Abstract: A main booster circuit generates an internal supply voltage obtained by boosting a supply voltage. A detector detects a skew in an address signal. An oscillator generates a pulse signal while the detector is detecting the skew in the address signal. An auxiliary booster circuit generates an internal supply voltage in accordance with the pulse signal from the oscillator. A row decoder selects one of a plurality of word lines in accordance with the address signal. A word line driver drives the word line selected by the row decoder, based on the internal supply voltages supplied from the main booster circuit and the auxiliary booster circuit.

Abstract: A non-volatile ferroelectric memory cell supplies electric charge from the ferroelectric capacitor to one of bit lines so as to rise the bit line to one of a first potential level representative of logic "1" level and a second potential level representative of logic "0" level, and a reference voltage generator generates a reference voltage level exactly adjusted to the mid point between the first potential level and the second potential level by supplying electric charge from a dummy memory cell storing a dummy data bit of logic "1" level and another dummy memory cell storing a dummy data bit of logic "0" level to the other of the bit lines and an adjacent bit line.

Abstract: A DRAM includes a substrate voltage generation unit for generating a substrate voltage having a negative value to be applied to a first node. The substrate voltage generation unit includes a detecting circuit. The detecting circuit includes a first PMOS transistor provided in series between a second node with a ground potential and a third node and a second PMOS transistor, and further includes a third PMOS transistor provided in parallel to the first PMOS transistor. The first and second PMOS transistors have the gates connected to the third node, and the third PMOS transistor has a gate receiving a signal. The detecting circuit is provided between the second node with the ground voltage and the first node, and further includes an NMOS transistor having a gate connected to the third node. The third PMOS transistor receives the signal of the "L" level in the self refresh mode and the signal of the "H" level in the normal mode.

Abstract: A memory element that includes a stored charge element coupled to a bi-directional voltage dropping element that exhibits substantially definite voltage drops when conducting in each direction is the basis for a family of memory cells and circuits. An extremely compact dynamic memory cell (200) capable of being stacked includes a capacitor (204) or any other suitable stored charge device, and a voltage dropping element such as a Zener diode (208), a pair of parallel, reverse-connected diodes (910, 920), or any other suitable voltage dropping device having substantially definite voltage drop thresholds when conducting in each direction. Another type of dynamic memory (1000) is read through a transistor (1020) to provide non-destructive reads. Another type of dynamic memory (1200) has column bit lines (1212) that are shared by adjacent cells having memory elements (1230, 1240). An SRAM cell (1300, 1400) is made of a latch (1310) that is accessed through a memory element (1320, 1420).

Abstract: A P-channel MOS memory cell has P+ source and drain regions formed in an N-well. A thin tunnel oxide is provided between the well surface and an overlying floating gate. In one embodiment, the thin tunnel oxide extends over a substantial portion of the active region and the device. An overlying control gate is insulated from the floating gate by an insulating layer. The device is programmed via hot electron injection from the drain end of the channel region to the floating gate, without avalanche breakdown, which allows the cell to be bit-selectable during programming. Erasing is accomplished by electron tunneling from the floating gate to the N-well with the source, drain, and N-well regions equally biased. Since there is no high drain/well junction bias voltage, the channel length of the cell may be reduced without incurring and destructive junction stress.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array having memory cells arranged in XY directions, means for storing at least X addresses of failure bit memory cells among memory cells defined by an X address and a Y address in the memory cell array, and address means for generating an address Xe+m (m=positive or negative integer), serving as an internal address, when X address Xe corresponding to the failure bit address is inputted from an external section.

Abstract: A test circuit shortens test time during testing reliability of a chip. The test circuit comprises a bit line level sensing circuit connected to a bit line and transferring data in response to a voltage level of the data when a memory cell data is transferred to the bit line, a bit line level sensing control circuit for controlling a driving operation of the bit line level sensing circuit, and transfer device for transferring the data transferred from the bit line level sensing circuit to an outside of the chip, so that the test circuit tests whether the memory cell is defective or not.

Abstract: The present invention provides an SRAM device comprising a first discharger for discharging a first bit line at the write operation when the first bit line is at a low level; a second discharger for discharging a second bit line at the write operation when the second bit line is at a low level; and a pull-up transistor for providing power with the first and second bit lines at the read operation and preventing the power supply from being provided with the first and second bit lines at the write operation, whereby the first or second dischargers converts the voltage level in low level bit line into a ground level when the write operation is performed.

Abstract: A clock delay circuit for generating a delay for a sense amplifier release signal in an integrated circuit semiconductor memory device is disclosed. Rather than utilize traditional programmable capacitors that must be trimmed on a die by die basis, the novel clock delay circuit disclosed utilizes a small ROM, EPROM, EEPROM or FLASH array coupled to a bit line emulator to provide a clock delay matched to the larger main array. The size of the small memory array is on the order of 5 to 10 bit lines by 5 to 10 word lines. One cell within the small array is fixed to be continuously selected. The selected cell is coupled to the clock delay node along with the bit line emulator. The bit line emulator models the capacitance of the actual bit line used in the main array. However, the circuit is constructed so that a much larger signal is generated by the delay circuit such that sense amplifiers detect the correct signal.

