read select gate terminal;

a write gate terminal;

a data input/output terminal; and

a power supply terminal;

a plurality of sub-arrays, each including;

read gate lines to which the write gate terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled;

read gate line driving circuits which drive said read gate lines;

read select gate lines to which the read select gate terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled;

power supply lines to which the power supply terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled; and

data lines each of which is coupled to said data input/output terminals;

a memory array including;

the sub-arrays;

write gate line driving circuits which are provided in common to the read select gate lines included in each of said sub-arrays;

power supply line driving circuits which are commonly coupled to said power supply terminals included in each of said sub-arrays; and

read gate line transfer circuits which are commonly coupled to said read gate line driving circuits;

a write data transfer circuit whose components are coupled respectively to said data lines included in said sub-arrays and transfers data to be written into at least one of said nonvolatile memory cells when writing data into said nonvolatile memory cells;

a data line selecting circuit whose components are coupled respectively to said data lines included in said sub-arrays and selects a data line when reading data from at least one of said nonvolatile memory cells; and

an amplifier circuit which is commonly coupled to the components of said data line select circuit and amplifies a data signal appearing on the data line selected by said data line selecting circuit,

wherein said nonvolatile memory cells comprise complementary storage cells in which one unit of data is stored in a pair of a negative cell for storing negative data and a positive cell for storing positive data.

10. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 3, further comprising circuits for selecting a gate line driving circuit to select one of said read gate line driving circuits.

13. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 3, wherein said memory cells are of a split gate type in which an insulating film is formed over a channel region between said data input/output terminal and said power supply terminal, the read select gate terminal is formed over said insulating film in a position nearer to said data input/output terminal, the write gate terminal is formed over said insulating film in a position nearer to said power supply terminal, and a charge storing layer is further formed between said insulating film and said write gate terminal.

16. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 3, wherein, in said memory array, the number of said write gate line driving circuits is smaller than the number of said read gate line driving circuits and the number of said power supply line driving circuits is smaller than the number of said read gate line driving circuits.

4. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising:

an input/output circuit which inputs and outputs data and instructions;

a bus which is coupled to said input/output circuit and serves as a path for transmitting the data and instructions;

an operational circuit which is coupled to said bus, receives the data and instructions, and performs operational processing for the data; and

a memory module which is coupled to said operational circuit and stores a result of operational processing performed by said operational circuit and instructions to be used by said operational circuit,

said memory module including;

a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, each including a read select gate terminal, a write gate terminal, a data input/output terminal, and a power supply terminal;

a plurality of sub-arrays, each including;

read gate lines to which the write gate terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled;

read gate line driving circuits which drive said read gate lines;

read select gate lines to which the read select gate terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled;

power supply lines to which the power supply terminals of said nonvolatile memory cells are commonly coupled; and

data lines each of which is coupled to a subset of said data input/output terminals;

a memory array including;

said sub-arrays;

write gate line driving circuits which are provided in common to the read select gate lines included in each of said sub-arrays;

power supply line driving circuits which are commonly coupled to said power supply terminals included in each of said sub-arrays; and

read gate line transfer circuits which are commonly coupled to said read gate line driving circuits;

a write data transfer circuit whose components are coupled respectively to said data lines included in said sub-arrays and transfers data to be written into at least one of said nonvolatile memory cells when writing data into said nonvolatile memory cells;

a data line selecting circuit whose components are coupled respectively to said data lines included in said sub-arrays and selects a data line when reading data from at least one of said nonvolatile memory cells; and

an amplifier circuit which is commonly coupled to the components of said data line select circuit and amplifies a data signal appearing on the data line selected by said data line selecting circuit,

wherein said nonvolatile memory cells comprise complementary storage cells in which one unit of data is stored in a pair of a negative cell for storing negative data and a positive cell for storing positive data.

11. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 4, further comprising circuits for selecting a gate line driving circuit to select one of said read gate line driving circuits.

14. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 4, wherein said memory cells are of a split gate type in which an insulating film is formed over a channel region between said data input/output terminal and said power supply terminal, the read select gate terminal is formed over said insulating film in a position nearer to said data input/output terminal, the write gate terminal is formed over said insulating film in a position nearer to said power supply terminal, and a charge storing layer is further formed between said insulating film and said write gate terminal.

17. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 4, wherein, in said memory array, the number of said write gate line driving circuits is smaller than the number of said read gate line driving circuits and the number of said power supply line driving circuits is smaller than the number of said read gate line driving circuits.

18. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 4, wherein said memory module receives via said bus an address signal for selecting at least one of or at least one pair of said nonvolatile memory cells, data to be written into the at least one of or the at least one pair of nonvolatile memory cells, and a write instruction, a write gate line driving circuit, one of said power supply line driving circuits, and a desired one of said read gate line driving circuits included in a desired one of said sub-arrays are selected according to said address signal, and, via a write data transfer circuit activated by said write instruction, the data is written into the at least one of or the at least one pair of nonvolatile memory cells coupled to the desired read gate line driving circuit included in the desired sub-array.