Patents Assigned to Elpida Memory, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130173973
    Abstract: A device includes memory banks, each having a plurality of memory cells with respective error data output circuits. Each of the error data output circuits outputs first to M-th (M is an integer of 2 or more) error data according to first to M-th data retrieved from first to M-th memory cell groups selected from its corresponding memory bank. A test control circuit has first error data synthesis circuits and second to (M+1)-th error data synthesis circuits, each of which synthesizes the first to M-th error data from a corresponding error data output circuit and outputs the synthesized data as first test data. Each of the error data synthesis circuits synthesizes m-th (m is an integer of from 1 to M) error data from the error data output circuits and outputs the synthesized data as (m+1)-th test data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Elpida Memory, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8477552
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array, first and second bit lines, first and second amplifiers, and a sense amplifier control circuit. An amplifying element in the first sense amplifier amplifiers the signal of the first bit line and converts it into an output current. The second bit line is selectively connected to the first bit line via the first sense amplifier. A signal voltage decision unit in the second sense amplifier determines the signal level of the second bit line being supplied with the output current. The sense amplifier control circuit controls connection between the amplifying element and the unit in accordance with a determination timing, which switches the above connection from a connected state to a disconnected state at a first timing in a normal operation and switches in the same manner at a delayed second timing in a refresh operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kajigaya, Soichiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8477536
    Abstract: A plurality of contact plugs to be connected to a drain region or a source region of each of transistors constituting a sub-word line driver that drives a sub-word line are formed, by using a SAC line technique of selectively etching an insulation layer that covers each of the transistors by using a mask having line-shaped openings provided across a portion in which the contact plugs of each of the transistors are to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Ohgami
  • Patent number: 8476141
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a DRAM capacitor stack is described wherein the dielectric material is a multi-layer stack formed from a highly-doped material combined with a lightly or non-doped material. The highly-doped material remains amorphous with a crystalline content of less than 30% after an annealing step. The lightly or non-doped material becomes crystalline with a crystalline content of equal to or greater than 30% after an annealing step. The dielectric multi-layer stack maintains a high k-value while minimizing the leakage current and the EOT value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandra Malhotra, Hanhong Chen, Wim Deweerd, Mitsuhiro Horikawa, Kenichi Koyanagi, Hiroyuki Ode, Xiangxin Rui
  • Patent number: 8477548
    Abstract: A write circuit writes a first data signal that is an input data signal that indicates a first logic level to each memory bank in sequence and writes a second data signal that is an input data signal that indicates a second logic level to each memory bank simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenji Mae
  • Patent number: 8477520
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first amplifier circuit, a second amplifier circuit, first and second bit lines coupled to the first amplifier circuit, third and fourth bit lines coupled to the second amplifier circuit, a first equalizer circuit being coupled to the first and second bit lines, and a second equalizer circuit being coupled between the second and third bit lines. The second equalizer circuit being closer to the second amplifier circuit than the first equalizer circuit, the first equalizer circuit being closer to the first amplifier circuit than the second equalizer circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuki Hosoe, Kazuki Ishizuka
  • Publication number: 20130163353
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes: a data strobe terminal; a data terminal; a first output driver coupled to the data strobe terminal; a second output driver coupled to the data terminal; and a data control circuit configured to enable the first and second output drivers to function as termination resistors in different timings from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130163303
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes a multi-level wiring structure including a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer formed over the first wiring layer; a memory cell array area including a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of sense amplifiers and a plurality of sub amplifiers; a main amplifier area including a plurality of main amplifiers, the memory cell array area and the main amplifier area being arranged in line in a first direction; and a plurality of first I/O lines each connecting an associated one of the sub amplifiers to an associated one of the main amplifiers, each of the first I/O lines including first and second wiring portions that are elongated in the first direction, the first wiring portion being formed as the first wiring layer and the second wiring portion being formed as the second wiring layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Elpida Memory, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130161738
    Abstract: A semiconductor device 100 includes a plurality of vertical transistors 50 provided to stand from a silicon substrate 1 and having a pillar lower diffusion layer 9 at their end portions on the silicon substrate 1 side, a metal contact plug 31 provided to stand from the silicon substrate 1 and connected to the pillar lower diffusion layer 9 of the plurality of vertical transistors 50, the plurality of vertical transistors 50 are uniformly arranged around the metal contact plug 31 and share the pillar lower diffusion layer 9 and the metal contact plug 31.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: Elpida Memory, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130162275
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of channels, a plurality of command monitor circuits provided corresponding to the plurality of channels, respectively, and a plurality of signal lines coupled in common to the plurality of command monitor circuits. Each of the plurality of command monitor circuits includes a selector configured to receive a plurality of input signals and selectively output a plurality of selected signals among the input signals, based on a first selection information, and an output circuit coupled between the selector and the plurality of signal lines, and configured to output the selected signals to the plurality of signal lines, respectively, based on a second selection information. One of the plurality of command monitor circuits is selected to output the selected signals to the plurality of signal lines while the remaining of the command monitor circuits is non selected, based on the second selection information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Elpida Memory, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130161733
