Programmable logic device

• US 8,581,625 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2012
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoneda, Seiichi, Nishijima, Tatsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Cho, James H
• Application Number:
  US13/463,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20120293206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 326 37- 39, 326/41, 326/44, 326/45, 326/47, 326 49- 50, 326/101
• US Class Current: 326/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1225 with semiconductor materials not belonging to the group IV of the periodic table, e.g. InGaZnO
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/124 with a particular composition, shape or layout of the wiring layers specially adapted to the circuit arrangement, e.g. scanning lines in LCD pixel circuits wiring structures per se H01L23/52
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7869 having a semiconductor body comprising an oxide semiconductor material, e.g. zinc oxide, copper aluminium oxide, cadmium stannate
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0008 Arrangements for reducing power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0013 in field effect transistor circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17736 Structural details of routing resources
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17744 for input/output signals

Abstract

An object is to provide a programmable logic device having logic blocks connected to each other by a programmable switch, where the programmable switch is characterized by an oxide semiconductor transistor incorporated therein. The extremely low off-state current of the oxide semiconductor transistor provides a function as a non-volatile memory due to its high ability to hold a potential of a gate electrode of a transistor which is connected to the oxide semiconductor transistor. The ability of the oxide semiconductor transistor to function as a non-volatile memory allows the configuration data for controlling the connection of the logic blocks to be maintained even in the absence of a power supply potential. Hence, the rewriting process of the configuration data at starting of the device can be omitted, which contributes to the reduction in power consumption of the device.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first wiring and a second wiring;

a logic block electrically connected to the first wiring and the second wiring; and

a wiring selection circuit provided at an intersection of the first wiring and the second wiring,

wherein the wiring selection circuit comprises a switch which comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, and a fourth transistor each comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a gate;

wherein the first terminal and the second terminal of the first transistor are electrically connected to the first wiring and the second wiring, respectively,

wherein the second terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to the gate of the first transistor,

wherein the gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to the gate of the fourth transistor, and

wherein the second transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first transistor comprises a single crystal semiconductor.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a capacitor electrically connected to the second terminal of the second transistor.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a capacitor electrically connected to the second terminal of the fourth transistor.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a capacitor electrically connected between the second terminal of the fourth transistor and the gate of the first transistor.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises indium and oxygen.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises a crystal with c-axis alignment.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises stoichiometrically excessive oxygen.

9. An electronic device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 1.

10. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first wiring and a second wiring;

a logic block electrically connected to the first wiring and the second wiring; and

a wiring selection circuit provided at an intersection of the first wiring and the second wiring,

wherein the wiring selection circuit comprises a switch which comprises first to fourth transistors each comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a gate,

wherein the first terminal and the second terminal of the first transistor are electrically connected to the first wiring and the second wiring, respectively,

wherein the second terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to the gate of the first transistor,

wherein the gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to the gate of the fourth transistor,

wherein the first terminal and the second terminal of the third transistor are electrically connected to the first wiring and the second wiring, respectively, and

wherein the second transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein polarities of the first transistor and the third transistor are different from each other.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, further comprising a capacitor electrically connected to the second terminal of the second transistor.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, further comprising a capacitor electrically connected to the second terminal of the fourth transistor.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, further comprising a capacitor electrically connected between the second terminal of the fourth transistor and the gate of the first transistor.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises indium and oxygen.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises a crystal with c-axis alignment.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises stoichiometrically excessive oxygen.

18. An electronic device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 10.