Semiconductor device

• US 8,674,738 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nishijima, Tatsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LONG T
• Application Number:
  US13/473,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20120293231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 327/199, 327/208, 327/210, 327/211, 327/212, 327/214, 327/215, 327/218, 327/224
• US Class Current: 327/208
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 19/28 using semiconductor elements G11C19/14, G11C19/36 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/8258 the substrate being a semiconductor, using a combination of technologies covered by H01L21/8206, H01L21/8213 , H01L21/822, H01L21/8252, H01L21/8254 or H01L21/8256
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0688 Integrated circuits having a three-dimensional layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0922 Combination of complementary transistors having a different structure, e.g. stacked CMOS, high-voltage and low-voltage CMOS
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0175 Coupling arrangements; Interface arrangements interface arrangements for digital computers G06F3/00, G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/018507 Interface arrangements

Abstract

An object of one embodiment of the present invention to provide a latch circuit includes a level shifter and a buffer in which transistors each including a channel region formed in an oxide semiconductor film are connected in series. Thus, data can be held in the latch circuit even when power is not supplied.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a level shifter, the level shifter comprising;

a first input terminal;

a second input terminal configured to receive an inverted signal of an input signal input to the first input terminal;

a third input terminal;

a fourth input terminal configured to receive an inverted signal of an input signal input to the third input terminal;

a first output terminal; and

a second output terminal configured to output an inverted signal of an output signal output from the first output terminal,

a first buffer, the first buffer comprising;

a fifth input terminal;

a sixth input terminal configured to receive an inverted signal of an input signal input to the fifth input terminal; and

a third output terminal,

a second buffer, the second buffer comprising;

a seventh input terminal;

an eighth input terminal configured to receive an inverted signal of an input signal input to the seventh input terminal; and

a fourth output terminal,

a first switch;

a second switch;

a first terminal;

a second terminal configured to receive an inverted signal of a signal input to the first terminal; and

a third terminal configured to receive a clock signal for controlling states of the first switch and the second switch,

wherein the first output terminal is electrically connected to the third input terminal, the sixth input terminal, and the seventh input terminal via the first switch,

wherein the second output terminal is electrically connected to the fourth input terminal, the fifth input terminal, and the eighth input terminal via the second switch,

wherein the first input terminal is electrically connected to the fourth output terminal, and

wherein the second input terminal is electrically connected to the third output terminal.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein a first signal is held in a connection portion of the first input terminal and the fourth output terminal, and

wherein a second signal is held in a connection portion of the second input terminal and the third output terminal.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2,

wherein the first switch is controlled by the clock signal, so that the first signal held in the connection portion of the first input terminal and the fourth output terminal is output from the first output terminal, and

wherein the second switch is controlled by the clock signal, so that the second signal held in the connection portion of the second input terminal and the third output terminal is output from the second output terminal.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the first switch is controlled by the clock signal, so that a first signal is input to the third input terminal, the sixth input terminal, and the seventh input terminal from the first terminal,

wherein the second switch is controlled by the clock signal, so that a second signal that is an inverted signal of the first signal is input to the fourth input terminal, the fifth input terminal, and the eighth input terminal from the second terminal,

wherein a signal output from the third output terminal of the first buffer is input to the second input terminal of the level shifter, and

wherein a signal output from the fourth output terminal of the second buffer is input to the first input terminal of the level shifter.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the first buffer comprises a first transistor and a second transistor,

wherein the second buffer comprises a third transistor and a fourth transistor,

wherein each of the first to fourth transistors comprises an oxide semiconductor in a channel region,

wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are connected in series, and

wherein the third transistor and the fourth transistor are connected in series.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, a latch circuit comprises the level shifter, the first buffer, the second buffer, the first switch, and the second switch.

