Abstract: The semiconductor device includes: a word line; a bit line: a power supply node; a plurality of memory elements including at least first and second regions that form a PN junction between the bit line, and the power supply node, and a third region that forms a PN junction with the second region; and a control circuit which, during a refresh operation, activates both a used word line that is accessed during reading and writing operations and an unused. word line that is not accessed during the reading and writing operations, and sets a potential of the second region of each of the used word line and the unused word line at a predetermined voltage.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of first and second memory cells each comprising a variable resistance element that establishes an electrical resistance that changes in response to an application of a write voltage after a forming voltage has been applied, the first memory cell to which the forming voltage is applied, and the second memory cell to which the forming voltage is not applied, and the second memory cell being configured to store one of first and second logic values constituting first information, the first and second logic values being different from each other.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including: a resistive memory element; a data line electrically coupled to the resistive memory element; a control line; a power supply line; and a control circuit including a first constant current element, a first transistor, and a second transistor. In the control circuit, the first transistor has a gate coupled to the data line, one of a source and a drain coupled to the first constant current element, and the other one of the source and the drain coupled to the power supply line. The second transistor has a gate coupled to one of the source and the drain of the first transistor, one of a source and a drain coupled to the data line, and the other one of the source and the drain coupled to the control line.

Abstract: A supply voltage generating circuit includes a first charge pump circuit that generates a first internal supply voltage, and second charge pump circuit that generates a second internal supply voltage. The absolute value of the second internal supply voltage is greater than that of the first internal supply voltage. The output terminal of the first charge pump circuit is connected to a secondary-side charging terminal of the second charge pump circuit. The secondary-side is an output-side of the corresponding charge pump circuit, and the charging terminal is an auxiliary charging terminal that supplies an auxiliary charge to a secondary-side output terminal of the corresponding charge pump circuit. The output terminal of the second charge pump circuit outputs a voltage value that is the result of adding a prescribed voltage value to the value of the first internal supply voltage applied to the charging terminal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a word line, a bit line, a power supply node, a memory element that includes at least first and second regions that form a PN junction between the bit lie and the power supply node, and a third region that forms a PN junction with the second region and a capacitor that includes a first electrode provided independently from the second region of the memory element and electrically connected to the second region of the memory element, and a second electrode connected to the word line.

Abstract: A supply voltage generating circuit includes a first charge pump circuit that generates a first internal supply voltage, and second charge pump circuit that generates a second internal supply voltage. The absolute value of the second internal supply voltage is greater than that of the first internal supply voltage. The output terminal of the first charge pump circuit is connected to a secondary-side charging terminal of the second charge pump circuit. The secondary-side is an output-side of the corresponding charge pump circuit, and the charging terminal is an auxiliary charging terminal that supplies an auxiliary charge to a secondary-side output terminal of the corresponding charge pump circuit. The output terminal of the second charge pump circuit outputs a voltage value that is the result of adding a prescribed voltage value to the value of the first internal supply voltage applied to the charging terminal.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including a word line, a bit line, a power supply node, a memory element, and a capacitor. The memory element includes at least first and second regions that form a PN junction between the bit line and the power supply node, and a third region that forms a PN junction with the second region. The capacitor includes a first electrode provided independently from the second region of the memory element and electrically connected to the second region of the memory element, and a second electrode connected to the word line.

Abstract: A supply voltage generating circuit includes a first charge pump circuit that generates a first internal supply voltage, and second charge pump circuit that generates a second internal supply voltage. The absolute value of the second internal supply voltage is greater than that of the first internal supply voltage. The output terminal of the first charge pump circuit is connected to a secondary-side charging terminal of the second charge pump circuit. The secondary-side is an output-side of the corresponding charge pump circuit, and the charging terminal is an auxiliary charging terminal that supplies an auxiliary charge to a secondary-side output terminal of the corresponding charge pump circuit. The output terminal of the second charge pump circuit outputs a voltage value that is the result of adding a prescribed voltage value to the value of the first internal supply voltage applied to the charging terminal.

Abstract: A supply voltage generating circuit includes a first charge pump circuit that generates a first internal supply voltage, and second charge pump circuit that generates a second internal supply voltage. The absolute value of the second internal supply voltage is greater than that of the first internal supply voltage. The output terminal of the first charge pump circuit is connected to a secondary-side charging terminal of the second charge pump circuit. The secondary-side is an output-side of the corresponding charge pump circuit, and the charging terminal is an auxiliary charging terminal that supplies an auxiliary charge to a secondary-side output terminal of the corresponding charge pump circuit. The output terminal of the second charge pump circuit outputs a voltage value that is the result of adding a prescribed voltage value to the value of the first internal supply voltage applied to the charging terminal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of drain lines each being commonly connected to first nodes of a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of bit lines respectively connected to second nodes of the memory cells, a source line, a transistor that connects the drain lines to the source line, and a transistor that connects the source line to a ground potential in response to an access to the memory cell. Under control in which the memory cells are all deactivated, the semiconductor device controls the drain line to a drain potential that is higher than the ground potential, and controls the source line to be in a floating state by deactivating the transistors.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first insulating film region that is embedded in a trench formed on the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode that covers a lower surface of the first insulating film region, and a gate insulating film that is provided between the gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a first diffusion region that covers a first side surface of the first insulating film region, a second diffusion region that covers a second side surface of the first insulating film region, and a third diffusion region that covers an upper surface of the second diffusion region. A selective element includes a field-effect transistor that is constituted by the gate electrode, the first diffusion region, and the second diffusion region, and a bipolar transistor that is constituted by the substrate and the second and third diffusion regions.