Abstract: An integrated memory circuit is described which can be operated in a burst access mode. The memory circuit includes an address counter which changes column addresses in one of a number of predetermined patterns. The memory includes generator circuit for generating an internal control signal based upon external column address signals. The generator circuit detects the first active transition of the column address signals and the first inactive transition of the column address signals.

Abstract: An improved erasing structure for performing a programming back operation and a concurrent verify operation subsequent to application of an erasing pulse in an array of multiple bits-per-cell flash EEPROM memory cells is provided. A memory core array (12) includes a plurality of memory cells and an erase verify reference cell array for generating an upper erased state threshold voltage level. A pre-charge circuit (36a) is used to pre-charge all the array bit lines to a predetermined potential prior to a programming back operation. A reference generator circuit (134) is used for generating a reference output voltage corresponding to a lower erased state threshold voltage level. A switching circuit (P1, N1) is used to selectively disconnect a program current source of approximately 5 .mu.A from the selected certain ones of the columns of array bit lines containing the selected memory core cells which have been correctly programmed back.

Abstract: A synchronous random access memory, such as a synchronous dynamic random access memory or a synchronous graphic random access memory, is responsive to command signals and includes a bank memory array. A command decoder/controller responds to command signals to initiate, in a first system clock cycle, a burst write command controlling a burst write operation to transfer multiple input data sets to the bank memory array. When the synchronous random access memory is programmed with a read latency of three or more, the command decoder/controller responds to command signals to initiate, in a second system clock cycle, a read command controlling a read operation to transfer at least one output data set from the bank memory array. One of the multiple input data sets transferred during the write operation is input into the memory device during the second system clock cycle.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a bit line, a memory cell, and a precharge circuit responsive to a precharge signal for charging the bit line. The precharge circuit is enabled before cell data is read from the memory cell via the precharged bit line. The memory device further includes a potential controller responsive to the precharge signal for regulating the charge applied to the bit line by the precharge circuit. A charge supplying circuit is coupled to the bit line, and maintains the bit line potential at a predetermined voltage level by providing the bit line with charges during a period from when the precharge circuit completes its precharge operation to when the bit line potential changes in response to reading data from the memory cell.

Abstract: In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including memory cells, a predetermined number of the memory cells are simultaneously erased. Only when at least one of the memory cells is overerased, i.e., is in a depletion state, a threshold voltage recovering operation is performed upon all of the memory cells, to relieve the overerased memory cell and suppress the deviation of threshold voltage.

Abstract: A ferroelectric memory cell is provided, which enables to store a plurality of data values therein, and writing and reading methods thereof. The memory cell is includes first to n-th ferroelectric capacitors connected in parallel where n is an integer greater than unity. The first to n-th capacitors have different reverse voltages from each other, where each of the reverse voltages is defined as an applied voltage at which a direction of polarization is reversed. Each of the first to n-th capacitors stores a two-valued information. Each of the first to n-th capacitors stores a two-valued information and therefore, the memory cell can store 2.sup.n data values therein. The integration scale can be enhanced.

Abstract: The method of this invention prevents transient currents at high-frequency disable cycles and disables DC current paths after a minimum delay time, thereby reducing power dissipation. This invention includes a delay circuit functioning to prevent disablement of DC paths where chip-disable times occur at intervals below a minimum duration. The result is a decrease in the number of undesired voltage drops on internal power buses due to transient currents. The method detects external chip-disable pulses that occur before a minimum time duration, then prevents those pulses from powering down internal direct-current paths. At the same time, the output driver high impedance functionality of the chip-disable signal is preserved.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory unit comprises a memory cell having a semiconductor substrate, a control gate formed over the semiconductor substrate, an electric charge accumulative layer formed between the semiconductor substrate and the control gate, and a source and drain, both formed in the semiconductor substrate. The memory cell stores N-valued data (N being an integer more than 3) by accumulating an electric charge in the electric charge accumulative layer. A detector is provided for detecting a storage state before data rewrite of the memory cell. A comparison circuit compares the storage state before data rewrite, with a storage state after data rewrite to produce a difference therebetween. A rewrite circuit is included for rewriting the storage state of the memory cell by applying N-1 levels of predetermined voltages to the source, the drain and control gate of the memory cell, respectively, in accordance with the produced difference.

Abstract: In a reading/writing operation, a bit line pair group including a defective memory cell is replaced with a spare bit line pair group. Supply of a precharge potential to a bit line equalize circuit and a power supply interconnection of a sense amplifier is effected by an interconnection V.sub.BLn connected to ground for every bit line pair group. In the replacement of the bit line pair group, supply of a precharge potential to the bit line pair group is cut by a fuse element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor memory device which has memory cell transistors each comprising a liner source diffusion layer, a land-shaped drain diffusion layer, a gate oxide film containing a floating gate formed on the channel region between those diffusion layers, and a control gate formed on the gate oxide film. Trenches are formed in the substrate in no contact with the channel regions to isolate the cell transistors from each other.

Abstract: A writing circuit for non-volatile memory capable of preventing the structure of the circuit from becoming complicated in an integrated circuit from the points of view of logic and layout by reducing the number of kinds of control signal voltages. The circuit includes a first NMOS transistor N1, a first PMOS transistor P1, a second NMOS transistor N2 which serves as a non-volatile memory write terminal and a depression type MOS transistor D1 having a source to which a control signal PGM for controlling the output condition of the above-mentioned write terminal is applied.