Abstract: Herein disclosed is a semiconductor memory device, in which peripheral circuits are arranged in a cross area of a semiconductor chip composed of the longitudinal center portions and the transverse center portions, and in which memory arrays are arranged in the four regions which are divided by the cross area. Thanks to this structure in which the peripheral circuits are arranged at the center portion of the chip, the longest signal transmission paths can be shortened to about one half of the chip size to speed up the DRAM which is intended to have a large storage capacity.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device is provided which includes a substrate arrangement which is suitable for forming a large number of types of DRAMs having different package specifications, different bit structure and different operating modes. In conjunction with this, the bonding pads are arranged at optimum locations for accommodating the different package types. Various layout arrangements are also provided to minimize space and to improve access time. Additional features are provided, including improved output buffer circuitry, protection circuitry and testing methods to facilitate operation of the semiconductor memory device.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit device fabricating process for forming MISFETs over the principal surface in those active regions of a substrate, which are surrounded by inactive regions formed of an element separating insulating film and channel stopper regions, comprising: the step of for forming a first mask by a non-oxidizable mask and an etching mask sequentially over the principal surface of the active regions of the substrate; the step of forming a second mask on and in self-alignment with the side walls of the first mask by a non-oxidizable mask thinner than the non-oxidizable mask of the first mask and an etching mask respectively; the step of etching the principal surface of the inactive regions of the substrate by using the first mask and the second mask; the step of forming the element separating insulating film over the principal surface of the inactive regions of the substrate by an oxidization using the first mask and the second mask; and the step of forming the channel s

Abstract: A single chip semiconductor integrated circuit device having a central processing unit (CPU) and a flash memory which stores data to be processed by the CPU and which provides data to the CPU through the data bus in response to accessing instructions from the CPU through the address bus. The flash memory is constituted by a plurality of memory arrays in which a plurality of word lines are commonly employed for all of the memory arrays and a plurality of data lines are distributed amongst the memory arrays. The nonvolatile memory cells are arranged in a manner in which plural memory blocks are formed. The memory blocks formed can be facilitated with different memory capacities. This is achieved by having one or more rows of memory cells associated with one or more word lines provided within a memory block.

Abstract: A nonvolatile storage element of single-layer gate structure constructed by arranging a floating gate formed of a conductive layer to partly overlap with a control gate formed of a diffused layer is provided with a barrier layer covering a part or the whole of the surface of the floating gate. Such nonvolatile storage elements are used for redundancy control of defects or change of functions.

Abstract: A parallel processor system including a plurality of processors. When packets of same destination PE number are inputted from different ports, the destination PE number is added with ID numbers of leading ports of split crossbar switches to which the different input ports belong, respectively, by using respective addition circuits, to thereby determine a transfer destination output port for the packets. A plurality of the split crossbar switches having different numbers of input/output ports are realized by partitioning a crossbar switch.

Abstract: An operation complete signal and a convergence result signal from each processor are transferred to the X-direction interconnection switches, AND of these signals is obtained in switch units in each interconnection switch, the signal is sent out to all the Y-direction interconnection switches through a synchronizing signal relay switch and the like in each relay switch, AND of these signals is obtained in each switch unit in the interconnection switches, and the result thereof is transferred to each processor through each synchronizing signal relay switch. With this, a logical product of an operation complete signal and a logical product of a convergence result signal from all the processors are sent in parallel to all the processors.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit device fabricating process for forming MISFETs over the principal surface in those active regions of a substrate, which are surrounded by inactive regions formed of an element separating insulating film and channel stopper regions, comprising: the step of for forming a first mask by a non-oxidizable mask and an etching mask sequentially over the principal surface of the active regions of the substrate; the step of forming a second mask on and in self-alignment with the side walls of the first mask by a non-oxidizable mask thinner than the non-oxidizable mask of the first mask and an etching mask respectively; the step of etching the principal surface of the inactive regions of the substrate by using the first mask and the second mask; the step of forming the element separating insulating film over the principal surface of the inactive regions of the substrate by an oxidization using the first mask and the second mask; and the step of forming the channel s

Abstract: One object of the present invention is to provide the reduced projection exposure method which enables the exposure of various and fine patterns in manufacturing process of semiconductor devices or semiconductor integrated circuit devices. Structure of the present invention to attain the above object is to carry out the reduced projection exposure using a phase shift mask provided with a prescribed correction pattern on the end of the mask pattern domain of a constant mode or the boundary of the mask pattern domain of plural modes. According to this structure, as the end effects etc. are canceled by the correction pattern, the various and fine patterns can be exposed.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a microcomputer MCU adopting the general purpose register method. The microcomputer is enabled to have a small program capacity or a high program memory using efficiency and a low system cost, while enjoying the advantage of simplification of the instruction decoding as in the RISC machine having a fixed length instruction format of the prior art, by adopting a fixed length instruction format having a power of 2 but a smaller bit number than that of the maximum data word length fed to instruction execution means. And, the control of the coded division is executed by noting the code bits.

