Semiconductor device

• US 8,575,960 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ohmaru, Takuro, Shionoiri, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US13/471,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20120293203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 326 39- 41, 326/44, 326/112, 326/113, 326/119
• US Class Current: 326/44
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/105 including field-effect components
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/1776 for memories
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17764 for reliability
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17772 for powering on or off

Abstract

A programmable analog device in which data can be held even when supply of a power supply potential is stopped. The programmable circuit includes unit cells connected in parallel or in series, and each of the unit cells includes an analog element. A conduction state of each of the unit cells is changed between an on state and an off state. Each of the unit cells includes, as a switch of the unit cell, a first transistor having a sufficiently low off-state current and a second transistor, a gate electrode of the second transistor being electrically connected to a source or drain electrode of the first transistor. The conduction state of the unit cell is controlled with a potential of the gate electrode of the second transistor, which can be kept even when no power is supplied thanks to the low off-state current of the first transistor.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising a programmable circuit, the programmable circuit comprising:

a unit cell comprising;

an input signal line,

an output signal line;

an analog element;

a first transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, a first source electrode, a first drain electrode, and a first gate electrode; and

a second transistor comprising a second source electrode, a second drain electrode, and a second gate electrode, the second gate electrode being electrically connected to one of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode, and one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode being electrically connected to the analog element,

wherein the analog element and the second transistor are connected in series between the input signal line and the output signal line.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising additional unit cells each having a same structure as the unit cell, and connected in a matrix including the unit cell.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the analog element comprises an oxide semiconductor.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the analog element is a capacitor, a resistor, or a photoelectric conversion element.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, each unit cell further comprising:

an inverter;

a third transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, a third source electrode, a third drain electrode, and a third gate electrode, the third gate electrode being electrically connected to the first gate electrode; and

a fourth transistor of a type, n-channel or p-channel, different from a type of the second transistor, and comprising a fourth source electrode, a fourth drain electrode, and a fourth gate electrode,

wherein the fourth gate electrode is electrically connected to the other of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode through the inverter, the third source electrode, and the fourth source electrode,

wherein one of the fourth source electrode and the fourth drain electrode is electrically connected to the one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode, and

wherein the other of the fourth source electrode and the fourth drain electrode being electrically connected to the other of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are formed over a same substrate.

20. The semiconductor according to claim 1,

wherein the unit cell is a programmable cell in which a programmed state is a potential of the second gate electrode kept in a wiring connecting the second gate electrode to the one of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode when the first transistor is turned off.

23. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the semiconductor device is one of an RF circuit, an analog baseband circuit, a memory circuit, an application processor, a display controller and an audio circuit.

3. A semiconductor device comprising a programmable circuit, the programmable circuit including:

an input signal line,

an output signal line;

a column of unit cells comprising unit cells, each of the unit cells comprising;

an analog element;

a first transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, a first source electrode, a first drain electrode, and a first gate electrode; and

a second transistor comprising a second source electrode, a second drain electrode, and a second gate electrode, the second gate electrode being electrically connected to one of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode, and one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode being electrically connected to the analog element,

wherein, for each unit cell, the analog element and the second transistor are connected in series between the input signal line and the output signal line.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, further comprising at least one additional column of unit cells,

wherein the outputs of the unit cells of the column are electrically connected to inputs of the unit cells of the at least one additional column of unit cells.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein the analog element comprises an oxide semiconductor.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein the analog element is a capacitor, a resistor, or a photoelectric conversion element.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, each unit cell further comprising;

an inverter;

a third transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, a third source electrode, a third drain electrode, and a third gate electrode, the third gate electrode being electrically connected to the first gate electrode; and

a fourth transistor of a type, n-channel or p-channel, different from a type of the second transistor, and comprising a fourth source electrode, a fourth drain electrode, and a fourth gate electrode,

wherein the fourth gate electrode is electrically connected to the other of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode through the inverter, the third source electrode, and the fourth source electrode,

wherein one of the fourth source electrode and the fourth drain electrode is electrically connected to the one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode, and

wherein the other of the fourth source electrode and the fourth drain electrode being electrically connected to the other of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are formed over a same substrate.

21. The semiconductor according to claim 3,

wherein each unit cell is a programmable cell in which a programmed state is a potential of the corresponding second gate electrode kept in a wiring connecting the corresponding second gate electrode to the one of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode of the corresponding first transistor when the corresponding first transistor is turned off.

24. The semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein the semiconductor device is one of an RF circuit, an analog baseband circuit, a memory circuit, an application processor, a display controller and an audio circuit.

26. The semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein inputs of the unit cells are directly connected to the input signal line, and

wherein outputs of the units cells are directly connected to the output signal line.

5. A semiconductor device comprising a programmable circuit, the programmable circuit including:

an input signal line,

an output signal line;

a row of unit cells comprising at least a first unit cell and a second unit cell, each of the unit cells comprising;

an analog element;

a first transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, a first source electrode, a first drain electrode, and a first gate electrode; and

a second transistor comprising a second source electrode, a second drain electrode, and a second gate electrode, the second gate electrode being electrically connected to one of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode, and one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode being electrically connected to the analog element,

wherein the analog elements and the second transistors of the unit cells are connected in series between the input signal line and the output signal line.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, further comprising at least one additional row of unit cells,

wherein the analog elements and the second transistors of the unit cells of the additional row of unit cells are connected in series between the input signal line and the output signal line.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, further comprising at least one additional row of unit cells,

wherein the analog elements and the second transistors of the unit cells of the additional row of unit cells are connected in series between the input signal line and the output signal line, and

wherein a node between two consecutive unit cells of the row of unit cells is electrically connected to a node between two consecutive unit cells of the additional row of unit cells.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 5,

wherein the analog element comprises an oxide semiconductor.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 5,

wherein the analog element is a capacitor, a resistor, or a photoelectric conversion element.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, each unit cell further comprising:

an inverter;

a third transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, a third source electrode, a third drain electrode, and a third gate electrode, the third gate electrode being electrically connected to the first gate electrode; and

a fourth transistor of a type, n-channel or p-channel, different from a type of the second transistor, and comprising a fourth source electrode, a fourth drain electrode, and a fourth gate electrode,

wherein the fourth gate electrode is electrically connected to the other of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode through the inverter, the third source electrode, and the fourth source electrode,

wherein one of the fourth source electrode and the fourth drain electrode is electrically connected to the one of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode, and

wherein the other of the fourth source electrode and the fourth drain electrode being electrically connected to the other of the second source electrode and the second drain electrode.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 5,

wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are formed over a same substrate.

22. The semiconductor according to claim 5,

wherein each unit cell is a programmable cell in which a programmed state is a potential of the corresponding second gate electrode kept in a wiring connecting the corresponding second gate electrode to the one of the first source electrode and the first drain electrode of the corresponding first transistor when the corresponding first transistor is turned off.

25. The semiconductor device according to claim 5,

wherein the semiconductor device is one of an RF circuit, an analog baseband circuit, a memory circuit, an application processor, a display controller and an audio circuit.

27. The semiconductor device according to claim 5,

wherein an output of the first unit cell is directly connected to an input of the second unit cell.