Memory device and signal processing circuit

• US 8,787,102 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ishizu, Takahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN
• Application Number:
  US13/473,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20120294102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 365/203, 365/149, 365/154, 365/189.2, 365/228
• US Class Current: 365/203
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/24 using capacitors G11C11/22 takes precedence; using a combination of semiconductor devices and capacitors G11C11/34, e.g. G11C11/40
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/40 using transistors
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/412 using field-effect transistors only
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 14/0054 in which the volatile element is a SRAM cell
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 10/125 the MOSFET being a thin film transistor [TFT]

Abstract

A memory device which can keep a stored logic state even when the power is off is provided. A signal processing circuit including the memory device, which achieves low power consumption by stopping supply of power, is provided. A memory device includes a logic circuit including a first node and a second node, a first memory circuit connected to the first node, a second memory circuit connected to the second node, and a precharge circuit connected to the first node, the second node, the first memory circuit, and the second memory circuit. When reading data is performed, the precharge circuit outputs a precharge potential to the first node and the second node. The first memory circuit and the second memory circuit each include a transistor in which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor film.

Claims

1. A memory device comprising:

a logic circuit configured to store data, the logic circuit including a first node and a second node;

a first memory circuit electrically connected to the first node;

a second memory circuit electrically connected to the second node; and

a precharge circuit electrically connected to the first node, the second node, the first memory circuit, and the second memory circuit,

wherein the first memory circuit comprises a first transistor and a first capacitor, and the second memory circuit comprises a second transistor and a second capacitor, each of the first transistor and the second transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor film having low off-state current,

wherein the precharge circuit is configured to output a first precharge potential to the first node and a second precharge potential to the second node, and

wherein off-state current density of the first transistor and the second transistor having the low off-state current is less than or equal to 100 zA/μ

m.

2. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor film comprises at least two kinds of elements selected from indium, gallium, tin, and zinc.

3. A signal processing circuit comprising the memory device according to claim 1.

4. The memory device according to claim 1,

wherein the logic circuit comprises a first inverter and a second inverter,

wherein an input terminal of the first inverter is electrically connected to an output terminal of the second inverter and the second node, and

wherein an input terminal of the second inverter is electrically connected to an output terminal of the first inverter and the first node.

5. The memory device according to claim 4, wherein one of a source and a drain of a tenth transistor included in the first inverter is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of an eleventh transistor included in the second inverter.

6. The memory device according to claim 4, wherein one of a source and a drain of an eighth transistor included in the first inverter is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of an ninth transistor included in the second inverter.

7. The memory device according to claim 1,

wherein the precharge circuit comprises a third transistor, a fourth transistor, and a fifth transistor,

wherein a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the fourth transistor and a gate of the fifth transistor,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the third transistor and the first node, and

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 third transistor and the second node.

8. The memory device according to claim 7, wherein a third potential is supplied to the gate of the third transistor, so that the third transistor, the fourth transistor, and the fifth transistor are turned on.

9. The memory device according to claim 1, further comprising a sixth transistor and a seventh transistor, wherein one of a source and a drain of the sixth transistor is electrically connected to the first node, and wherein one of a source and a drain of the seventh transistor is electrically connected to the second node.

10. The memory device according to claim 9, wherein a first potential is supplied to a gate of the sixth transistor and a gate of the seventh transistor, so that the sixth transistor and the seventh transistor are turned on.

11. The memory device according to claim 9, wherein a first data signal is input to the other of the source and the drain of the sixth transistor.

12. The memory device according to claim 9, wherein a second data signal is input to the other of the source and the drain of the seventh transistor.

13. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein a second potential is supplied to a gate of the first transistor and a gate of the second transistor, so that the first transistor and the second transistor are turned on.

14. The memory device according to claim 1,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor and a first electrode of the first capacitor are electrically connected to a third node, and

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor and a first electrode of the second capacitor are electrically connected to a fourth node.

15. The memory device according to claim 14, wherein the third node stores a fourth potential held in the first node, and wherein the fourth node stores a fifth potential held in the second node.

16. A semiconductor device comprising:

cells arranged in matrix of m rows and n columns, the cells each comprising;

a logic circuit configured to store data, the logic circuit including a first node and a second node;

a first circuit electrically connected to the first node;

a second circuit electrically connected to the second node; and

a precharge circuit electrically connected to the first node, the second node, the first circuit, and the second circuit,

wherein the first circuit and the second circuit each include a transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor film having low off-state current and a capacitor, and

wherein off-state current density of the transistor having the low off-state current is less than or equal to 100 zA/μ

m.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein the precharge circuit is configured to output a first precharge potential to the first node and a second precharge potential to the second node.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein the semiconductor device is a CPU.

19. A memory device comprising:

memory cells arranged in matrix of m rows and n columns, the memory cells each comprising;

a logic circuit configured to store data, the logic circuit including a first node and a second node;

a first memory circuit electrically connected to the first node;

a second memory circuit electrically connected to the second node; and

a precharge circuit electrically connected to the first node, the second node, the first memory circuit, and the second memory circuit,

wherein the first memory circuit and the second memory circuit each include a transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor film having low off-state current and a capacitor, and

wherein off-state current density of the transistor having the low off-state current is less than or equal to 100 zA/μ

m.

20. The memory device according to claim 19, wherein the memory device is used as a register.

21. The memory device according to claim 19, wherein the memory device is used as a cache memory.