Abstract: A supply voltage generating circuit includes a first charge pump circuit that generates a first internal supply voltage, and second charge pump circuit that generates a second internal supply voltage. The absolute value of the second internal supply voltage is greater than that of the first internal supply voltage. The output terminal of the first charge pump circuit is connected to a secondary-side charging terminal of the second charge pump circuit. The secondary-side is an output-side of the corresponding charge pump circuit, and the charging terminal is an auxiliary charging terminal that supplies an auxiliary charge to a secondary-side output terminal of the corresponding charge pump circuit. The output terminal of the second charge pump circuit outputs a voltage value that is the result of adding a prescribed voltage value to the value of the first internal supply voltage applied to the charging terminal.

Abstract: A current limit circuit comprising: a current limit element for limiting an output current level to within a predetermined range of a limiting current and including a first PMOS transistor having a source to which a predetermined voltage is applied and a drain through which the output current is supplied; and a gate voltage generating circuit for generating a gate voltage by a feedback control such that a difference between the predetermined voltage and a gate voltage of the first PMOS transistor coincides with a threshold voltage of a second PMOS transistor having approximately the same characteristic as that of the first PMOS transistor in a state in which a predetermined current is flowing through the second PMOS transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a bit line, a memory cell, and a control circuit. The memory cell includes a switch circuit coupled to the bit line and a memory element configured to store either one of first and second data. The control circuit controls a voltage of the bit line to turn on the switch element in a first time period and to turn off the switch element in a second time period following the first time period when the control circuit writes the first data to the memory element. The control circuit controls the voltage of the bit line to turn on the switch element in the first time period and to maintain an on-state of the switch circuit in the second time period when the control circuit writes the second data to the memory element.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell, first and second voltage generating circuits generating first and second voltages, and a control circuit. A memory element and a diode included in the memory cell are connected in series between first and second lines. The first voltage has no temperature dependence, and the second voltage has a temperature dependence opposite to that of a forward voltage of the diode. The control circuit detects a resistance state of the memory element in accordance with a change in current flowing in the memory cell in a state where the first/second voltage is applied to the first/second in a read operation of the memory cell.

Abstract: A supply voltage generating circuit includes a first charge pump circuit that generates a first internal supply voltage, and second charge pump circuit that generates a second internal supply voltage. The absolute value of the second internal supply voltage is greater than that of the first internal supply voltage. The output terminal of the first charge pump circuit is connected to a secondary-side charging terminal of the second charge pump circuit. The secondary-side is an output-side of the corresponding charge pump circuit, and the charging terminal is an auxiliary charging terminal that supplies an auxiliary charge to a secondary-side output terminal of the corresponding charge pump circuit. The output terminal of the second charge pump circuit outputs a voltage value that is the result of adding a prescribed voltage value to the value of the first internal supply voltage applied to the charging terminal.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including a word line, a bit line, a power supply node, a memory element, and a capacitor. The memory element includes at least first and second regions that form a PN junction between the bit line and the power supply node, and a third region that forms a PN junction with the second region. The capacitor includes a first electrode provided independently from the second region of the memory element and electrically connected to the second region of the memory element, and a second electrode connected to the word line.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device comprises: a phase change element (RP) and a memory cell transistor (MN0) that controls writing and reading of data with respect to the phase change element (RP); the memory cell transistor (MN0) supplies a current to the phase change element (RP) based on a first potential (VPS) in a first (read) operation mode, and in a second (write) operation mode supplies a current based on the first potential (VPS), and subsequently supplies a current based on a second potential (VPP) higher than the first potential (VPS). In a write operation, consumed current is reduced.

Abstract: The semiconductor memory device includes a control circuit that performs control of reading data from and writing data into each memory cell. The control circuit includes a flip-flop circuit that stores the data read from the memory cell and stores the data to be written into the memory cell and a dynamic type holding circuit connected to the flip-flop circuit through a switch. The dynamic-type holding circuit temporarily stores the data read from the memory cell. When the data read from the memory cell and then held in the holding circuit is different from the data in the flip-flop circuit to be written, supplied from an outside at a time of writing into the memory cell, control is performed so that the data in the flip-flop circuit is written into the memory cell.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first read/write amplifier; a second read/write amplifier; a first group of bit lines belonging to the first read/write amplifier; a second group of bit lines belonging to the second read/write amplifier and mixed with the first group of bit lines. One of the first group of bit lines and one of the second group of bit lines are selected in parallel. A reference potential is supplied to at least one of the first non-selected bit lines adjacent to the first selected bit line selected from the first group of bit lines, and to at least one of the second non-selected bit lines adjacent to the second selected bit line selected from the first group of bit lines. At least one of remaining ones of the first and second non-selected bit lines is set into a floating state.