SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE

• US 20130208534A1
• Filed: 11/13/2012
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: KISHIBE, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,687,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/154
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/417 for memory cells of the field-effect type

Abstract

A semiconductor memory device pertaining to the present invention includes a plurality of memory macros having memory cells and memory peripheral circuits which drive the memory cells; first power supply switches which control power supply to the memory cells; and a second power supply switch which controls power supply to the memory peripheral circuits. The first power supply switches are located within the memory macros, respectively, and provided between a power supply line feeding power to the memory cells and the memory cells. The second power supply switch is located outside the memory macros and provided between the power supply line and a common power supply wiring for the memory peripheral circuits in the plurality of memory macros.

Claims

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a first memory macro;

a second memory macro;

a first power switch coupled in common to the first and second memory macros to receive a control signal turning on the first power switch;

a second power switch coupled in common to the first and second memory macros to receive another control signal turning on the second power switch.

2. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein a transistor size of the second power switch is larger than the first power switch.

3. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein the another control signal is input to the second power switch after the control signal is input to the first power switch.

4. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein the first memory macro comprises a first memory cell and a first peripheral circuit, and the second memory macro comprises a second memory cell and a second peripheral circuit.

5. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, further comprising a third switch coupled in common to the first and second memory cells to receive a signal turning on the first and second memory cells.

6. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, further comprising a third switch coupled to the first memory cell, and a fourth switch coupled to the second memory cell.

7. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein the first and second power switches are coupled to the first and second peripheral circuits.

8. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, further comprising a first power supply line coupled to the first and second switches and the first and second memory cells, and a second power supply line coupled to the first and second peripheral circuits and the first and second switches, wherein the first and second switches are coupled between the first and second power supply line.

9. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit configured to output the control signal and the another control signal thereto.

10. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein the first and second memory cells are SRAM cells.