Semiconductor memory device
View Patent ↗When a command is input to a semiconductor memory device, a sub-threshold current is reduced to a predetermined value corresponding to the command. After the reduction of the sub-threshold current is completed, the semiconductor memory device starts to operate corresponding to the command.
1. A semiconductor memory device to which a layered I/O system is applied, comprising:
a sub-amplifier for the layered I/O system; and
a sub-threshold current reduction circuit for reducing a sub-threshold current to be input to the sub-amplifier,
wherein, a control signal turns on the sub-threshold current reduction circuit to reduce the sub-threshold current, and turns off the sub-threshold current reduction circuit to stop reducing the sub-threshold current when said sub-amplifier for the layered I/O system is in operation.
2. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
means for setting a latency; and
means for executing the command input to the semiconductor memory device after generating clock signals corresponding to the latency,
wherein:
the sub-threshold current reduction circuit reduces the sub-threshold current in response to inputting of the command; and
the command is executed after the reduction of the sub-threshold current is completed.
3. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of an act command, a pre-charge command, and a write command corresponds to the command.
4. The semiconductor-memory device claimed in claim 1 , wherein said sub-threshold current reduction circuit further comprises:
a first transistor;
a second transistor having different current supplying capability than that of the first transistor; and
a metal mask for selecting, in accordance with a type of the memory cell array, one of the first transistor and the second transistor.
5. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a metal mask for changing, in accordance with a type of the memory cell array, a substrate potential of a transistor for a write buffer in the sub-amplifier.
6. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 4 , wherein the type of the memory cell array comprises one of DDR-1 and DDR-2.
7. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 5 , wherein the type of the memory cell array comprises one of DDR-1 and DDR-2.
8. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 4 , further comprising a second metal mask for selecting, in accordance with the type of the memory cell array, one of the first transistor and the second transistor.
9. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 4 , wherein at least one of an act command, and a pre-charge command corresponds to the command.
10. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 1 , wherein a write latency is between 4 to 6, and the sub-threshold current reduction circuit is set by a write command.
11. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 10 , wherein the sub-threshold current reduction circuit is reset by the write command and a reset signal generated in an internal clock counter.
12. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 1 , wherein a write latency is between 2 to 3, and the sub-threshold current reduction circuit is set by an act command.
13. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 12 , wherein the sub-threshold current reduction circuit is reset by timing synchronous with an internal clock counter by the pre-charge command.
14. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 1 , wherein control signals for the sub-threshold current reduction circuit are changed over depending on numerical values of a write latency input into the sub-threshold current reduction circuit.
15. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 1 , wherein a return duration of the sub-Threshold current reduction circuit as a latency is set allows control of the sub-threshold current reduction circuit to be carried out by an act command or a write command.
16. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 1 , wherein the setting and resetting of the sub-threshold current reduction circuit is carried out by the command in timing synchronous with an internal clock.
17. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 4 , further comprising a second metal mask for changing, in accordance with a type of the memory cell array, a substrate potential of a transistor for a write buffer in the sub-amplifier.
18. A semiconductor memory device to which a layered I/O system is applied, comprising:
a sub-amplifier for the layered I/O system; and
means for reducing a sub-threshold current to be input to the sub-amplifier,
wherein, a control signal turns on the means for reducing to reduce the sub-threshold current, and turns off the means for reducing to stop reducing the sub-threshold current when said sub-amplifier for the layered I/O system is in operation.
19. A method for reducing a sub-threshold current in a semiconductor memory device to which a layered I/O system is applied, the method comprising:
providing a sub-amplifier for the layered I/O system;
activating a memory cell array of the semiconductor memory device;
reducing a sub-threshold current to be input to the sub-amplifier in response to a command for activating the memory cell array of the semiconductor memory device; and
stopping the reduction of a sub-threshold current to be input to the sub-amplifier when said sub-amplifier for the layered I/O system is in operation.
20. The method for reducing a sub-threshold current in a semiconductor memory device according to claim 19 , further comprising:
setting a latency; and
executing the command input to the semiconductor memory device after generating clock signals corresponding to the latency.
21. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 1 , wherein said sub-threshold current reduction circuit is applied to a write buffer of said sub-amplifier.
22. The semiconductor memory device claimed in claim 21 , wherein said sub-threshold current reduction circuit comprises a transistor having a drain connected to a source of a transistor in said write buffer.