Abstract: A semiconductor device has at least a first capacitor and a second capacitor. First electrodes of the first and second capacitors are connected in common, a first voltage (½ VPERI) is applied to the first electrodes, a second voltage (for example, VPERI) that is different from the first voltage is applied to either one of the second electrodes, and the first voltage is applied to the other second electrode. A capacitor which constitutes a dummy capacitance is provided by applying one of the second electrodes of the first and second capacitors with the same voltage as the voltage applied to their first electrodes, whereby making it possible to increase the area of the compensation capacitance in the semiconductor device without changing a specified capacitance value.

Abstract: A word driver drives a word line with a first power supply voltage and with a second power supply voltage which has a potential lower than the first power potential, respectively in a first time period and in a second time period following the first time period for activating the word line.

Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a barrier layer, a via hole is formed in an insulating layer that covers a conductive layer over a substrate, and then the barrier layer is formed in the via hole. The barrier layer is provided by forming a second titanium nitride film after forming a first titanium nitride film. The second titanium nitride film is formed using a method having a weak anisotropy than the first titanium nitride film.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device that includes: a frequency dividing circuit dividing a frequency of a first clock signal to generate second clock signals that are different in phase from one another; a multiplier circuit multiplying the second clock signals to generate a third clock signal; a data input/output terminal; data buses; and a data input/output circuit coupled between the data input/output terminal and the data buses. The data input/output circuit includes a data output circuit and a data input circuit. The data output circuit outputs read data supplied in parallel from the data buses to the data input/output terminal in serial in synchronism with the third clock signal. The data input circuit outputs write data supplied in serial from the data input/output terminal to the data buses in parallel in synchronism with a predetermined one of the second clock signals.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes the following elements. A semiconductor substrate includes an isolation region. The semiconductor substrate has a groove in the isolation region. A pad electrode is disposed in the groove. A pad contact plug is disposed in the groove. The pad contact plug is disposed on the pad electrode. A gate contact plug is disposed on the pad contact plug. The gate contact plug is electrically coupled through the pad contact plug to the pad electrode. An insulating side wall is disposed in the groove. The insulating side wall covers side surfaces of the pad contact plug and a lower portion of the gate contact plug, and the insulating side wall covers a part of an upper surface of the pad electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a memory cell including a capacitor and a select transistor with a floating body structure, a bit line connected to the select transistor, a bit line control circuit, and a sense amplifier amplifying a signal read out from the memory cell. The bit line control circuit sets the bit line to a first potential during a non-access period of the memory cell, and thereafter sets the bit line to a second potential during an access period of the memory cell, so that the data retention time can be prolonged by reducing leak current at a data storage node of the memory cell so that an average consumption current for the data retention can be reduced.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes: first lines formed on a first wiring layer extending in a first direction; second lines formed on a second wiring layer extending in a second direction; and conductor plugs connecting the first lines to the second lines such that the first and second lines form a mesh-structure wiring. The first lines include first enlarged portions at intersection positions where the first and second lines cross to each other, a width in the second direction of the first enlarged portions is wider than a line width of the first lines at other than the intersection position. The second lines include second enlarged portions at the intersection positions, a width in the first direction of the second enlarged portions is wider than a line width of the second lines at other than the intersection position.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a chip stacked structure. The chip stacked structure may include, but is not limited to, first and second semiconductor chips. The first semiconductor chip has a first thickness. The second semiconductor chip has a second thickness that is thinner than the first thickness.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing an output clock signal with an input clock signal in a delay locked loop. A first count values decreasing the number of bypassed elements in a differential delay line until an edge of the output clock signal is delayed relative to an edge of the input clock signal or the first count value reaches a first count final value if the first count value reaches the first count final value, a second count value is adjusting to decrease the number of bypassed elements in a single-ended delay line until the edge of the output clock signal is delayed relative to the edge of the input clock signal. A third count value is adjusted to decrease the delay of an interpolator until the edge of the output clock signal is no longer delayed with respect to the edge of the input clock signal.

