IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,424,890
Granted Patent B2
US 9,424,890 · App. 14/951,937 · Granted Aug 23, 2016

Semiconductor device and driving method thereof

Inventors: Hiroki Inoue (Kanagawa, JP); Kiyoshi Kato (Kanagawa, JP); Takanori Matsuzaki (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., LTD.
G11C5/10G11C7/12H01L27/0629H01L27/108
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,424,890
App. No.
14/951,937
Granted
Aug 23, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device capable of inhibiting incorrect data readout is provided. In a memory cell including a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor, the potential of a fourth wiring is set to GND when data is written, and the potential is set to VDD when data is read out, for example. Note that the potential of a third wiring is set to GND when data is written and when data is read out, for example. When data is read out, the first transistor is off, so that a first capacitor and a fourth capacitor are connected in series. The potential of a second electrode of the second capacitor increases in this state, and thus part of charges accumulated in the second capacitor transfers to the first capacitor, so that the potential of a node increases.

Claims (105)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first transistor;

a second transistor;

a third transistor;

a first capacitor; and

a second capacitor,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first wiring,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first electrode of the first capacitor,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first electrode of the second capacitor,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to a second wiring,

wherein the third transistor and the second transistor are electrically connected in series,

wherein a second electrode of the first capacitor is electrically connected to a third wiring, and

wherein a second electrode of the second capacitor is electrically connected to a fourth wiring.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to a fifth wiring, and

wherein a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to a sixth wiring.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the third transistor, and

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the first wiring.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the third transistor, and

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to a seventh wiring.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the one of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the third transistor,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the first wiring, and

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the second wiring.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the one of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the third transistor,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to a seventh wiring, and

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the second wiring.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer including a channel formation region.

8. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first memory cell;

a second memory cell; and

a third memory cell,

wherein each of the first memory cell, the second memory cell, and the third memory cell comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, a first capacitor, and a second capacitor,

wherein in the first memory cell, one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first wiring,

wherein in the second memory cell, one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a second wiring,

wherein in the third memory cell, one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first wiring,

wherein in each of the first memory cell, the second memory cell, and the third memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor,

wherein in each of the first memory cell, the second memory cell, and the third memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first electrode of the first capacitor,

wherein in each of the first memory cell, the second memory cell, and the third memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first electrode of the second capacitor,

wherein in the first memory cell, one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to a third wiring,

wherein in the second memory cell, one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to a fourth wiring,

wherein in the third memory cell, one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the third wiring,

wherein in each of the first memory cell, the second memory cell, and the third memory cell, the third transistor and the second transistor are electrically connected in series,

wherein in the first memory cell, a second electrode of the first capacitor is electrically connected to a fifth wiring,

wherein in the second memory cell, a second electrode of the first capacitor is electrically connected to the fifth wiring,

wherein in the third memory cell, a second electrode of the first capacitor is electrically connected to the fifth wiring,

wherein in the first memory cell, a second electrode of the second capacitor is electrically connected to a sixth wiring,

wherein in the second memory cell, a second electrode of the second capacitor is electrically connected to the sixth wiring, and

wherein in the third memory cell, a second electrode of the second capacitor is electrically connected to a seventh wiring.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein in the first memory cell, a gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to an eighth wiring,

wherein in the second memory cell, a gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to the eighth wiring,

wherein in the third memory cell, a gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to a ninth wiring,

wherein in the first memory cell, a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to a tenth wiring,

wherein in the second memory cell, a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to the tenth wiring, and

wherein in the third memory cell, a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to an eleventh wiring.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein in each of the first memory cell, the second memory cell, and the third memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the third transistor,

wherein in the first memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the first wiring,

wherein in the second memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the second wiring, and

wherein in the third memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the first wiring.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein in each of the first memory cell, the second memory cell, and the third memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the third transistor,

wherein in the first memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the third wiring,

wherein in the second memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the fourth wiring, and

wherein in the third memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the third wiring.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein in each of the first memory cell, the second memory cell, and the third memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the third transistor,

wherein in the first memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to a twelfth wiring,

wherein in the second memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to a thirteenth wiring, and

wherein in the third memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the twelfth wiring.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein in each of the first memory cell, the second memory cell, and the third memory cell, the one of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the one of the source and the drain of the third transistor,

wherein in the first memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to a twelfth wiring,

wherein in the second memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to a thirteenth wiring,

wherein in the third memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the twelfth wiring,

wherein in the first memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the third wiring,

wherein in the second memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the fourth wiring, and

wherein in the third memory cell, the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the third wiring.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein in each of the first memory cell, the second memory cell, and the third memory cell, the first transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer including a channel formation region.

15. A method for driving a semiconductor device comprising a memory cell, the memory cell comprising:

a first transistor;

a second transistor;

a third transistor;

a first capacitor; and

a second capacitor,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first wiring,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first electrode of the first capacitor,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first electrode of the second capacitor,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to a second wiring,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the third transistor, and

wherein the other of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the first wiring,

the method comprising the steps of:

supplying a first potential to a second electrode of the first capacitor and a second electrode of the second capacitor when data is written to the memory cell; and

supplying the first potential to the second electrode of the first capacitor and a second potential to the second electrode of the second capacitor.

16. The method for driving a semiconductor device, according to claim 15 ,

wherein the first transistor is an N-channel transistor,

wherein the second transistor is a P-channel transistor, and

wherein the second potential is higher than the first potential.

17. The method for driving a semiconductor device, according to claim 15 , wherein when the data is read out from the memory cell, the second potential is supplied to the second wiring.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 25, 2015
From: INOUE, HIROKI; KATO, KIYOSHI; MATSUZAKI, TAKANORI
To: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 037141/0538 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-242844 · Dec 1, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160155480A1 · Jun 2, 2016