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

a level shifter;

a first buffer;

a second buffer;

a first switch;

a second switch;

a first terminal;

a second terminal configured to receive an inverted signal of a signal input to the first terminal; and

a third terminal configured to receive a clock signal for controlling states of the first switch and the second switch,

wherein the first buffer comprises a first transistor and a second transistor connected in series,

wherein the second buffer comprises a third transistor and a fourth transistor connected in series,

wherein the level shifter comprises a fifth transistor and a sixth transistor connected in series, and a seventh transistor and an eighth transistor connected in series,

wherein a connection portion of one of a source and a drain of the fifth transistor and one of a source and a drain of the sixth transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor, a gate of the third transistor, and a gate of the seventh transistor via the first switch which controls input of a first signal,

wherein a connection portion of one of a source and a drain of the seventh transistor and one of a source and a drain of the eighth transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the first transistor, a gate of the fourth transistor, and a gate of the fifth transistor via the second switch which controls input of a second signal that is an inverted signal of the first signal,

wherein a gate of the sixth transistor is electrically connected to a connection portion of one of a source and a drain of the first transistor and one of a source and a drain of the second transistor, and

wherein a gate of the eighth transistor is electrically connected to a connection portion of one of a source and a drain of the third transistor and one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7,

wherein the first signal is input from the first terminal, and

wherein the second signal is input from the second terminal.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 7,

wherein the first output terminal outputs the first signal, and

wherein the second output terminal outputs the second signal.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 7,

wherein each of the first transistor to the fourth transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor in a channel region,

wherein the fifth transistor and the seventh transistor are p-channel transistors, and

wherein the sixth transistor and the eighth transistor are n-channel transistors.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 7,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of each of the first transistor, the third transistor, the fifth transistor, and the seventh transistor is electrically connected to a wiring for supplying high power supply potential, and

wherein the other of the source and the drain of each of the second transistor, the fourth transistor, the sixth transistor, and the eighth transistor is electrically connected to a wiring for supplying low power supply potential.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, a latch circuit comprises the level shifter, the first buffer, the second buffer, the first switch, and the second switch.

13. A semiconductor device comprising:

a level shifter;

a first buffer;

a second buffer;

a first switch;

a second switch;

a first terminal;

a second terminal configured to receive an inverted signal of a signal input to the first terminal; and

a third terminal configured to receive a clock signal for controlling states of the first switch and the second switch,

wherein the first buffer comprises a first transistor and a second transistor connected in series,

wherein the second buffer comprises a third transistor and a fourth transistor connected in series,

wherein the level shifter comprises a fifth transistor, sixth transistor, and a seventh transistor connected in series, an eighth transistor, a ninth transistor, and a tenth transistor connected in series,

wherein a connection portion of one of a source and a drain of the sixth transistor and one of a source and a drain of the seventh transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor, a gate of the third transistor, and a gate of the eighth transistor via the first switch which controls input of a first signal,

wherein a connection portion of one of a source and a drain of the ninth transistor and one of a source and a drain of the tenth transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the first transistor, a gate of the fourth transistor, and a gate of the fifth transistor via the second switch which controls input of a second signal that is an inverted signal of the first signal,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the sixth transistor,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the eighth transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the ninth transistor,

wherein a gate of the sixth transistor and a gate of the seventh transistor are electrically connected to a connection portion of one of a source and a drain of the first transistor and one of a source and a drain of the second transistor, and

wherein a gate of the ninth transistor and a gate of the tenth transistor are electrically connected to a connection portion of one of a source and a drain of the third transistor and one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 13,

wherein the first signal is input from the first terminal, and

wherein the second signal is input from the second terminal.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 13,

wherein the first output terminal outputs the first signal, and

wherein the second output terminal outputs the second signal.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 13,

wherein each of the first transistor to the fourth transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor in a channel region,

wherein the fifth transistor, the sixth transistor, the eighth transistor, and the ninth transistor are p-channel transistors, and

wherein the seventh transistor and the tenth transistor are n-channel transistors.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 13,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of each of the first transistor, the third transistor, the fifth transistor, and the eighth transistor is electrically connected to a wiring for supplying high power supply potential, and

wherein the other of the source and the drain of each of the second transistor, the fourth transistor, the seventh transistor, and the tenth transistor is electrically connected to a wiring for supplying low power supply potential.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, a latch circuit comprises the level shifter, the first buffer, the second buffer, the first switch, and the second switch.