Abstract: When the data of a mask pattern of a phase shift mask is to be made, the pattern data is separated into a real pattern data layer having the data of real patterns and a phase shift pattern data layer having the data of phase shift patterns. After this, it is verified whether or not the mask pattern satisfies the regulation of the gap of in-phase patterns, in which lights having transmitted through patterns adjacent to each other are in phase. It is also verified whether or not the mask pattern satisfies the regulation of the gap of out-of-phase patterns, in which lights having transmitted through patterns adjacent to each other are out of phase.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is fabricated by forming first metal balls on electrode pads of a semiconductor chip. The first metal balls each can have a sharp tipped anchor. All of the anchors simultaneously flattened slightly only to the extent of equalizing the height thereof. The first metal balls are bonded to electrodes formed on a substrate with wirings by embedding the anchors into the electrodes. Alternatively, second metal balls can be formed on the electrodes which are then flattened to equalize the height thereof. The first metal balls, either with or without the anchors, are bonded to the second metal balls. The first and second metal balls are preferably heated during the bonding step to soften the second metal balls.

Abstract: Any one of the internal circuits of a semiconductor integrated circuit is made to operate both at a relatively high operating voltage having a predetermined allowable range and at a relatively low operating voltage also having a predetermined allowable range. The operating voltage is supplied from the outside. Moreover, the operating conditions of the internal circuits constituting the semiconductor integrated circuit are individually set restrictive to the relatively high operating voltage having a predetermined allowable range and to the relatively low operating voltage having a predetermined allowable range. The semiconductor integrated circuit is made to operate selectively at these operating voltages. Since the internal circuits are operated at these two kinds of operating voltages, an arrangement of internal circuits can be simplified and at the same time the semiconductor integrated circuit is usable in not only the conventional system but also a low-voltage one.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a semiconductor memory device, in which peripheral circuits are arranged in a cross area of a semiconductor chip composed of the longitudinal center portions and the transverse center portions, and in which memory arrays are arranged in the four regions which are divided by the cross area. Thanks to this structure in which the peripheral circuits are arranged at the center portion of the chip, the longest signal transmission paths can be shortened to about one half of the chip size to speed up the DRAM which is intended to have a large storage capacity.

Abstract: One object of the present invention is to provide the reduced projection exposure method which enables the exposure of various and fine patterns in manufacturing process of semiconductor devices or semiconductor integrated circuit devices. Structure of the present invention to attain the above object is to carry out the reduced projection exposure using a phase shift mask provided with a prescribed correction pattern on the end of the mask pattern domain of a constant mode or the boundary of the mask pattern domain of plural modes. According to this structure, as the end effects etc. are canceled by the correction pattern, the various and fine patterns can be exposed.

Abstract: Write column selection MOSFETs of memory cells MC are coupled with, for example, the earth potential of the circuit. Write column selection signals supplied to these MOSFETs are formed selectively according to the column selection address signal and the write data. Thereby the write column selection MOSFETs of the memory cells MC function as a substantial write means. That is, the write column selection signal lines are used as the data lines at the same time.

Abstract: A pipelined A/D converter which minimizes differential non-linearity by preventing mismatching between converting stages. The A/D converter includes a plurality of converting stages connected in a cascade form wherein each of the converting stages includes an ADC unit for converting an analog input into a digital output. The digital outputs from said converting stages form a conversion output. Each preceding converting stage except a last converting stage further includes an amplifier for deriving and amplifying a conversion residue representing a quantization error resulting from the conversion performed by the preceding converting stage based on the digital output outputted by the ADC unit of the preceding converting stage and the analog input inputted to the preceding converting stage. The amplified conversion residue from the preceding converting stage is supplied as an analog input to a succeeding converting stage.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory is provided which includes a voltage converter supplying an internal supply voltage in proportion to the greater one of two reference voltages to a circuit in the semiconductor memory. The voltage converter includes a circuit which is provided for generating a first voltage whose dependency on an external supply voltage is regulated to a predetermined small value, while another circuit is provided for generating a second voltage whose dependency on the external supplying voltage is larger than the dependency of the first voltage. The voltage converter includes MOS transistors and differential amplifiers interconnected with one another, as well as a voltage dividing circuit. The memory also includes a word line booster for boosting the internal supply voltage.

Abstract: A multiport memory is provided which permits both random access and serial access. In order to reduce parasitic capacitance and improve operating speed, the serial input/output lines are each divided into two parts at their middle points. Sense amplifiers for the serial input/output lines are provided at upper and lower ends of the serial access memory elements to respectively amplify signals from the divided lines. Additional features are provided for improving both the serial and random operation. For example, during the serial read mode, the column selector for random access is simultaneously operated, and read data passing through the random access column selector is used as head data for the serial output operation to be delivered through the serial output circuit. Also, a serial selector can be controlled by a select signal formed by a Gray Code counter to improve operating speed.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a semiconductor integrated circuit for testing test data of two kinds of non-inverted and inverted statuses of all bits by itself with a prospective data of one kind to compress and output the test results. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes a decide circuit 25 for deciding a first status, in which the prospective data latched by a pattern register and the read data of a memory cell array are coincident, a second status, in which the read data is coincident with the logically inverted data of the prospective data, and a third statuses other than the first and second statuses through an exclusive OR gate to generate signals of 2 bits capable of discriminating the individual statuses. These statuses are informed to the outside of the semiconductor integrated circuit in accordance with high- and low-levels and a high-impedance.