IP Library Granted Patent US 10,475,521
Granted Patent B2
US 10,475,521 · App. 15/606,637 · Granted Nov 12, 2019

Semiconductor storage device and test method thereof using a common bit line

Inventor: Makoto Yabuuchi (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
G11C29/1201G11C7/12G11C7/14G11C7/22G11C8/08G11C11/412G11C29/12015H01L27/1104H01L27/1116G11C11/419G11C2029/1202G11C2029/1204
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,475,521
App. No.
15/606,637
Granted
Nov 12, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a semiconductor storage device including: first memory cells; first word lines; first bit lines; a first common bit line; second memory cells; second word lines; second bit lines; a second common bit line; a first selection circuit that connects the first common bit line to a first bit line selected from the first bit lines; a second selection circuit that connects the second common bit line to a second bit line selected from the second bit lines; a word line driver that activates any one of the first and second word lines; a reference current supply unit that supplies a reference current to a common bit line among the first and second common bit lines, the common bit line not being electrically connected to a data read target memory cell; and a sense amplifier that amplifies a potential difference between the first and second common bit lines.

Claims (56)

1. A semiconductor storage device comprising:

a plurality of first memory cells provided in a matrix manner in a first memory cell array;

a plurality of first write word lines and a plurality of first read word lines, the first write word lines and the first read word lines being respectively provided in a plurality of rows of the plurality of first memory cells;

a plurality of first write bit line pairs and a plurality of first read bit lines, the first write bit line pairs and the first read bit lines being respectively provided in a plurality of columns of the plurality of first memory cells;

a first common bit line;

a plurality of second memory cells provided in a matrix manner in a second memory cell array;

a plurality of second write word lines and a plurality of second read word lines, the second write word lines and the second read word lines being respectively provided in a plurality of rows of the plurality of second memory cells;

a plurality of second write bit line pairs and a plurality of second read bit lines, the second write bit line pairs and the second read bit lines being respectively provided in a plurality of columns of the plurality of second memory cells;

a second common bit line;

a first selection circuit that connects the first common bit line to one of the plurality of first read bit lines based on a control signal;

a second selection circuit that connects the second common bit line to one of the plurality of second read bit lines based on the control signal;

a first word line driver that activates any one of the plurality of first read word lines;

a second word line driver that activates any one of the plurality of second read word lines;

a reference current supply unit that supplies a reference current to a common bit line among the first and second common bit lines, the common bit line not being electrically connected to a data read target memory cell;

a sense amplifier that amplifies a potential difference between the first and second common bit lines;

an output switching circuit that selectively outputs, as read data, one of an output signal of the sense amplifier and an inverted signal of the output signal, according to an attribute of a data read target memory cell,

a test control circuit that activates, during a test mode, any of the write word lines corresponding to the data read target memory cell, and further activates either of the plurality of first read word lines or the plurality of second read word lines which are in the same row as the any of the write word lines, after a lapse of a predetermined period of time,

wherein when the data read target memory cell belongs to the plurality of first memory cells, the output switching circuit outputs an output signal of the sense amplifier as the read data, and when the data read target memory cell belongs to the plurality of second memory cells, the output switching circuit outputs an inverted signal of the output signal of the sense amplifier as the read data, and

wherein the output switching circuit includes:

a first PMOS transistor having a source connected to a power supply voltage terminal, and a gate connected to the first common bit line;

a second PMOS transistor having a source connected to a drain of the first PMOS transistor, a drain connected to an output terminal, and a gate supplied with a determination signal indicating whether or not a data read target memory cell belongs to the plurality of first memory cells;

a first NMOS transistor having a source connected to a ground voltage terminal, and a gate connected to the first common bit line;

a second NMOS transistor having a source connected to a drain of the first NMOS transistor, a drain connected to the output terminal, and a gate supplied with an inverted signal of the determination signal;

a third PMOS transistor having a source connected to the power supply voltage terminal, and a gate connected to the second common bit line;

a fourth PMOS transistor having a source connected to a drain of the third PMOS transistor, a drain connected to the output terminal, and a gate supplied with an inverted signal of the determination signal;

a third NMOS transistor having a source connected to the ground voltage terminal, and a gate connected to the second common bit line; and

a fourth NMOS transistor having a source connected to a drain of the third NMOS transistor, a drain connected to the output terminal, and a gate supplied with the determination signal.

2. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the test control circuit makes the first read word lines inactive, and thereafter makes the any of the first write word lines inactive.

3. A test method of a semiconductor storage device, the semiconductor storage device comprising:

a plurality of first memory cells provided in a matrix manner in a first memory cell array;

a plurality of first write word lines and a plurality of first read word lines, the first write word lines and the first read word lines being respectively provided in a plurality of rows of the plurality of first memory cells;

a plurality of first write bit line pairs and a plurality of first read bit lines, the first write bit line pairs and the first read bit lines being respectively provided in a plurality of columns of the plurality of first memory cells;

a first common bit line;

a plurality of second memory cells provided in a matrix manner in a second memory cell array;

a plurality of second write word lines and a plurality of second read word lines, the second write word lines and the second read word lines being respectively provided in a plurality of rows of the plurality of second memory cells;

a plurality of second write bit line pairs and a plurality of second read bit lines, the second write bit line pairs and the second read bit lines being respectively provided in a plurality of columns of the plurality of second memory cells;

a second common bit line;

a first selection circuit that connects the first common bit lines to one of the first read bit line based on a control signal;

a second selection circuit that connects the second common bit line to one of the plurality of second read bit lines based on the control signal;

a first word line driver that activates any one of the plurality of first read word lines;

a reference current supply unit that supplies a reference current to a common bit line among the first and second common bit lines, the common bit line not being electrically connected to a data read target memory cell;

a sense amplifier that amplifies a potential difference between the first and second common bit lines;

an output switching circuit that selectively outputs, as read data, one of an output signal of the sense amplifier and an inverted signal of the output signal, according to an attribute of a data read target memory cell,

wherein when the data read target memory cell belongs to the plurality of first memory cells, the output switching circuit outputs an output signal of the sense amplifier as the read data, and when the data read target memory cell belongs to the plurality of second memory cells, the output switching circuit outputs an inverted signal of the output signal of the sense amplifier as the read data, and

wherein the output switching circuit includes:

a first PMOS transistor having a source connected to a power supply voltage terminal, and a gate connected to the first common bit line;

a second PMOS transistor having a source connected to a drain of the first PMOS transistor, a drain connected to an output terminal, and a gate supplied with a determination signal indicating whether or not a data read target memory cell belongs to the plurality of first memory cells;

a first NMOS transistor having a source connected to a ground voltage terminal, and a gate connected to the first common bit line;

a second NMOS transistor having a source connected to a drain of the first NMOS transistor, a drain connected to the output terminal, and a gate supplied with an inverted signal of the determination signal;

a third PMOS transistor having a source connected to the power supply voltage terminal, and a gate connected to the second common bit line;

a fourth PMOS transistor having a source connected to a drain of the third PMOS transistor, a drain connected to the output terminal, and a gate supplied with an inverted signal of the determination signal;

a third NMOS transistor having a source connected to the ground voltage terminal, and a gate connected to the second common bit line; and

a fourth NMOS transistor having a source connected to a drain of the third NMOS transistor, a drain connected to the output terminal, and a gate supplied with the determination signal,

the method comprising:

activating, during a test mode, any of the write word lines corresponding to the data read target memory cell, and further activating either of the plurality of first read word lines or the plurality of second read word lines which are in the same row as the any of the write word lines, after a lapse of a predetermined period of time.

4. The test method of a semiconductor storage device according to claim 3 , further comprising making the read word lines inactive, and thereafter making the any of the write word lines inactive.

Assignments (1)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Nov 28, 2017
From: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044811/0758 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2013-194249 · Sep 19, 2013 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15337139 · Oct 28, 2016
Division 14454357 · Aug 7, 2014
Related Publication 20170263334A1 · Sep 14, 2017