    Abstract: Disclosed herein a semiconductor device, which comprises: a vertical MOS transistor that has an upper diffusion layer, and a first lower diffusion layer disposed at a lower position than the upper diffusion layer; and a first diode that has a first well isolated from the first lower diffusion layer, and a second lower diffusion layer disposed at a lower position than the upper diffusion layer and formed in the first well. A surge voltage is discharged across the second lower diffusion layer and the first well when the surge voltage is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: Elpida Memory, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130161827
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a semiconductor chip that includes: a plurality of penetration electrodes each penetrating between main and back surfaces of the semiconductor chip, the penetration electrodes including a plurality of first penetration electrodes, a second penetration electrode and a third penetration electrode; and a wiring configured to intersect with a plurality of regions, each of the regions being defined as a region between corresponding two of the first penetration electrodes, one end of the wiring being coupled to the second penetration electrode, the other end of the wiring being coupled to the third penetration electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Elpida Memory, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130164909
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an insulating isolation portion in a groove of a substrate, forming a projection portion in which an upper portion of the insulating isolation portion projects from a principal surface of the substrate, forming a sidewall spacer covering a side surface of the projection portion and part of the principal surface of the substrate along the side surface of the projection portion, and forming a first trench in the substrate by etching the substrate using the sidewall spacer as a mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: Elpida Memory, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130162282
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes an internal circuit, a first terminal supplied with a first voltage, a first power-supply line coupled between the first terminal and the internal circuit, a potential monitoring terminal, and a first switch coupled between the internal power-supply line and the potential monitoring terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY INC.
    Inventor: ELPIDA MEMORY INC.
  • Publication number: 20130162302
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes: a first circuit configured to operate on a first power voltage to produce a first set of slew rate control signals; a second circuit configured to operate on a second power voltage to produce a second set of slew rate control signals in response to the first set of slew rate control signals; and a third circuit configured to operate on the second power voltage to produce a signal at a rate that is controllable in response to the second set of slew rate control signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: Elpida Memory, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130162308
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device that includes: a measurement circuit which measures propagation time of an internal clock signal; a delay adjustment circuit which adjusts the propagation time of the internal clock signal on the basis of a result of measurement by the measurement circuit; and a data output circuit which outputs a data signal in synchronization with the internal clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130163361
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a first pair of signal lines and a first control circuit. The first control circuit precharges each of the first pair of signal lines to a first voltage in response to a precharge signal, and changes the voltage level of each of the first pair of signal lines to a second voltage different from the first voltage when a deep power down signal is input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventor: Elpida Memory, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8473653
    Abstract: The core chips each include a timing control circuit that outputs a timing signal synchronized with the outputting of parallel data to the interface chip. The interface chip includes a data input circuit that captures parallel data in synchronization with the timing signal. With this arrangement, the timing to output the parallel data and the timing to capture the parallel data are both synchronized with the timing signal generated in the core chips. Therefore, even if there is a difference in operation speed between each core chip and the interface chip, the parallel data can be accurately captured on the interface chip side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Chikara Kondo, Naohisa Nishioka
  • Patent number: 8472273
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a sense amplifier circuit. The sense amplifier circuit includes a cross-coupled first transistor and second transistor that perform amplification. The sources of the cross-coupled transistors are respectively connected in series with a third transistor and a fourth transistor, and electrical current supply capability of the third and fourth transistors is controlled by a control voltage given to control electrodes of the third and fourth transistors. In a data retaining period, a minimum sub-threshold current necessary for retaining the data is flowed to the third and fourth transistors according to the control voltage, and bit line potential is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Takayama, Akira Kotabe, Kiyoo Itoh, Tomonori Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 8472272
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of the invention comprise a memory cell array configured with hierarchical local bit lines and global bit lines, in which there are provide local bit lines, global bit lines, switches controlling a connection between the global bit lines, sense amplifiers, and a control circuit controlling the switches. In a first period, each sense amplifier amplifies a signal of one of adjacent global bit lines, and in a second period, each sense amplifier amplifies a signal of the other thereof. Accordingly, coupling between the global bit lines can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Elpida Memory Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kajigaya