Semiconductor memory device

• US 8,995,185 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2012
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hosono, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): HIDALGO, FERNANDO N
• Application Number:
  US13/603,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20130250683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 365/185.05, 365/185.06, 365/185.11, 365/185.13, 365/185.17, 365/185.23, 365/185.33
• US Class Current: 365/185.05
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5621 using charge storage in a floating gate
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5671 using charge trapping in an insulator
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/0483 comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/06 Auxiliary circuits, e.g. for writing into memory
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/08 Address circuits; Decoders; Word-line control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/10 Programming or data input circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/26 Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes memory units each includes a first transistor, memory cell transistors, and a second transistor serially coupled between first and second ends. A memory cell transistor of each memory unit has its gate electrode coupled to each other. A bit line is coupled to the first ends. First and second drivers output voltage applied to selected and unselected first transistors, respectively. Third and fourth drivers output voltage applied to selected and unselected second transistors, respectively. A selector couples the gate electrode of the first transistor of each memory unit to the first or second driver, and that of the second transistor of each memory unit to the third or fourth driver.

Claims

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a plurality of first memory units each comprising a first transistor, first to n^th memory cell transistors (n being a natural number), and a second transistor which are serially coupled between a first end and a second end;

a plurality of first lines coupled to the first transistors;

a plurality of second lines coupled to the second transistors;

a bit line coupled to first ends of the first memory units;

a row decoder coupled to the first lines and the second lines;

a first driver configured to output voltage to a selected one of the first lines;

a second driver configured to output voltage to unselected of the first lines;

a third driver configured to output voltage to a selected one of the second lines;

a fourth driver configured to output voltage to unselected of the second lines;

a selector coupled to the row decoder, the selector being configured to

selectively individually couple the first line of each of the first memory units to the first or second driver, and

selectively individually couple the second line of each of the first memory units to the third or fourth driver.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein

the first driver outputs one of voltages required to be applied to the first transistor of the selected memory unit in accordance with operation of the device,

the third driver outputs one of voltages required to be applied to the second transistor of the selected memory unit in accordance with operation of the device,

the second driver outputs voltage configured to maintain the unselected first transistors off, and

the fourth driver outputs voltage configured to maintain the unselected second transistors off.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the selector:

couples the respective first and second lines of the selected memory unit to the first and third drivers, respectively, and

couples the respective first and second lines of the unselected memory units to the second and fourth drivers, respectively.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the selector comprises:

for each of the first memory units,

a first switch configured to selectively couple the first driver and the first line;

a second switch configured to selectively couple the second driver and the first line;

a third switch configured to selectively couple the third driver and the second line; and

a fourth switch configured to selectively couple the fourth driver and the second line.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the selector is configured, for each of the first memory units, to turn on or off the first and third switches collectively, and turn on or off the second and fourth switches collectively.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the selector is configured, for each of the first memory units, to turn on or off the first and third switches individually, and turn on or off the second and fourth switches individually.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein

the respective gate electrodes of at least two of the second transistors are mutually coupled, and

the selector couples the mutually coupled gate electrodes of the second transistors to the third driver selectively, and to the fourth driver selectively.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein

for each of the first memory units, the selector comprises:

a first switch configured to selectively couple the first driver and the first line; and

a second switch configured to selectively couple the second driver and the first line, and

the selector further comprises;

a third switch configured to selectively couple the third driver and the mutually coupled gate electrodes of the second transistors; and

a fourth switch configured to selectively couple the fourth driver and the mutually coupled gate electrodes of the second transistors.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising second memory units each comprising a first transistor, memory cell transistors, and a second transistor which are serially connected between a first end and a second end, wherein

memory cell transistors each of which is one of the memory cell transistors of each of the second memory units have their gate electrodes coupled to each other,

the second memory units are commonly coupled to the bit line at their respective first ends,

the gate electrode of the first transistor of one of the memory units and the gate electrode of the first transistor of one of the second memory units are mutually coupled, and

the selector selectively couples the mutually coupled gate electrodes of the first transistors to the first driver, and selectively couples the mutually coupled gate electrodes of the first transistors to the second driver.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein

the memory units are included in a first block,

the second memory units are included in a second block, and

each of the first and second blocks are the unit of data erasure.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the selector comprises an interconnect and a transistor between a substrate and the memory unit.