Abstract: The need for mediation operation is eliminated by adoption of a connection topology in which a circuit for executing one transmission (TR—00T), and a circuit for executing a plurality of receptions (TR—10R, TR—20R, TR—30R) are connected to one penetration-electrode group (for example, TSVGL—0). In order to implement the connection topology even in the case of piling up a plurality of LSIs one after another, in particular, a programmable memory element for designating respective penetration-electrode ports for use in transmit, or for us in receive, and address allocation of the respective penetration-electrode ports is mounted in stacked LSIs.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device comprising a capacitive element, an area of the capacitive element is reduced without impairing performance, and further, without addition of an extra step in a manufacturing process.

Abstract: In an information memory apparatus having minute areas for storing information arranged in x, y and z directions three-dimensionally, parallel rays are irradiated to a memory area MA in a direction perpendicular to a z-axis to take projection images of the memory area MA while rotating the memory area MA around the z-axis little by little. The light rays irradiated at this time have a size which covers at least a direction of an x-y plane of the memory area. A computation unit PU finds data and addresses of minute areas distributed three-dimensionally by performing computation based upon the principle of computer tomography on the projection images. As for data writing, a change is given to optical transmissivity or light emission characteristics by irradiating laser light focused by a lens OL placed outside the memory area to a desired minute area and causing heat denaturation within the pertinent minute area.

Abstract: A memory system permitting a number of alternative memory blocks to be made ready in order to extend the rewritable life and thereby contributing to enhanced reliability of information storage is to be provided. The memory system is provided with a nonvolatile memory having a plurality of data blocks in predetermined physical address units and a controller for controlling the nonvolatile memory in response to an access request from outside. Each of the data blocks has areas for holding a rewrite count and error check information regarding each data area. The controller, in a read operation on the nonvolatile memory, checks for any error in the area subject to the read according to error check information and, when there is any error, if the rewrite count is greater than a predetermined value, will replace the pertinent data block with another data block or if it is not greater, correct data in the data block pertaining to the error.