Abstract: A method for accessing a semiconductor device having a memory array, the method includes receiving a mode register command to set a command latency value in a mode register, receiving a chip select signal, activating a command receiver in response to the chip select signal, receiving, with the command receiver, an access command with a first latency from the chip select signal equal to the command latency value, accessing the memory array in response to the access command, and deactivating the command receiver with a second latency from the chip select signal equal to a deactivation latency value.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a differential amplifier circuit that includes: first and second transistors coupled to form a differential circuit; a first current mirror circuit generating first and second currents in response to a third current flowing through the first transistor; and a second current mirror circuit generating a fourth current in response to a fifth input current. A sum of the second and fourth currents flowing through the second transistor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device that includes: a plurality of delay circuits each including an input node, an output node, a first power node and a second power node, and a control circuit. The delay circuits are coupled in series with the input node of a leading delay circuit receiving a first clock signal and the output node of a last delay circuit producing a second clock signal. The control circuit coupled to receive the first and second clock signals to control an operating voltage supplied between the first and second power lines. The first power nodes of the delay circuits are connected in common to the first power line, and the second power nodes the delay circuits are connected in common to the second power line.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a sense amplifier that includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor includes a first gate electrode formed over a first channel region and connected to a first bit line, a first diffusion region connected to a second bit line with a first side edge defining the first channel region, and a second diffusion region connected to a power line and includes a second side edge defining the first channel region. The second transistor includes a second gate electrode formed over a second channel region and connected to the second bit line, a third diffusion region connected to the first bit line and includes a third side edge defining the second channel region, and a fourth diffusion region connected to the power line with a fourth side edge defining the second channel region. Directions of the bit lines and diffusion side edges are prescribed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a memory cell array that is divided into a plurality of memory cell mats by a plurality of sense amplifier arrays, and each of the plurality of memory cell mats includes a plurality of word lines and a test circuit for performing a test control to activate, at a time, a plurality of word lines included in each of a plurality of selected memory cell mats that are not disposed adjacent to each other in the plurality of memory cell mats. According to the present invention, the memory cell mats with the plurality of activated word lines are distributed. Therefore, as compared with many word lines activated in one memory cell mat, the load applied to a driver circuit for driving word lines and the load applied to a power supply circuit for supplying an operation voltage to the driver circuit are reduced. As a result, more word lines can be activated at the same time.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an isolation portion penetrating a semiconductor substrate from a first surface to a second surface positioned opposite the first surface. The isolation portion includes a first insulating film and a second insulating film. The first insulating film has a slit portion at a side of the first surface and the slit portion is buried with the second insulating film. The semiconductor device further includes an electrode penetrating the semiconductor substrate that is surrounded by the isolation portion.

Abstract: To provide a semiconductor system including a plurality of core chips and an interface chip that controls the core chips. Each of the core chips includes an internal voltage generating circuit. The interface chip includes an unused chip information holding circuit that stores therein unused chip information of the core chips. The core chips respectively receive the unused chip information from the unused chip information holding circuit. When the unused chip information indicates an unused state, the internal voltage generating circuits are inactivated, and when the unused chip information indicates a used state, the internal voltage generating circuits are activated. With this configuration, unnecessary power consumption by the unused chips is reduced.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first gate groove having first and second side walls facing to each other. A first gate insulating film covers the first and second side walls. A first gate electrode is disposed on the first gate insulating film and in a lower portion of the first gate groove. A first burying insulating film buries the first gate groove and covers the first gate electrode. A first diffusion region is adjacent to a first upper portion of the first gate insulating film. The first upper portion is positioned on an upper portion of the first side wall of the first gate groove. A second diffusion region is in contact with an upper portion of the second side wall of the first gate groove.

Abstract: The semiconductor device includes a plurality of word lines classified into a plurality of groups and a selection circuit for selecting a word line according to an address. The selection circuit has a level shifter arranged for each of the groups. The address includes a first address for selecting any of the groups and a second address for selecting a word line in the selected group. The selection circuit selects a word line by allowing supply of active potential for word line by the level shifter of a group selected by the first address and further allowing supply of the active potential to the word line selected by the second address out of a plurality of word lines belonging to the selected group.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device including a timing control circuit that receives a strobe signal supplied from outside to generate an internal strobe signal that is used as a timing signal to latch a data signal. An operation state of the timing control circuit is changed according to temperature change so as to keep an output timing of the internal strobe signal with respect to an input timing of the strobe signal.

Abstract: A phase-change nonvolatile memory (PRAM) is constituted of a semiconductor substrate, a lower electrode, a first interlayer insulating film having a first hole, an impurity diffusion layer embedded in the first hole, a second interlayer insulating film having a second hole whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the first hole, a phase-change recording layer, and an upper electrode. The impurity diffusion layer is constituted of two semiconductor layers having different conductivity types, wherein one semiconductor layer is constituted of a base portion and a projecting portion having a heating spot in contact with the phase-change recording layer, while the other semiconductor layer is formed to surround the projecting portion. A depletion layer is formed in proximity to the junction surface so as to reduce the diameter of the heating spot, thus reducing the current value Ireset for writing data in to the phase-change recording layer.