IP Library Granted Patent US 7,498,637
Granted Patent B2
US 7,498,637 · App. 11/151,455 · Granted Mar 3, 2009

Semiconductor memory

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,498,637
App. No.
11/151,455
Granted
Mar 3, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A SRAM memory is composed of FD-SOI transistors, and performance of the memory cell is improved by controlling an electric potential of a layer under a buried oxide film of a SOI transistor constituting a driver transistor. Performance of the SRAM circuit in the low power voltage state is improved. In the SRAM memory cell composed of the FD-SOI transistor, an electric potential of a well under a BOX layer is controlled to control a threshold voltage Vth, thereby increasing a current. Thus, the operations of the memory cell can be stabilized.

Claims (17)

1. A semiconductor memory including a static type memory cell comprising:

first and second driver transistors each having an FD-SOI structure in which a SOI layer is completely depleted, the first and second driver transistors being n-type transistors;

first and second storage nodes for storing data therein;

a first transfer transistor connected between one of a bit line pair for access to the memory cell and the first storage node; and

a second transfer transistor connected between the other one of the bit line pair and the second storage node,

wherein each of said first and second driver transistors comprises a semiconductor layer, including a well layer, formed in a semiconductor substrate, and a buried oxide film layer provided on said well layer;

wherein source nodes of said first and second driver transistors are connected to a ground potential line,

wherein said well layer of the first driver transistor is connected to a gate node of the first driver transistor via a first contact which penetrates said semiconductor layer,

wherein said well layer of the second driver transistor is connected to a gate node of the second driver transistor via a second contact which penetrates said semiconductor layer,

wherein said static type of memory cell has only four transistors constituted by said first and second transfer transistors and said first and second driver transistors,

wherein a well layer of said first transfer transistor is connected to said second storage node,

wherein a well layer of said second transfer transistor is connected to said first storage node, and

wherein, in said static type of memory cell, well nodes of the first transfer transistor and first driver transistor are formed integral with each other, and well nodes of the second transfer transistor and second driver transistor are formed integral with each other.

2. The semiconductor memory according to claim 1 ,

wherein said first and second transfer transistors are p-type transistors.

3. The semiconductor memory according to claim 1 ,

wherein, in said static type of memory cell, said well nodes of the first transfer transistor and first driver transistor are connected to a gate node of the first transfer transistor through a contact formed under a contact for connecting said gate node of the first driver transistor to a metallic wiring, and said well nodes of the second transfer transistor and second driver transistor are connected to a gate node of the second transfer transistor through a contact formed under a contact for connecting said gate node of the second driver transistor to a metallic wiring.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 9, 2010
From: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024973/0099 →
MERGER Recorded Sep 9, 2010
From: RENESAS TECHNOLOGY CORP.
To: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024982/0040 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2005
From: YAMAOKA, MASANAO; OSADA, KENICHI; ITOH, KIYOO; KAWAHARA, TAKAYUKI
To: RENESAS TECHNOLOGY CORP.
Reel/Frame 016692/0796 →