Abstract: Double refresh executing means is changed in accordance with a manner (distributed refresh or burst refresh) of a refresh command so as to suppress a drop of internal power supply that occurs upon double refresh.

Abstract: A counter controller stops a counter operation of a refresh counter to keep a counter output signal at a constant value when the counter output signal takes a predetermined value relating to a specific address. A state where the specific address is refreshed is maintained, and the failure analysis is carried out under the state.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a refresh counter that outputs an address of a word line to be refreshed, a ROM circuit that stores a relevant address related to a refresh defective address, and a multiple refresh control circuit that simultaneously or continuously activates the refresh defective address and the relevant address within one refresh cycle in response to a fact that the ROM circuit detects the relevant address. The multiple refresh control circuit excludes a pattern having a risk that a power supply potential or a ground potential varies greatly such as a pattern that the multiple refresh occurs continuously. With this arrangement, a refresh defective cell can be saved while restricting the variation in the power supply potential or the ground potential.

Abstract: A semiconductor storage device in which the chip area is prevented from increasing to reduce the leakage current during low power (power down) time caused by shorting across bit and word lines due to crossing failure. There are provided precharge equalizing NMOS transistors the gates of which are supplied with a control signal (BLEQT). These precharge equalizing NMOS transistors are connected across a power supply line (VNLR), supplying a precharge potential to the bit line, and the bit line. At the time of low power operation, a potential (0.7 to 1.4V) lower than the potential VPP (e.g. 3.2V) applied during the precharge operation of the normal operation is supplied to the gate terminals of the transistors to reduce the leakage current caused by shorting across the bit and word lines caused in turn by crossing failure.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a pair of memory sub arrays and a control signal generating circuit. The pair of memory sub arrays shares a sense amplifier, and each of the pair of memory sub arrays has a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix. Each of columns of the matrix is connected to a pair of bit lines, and each of rows of the matrix is connected to a word line. The control signal generating circuit sequentially outputs first and second refresh start signals within an operation time to an external refresh command in response to an internal refresh command. A first refreshing operation is carried out to first memory cells connected to a first word line of one of the memory sub arrays in response to the first refresh start signal, and a second refreshing operation is carried out to second memory cells connected to a second word line different from the first word line in the memory sub array in response to the second refresh start signal.

Abstract: In a sub word driver circuit in a semiconductor memory device of a hierarchy word structure using a main word line signal and a sub word line signal, a first NMOS transistor and a first PMOS transistor are connected in series. A second NMOS transistor is connected with a node between the first PMOS transistor and the first NMOS transistor. The source of the first PMOS transistor is connected with a sub word line inverted signal obtained by inverting the sub word line signal, and the source of the first NMOS transistor is connected with a first negative voltage. A single main word line signal is connected to a gate of the first PMOS transistor and a gate of the first NMOS transistor, and the sub word line signal is connected with a gate of the second NMOS transistor.

Abstract: A redundancy architecture for improving the throughput of testing and repairing the semiconductor memory after packaging. A memory device is composed of a memory cell array including memory cells and first redundant cells, a data comparator comparing read data received from the memory cell array with anticipated data provided by an external tester to produce a data mismatch signal, a redundancy mapping circuit responsive to the data mismatch signal for detecting a defective address of the memory cell array, a nonvolatile memory storing the detected defective address, and a redundancy circuitry repairing the memory cell array by replacing ones of the memory cells associated with the defective address with the first redundant cells.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor storage device in which the chip area is prevented from increasing to reduce the leakage current during low power (power down) time caused by shorting across bit and word lines due to crossing failure. There are provided precharge equalizing NMOS transistors the gates of which are supplied with a control signal (BLEQT). These precharge equalizing NMOS transistors are connected across a power supply line (VNLR), supplying a precharge potential to the bit line, and the bit line. At the time of low power operation, a potential (0.7 to 1.4V) lower than the potential VPP (e.g. 3.2V) applied during the precharge operation of the normal operation is supplied to the gate terminals of the transistors to reduce the leakage current caused by shorting across the bit and word lines caused in turn by crossing failure.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a pair of memory sub arrays and a control signal generating circuit. The pair of memory sub arrays shares a sense amplifier, and each of the pair of memory sub arrays has a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix. Each of columns of the matrix is connected to a pair of bit lines, and each of rows of the matrix is connected to a word line. The control signal generating circuit sequentially outputs first and second refresh start signals within an operation time to an external refresh command in response to an internal refresh command. A first refreshing operation is carried out to first memory cells connected to a first word line of one of the memory sub arrays in response to the first refresh start signal, and a second refreshing operation is carried out to second memory cells connected to a second word line different from the first word line in the memory sub array in response to the second refresh start signal.

Abstract: In a sub word driver circuit in a semiconductor memory device of a hierarchy word structure using a main word line signal and a sub word line signal, a first NMOS transistor and a first PMOS transistor are connected in series. A second NMOS transistor is connected with a node between the first PMOS transistor and the first NMOS transistor. The source of the first PMOS transistor is connected with a sub word line inverted signal obtained by inverting the sub word line signal, and the source of the first NMOS transistor is connected with a first negative voltage. A single main word line signal is connected to a gate of the first PMOS transistor and a gate of the first NMOS transistor, and the sub word line signal is connected with a gate of the second NMOS transistor.

Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit device with a transistor, there are a single diffusion layer and a gate base electrode provided outside of the diffusion layer to extend in a pitch direction. N (N is an odd positive integer) gate electrodes are provided above the diffusion layer in parallel in the pitch direction to extend from the gate base electrode in a height direction orthogonal to the pitch direction to pass through the diffusion layer. Source nodes are provided on the diffusion layer along one of the N gate electrodes on a side outside the N gate electrodes in a direction opposing to the pitch direction as a head gate electrode. Drain nodes are provided on the diffusion layer along another of the N gate electrodes on a side outside the N gate electrodes in the pitch direction as a last gate electrode. The drain nodes are less than the source nodes.

Abstract: A method of verifying a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus includes (a) providing a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus including: a first transistor which has a floating gate in which a potential is floated and to which data is written; a second transistor which has a floating gate connected together with the floating gate and reads out the data written to the first transistor; and a control gate unit, which is coupled to the floating gate, controlling an operation of reading out the data of the second transistor; (b) comparing a first data outputted through the second transistor when a first potential is applied to the control gate unit with a second data outputted through the second transistor when a second potential is applied to the control gate unit to generate a comparison result; and (c) verifying the data written to the floating gate based on the comparison result.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a semiconductor memory device having a multilevel interconnection structure with no conventional limitation on the number of lines. The semiconductor memory device has a multilevel interconnection structure in which column selection lines extending in the Y direction and main word lines extending in the X direction are arranged in different layers. The layer including the column selection lines is disposed under the layer including the main word lines. In the structure, in sub-word driver areas intersecting the X direction, the main word lines are arranged in a top layer and sub-word selection lines are arranged in a layer lower than the top layer. The lower layer includes a pattern of islands. According to this interconnection structure, the number of islands can be reduced. Consequently, a plurality of power lines can be arranged between the adjacent main word lines in the sub-word driver areas.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a semiconductor memory device having a multilevel interconnection structure with no conventional limitation on the number of lines. The semiconductor memory device has a multilevel interconnection structure in which column selection lines extending in the Y direction and main word lines extending in the X direction are arranged in different layers. The layer including the column selection lines is disposed under the layer including the main word lines. In the structure, in sub-word driver areas intersecting the X direction, the main word lines are arranged in a top layer and sub-word selection lines are arranged in a layer lower than the top layer. The lower layer includes a pattern of islands. According to this interconnection structure, the number of islands can be reduced. Consequently, a plurality of power lines can be arranged between the adjacent main word lines in the sub-word driver areas.

Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit including a first storage having memory cells of a first configuration and a second storage having memory cells of a second configuration, according to a first combination (CS, RAS, CAS, and WE=“L” and A7=“0”) of control signals (CS, RAS, CAS, and WE) input to control terminals and at least a part of signals input to address terminals to which an address signal (A7) for selecting a memory cell in the first storage is input, an access to the first storage is instructed. According to a second combination (CS, RAS, CAS, WE=“L”, and A7=“1”) of the signals input to the control terminals and at least a part of signals input to the address terminals, an access to the second storage is instructed.

Abstract: A redundancy architecture for improving the throughput of testing and repairing the semiconductor memory after packaging. A memory device is composed of a memory cell array including memory cells and first redundant cells, a data comparator comparing read data received from the memory cell array with anticipated data provided by an external tester to produce a data mismatch signal, a redundancy mapping circuit responsive to the data mismatch signal for detecting a defective address of the memory cell array, a nonvolatile memory storing the detected defective address, and a redundancy circuitry repairing the memory cell array by replacing ones of the memory cells associated with the defective address with the first redundant cells.

Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit device with a transistor, there are a single diffusion layer and a gate base electrode provided outside of the diffusion layer to extend in a pitch direction. N (N is an odd positive integer) gate electrodes are provided above the diffusion layer in parallel in the pitch direction to extend from the gate base electrode in a height direction orthogonal to the pitch direction to pass through the diffusion layer. Source nodes are provided on the diffusion layer along one of the N gate electrodes on a side outside the N gate electrodes in a direction opposing to the pitch direction as a head gate electrode. Drain nodes are provided on the diffusion layer along another of the N gate electrodes on a side outside the N gate electrodes in the pitch direction as a last gate electrode. The drain nodes are less than the source nodes.

Abstract: A method of verifying a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus includes (a) providing a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus including: a first transistor which has a floating gate in which a potential is floated and to which data is written; a second transistor which has a floating gate connected together with the floating gate and reads out the data written to the first transistor; and a control gate unit, which is coupled to the floating gate, controlling an operation of reading out the data of the second transistor; (b) comparing a first data outputted through the second transistor when a first potential is applied to the control gate unit with a second data outputted through the second transistor when a second potential is applied to the control gate unit to generate a comparison result; and (c) verifying the data written to the floating gate based on the comparison result. The first potential is different from the second potential.

Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit including a first storage having memory cells of a first configuration and a second storage having memory cells of a second configuration, according to a first combination (CS, RAS, CAS, and WE=“L” and A7=“0”) of control signals (CS, RAS, CAS, and WE) input to control terminals and at least a part of signals input to address terminals to which an address signal (A7) for selecting a memory cell in the first storage is input, an access to the first storage is instructed. According to a second combination (CS, RAS, CAS, WE=“L”, and A7=“1”) of the signals input to the control terminals and at least a part of signals input to the address terminals, an access to the second storage is instructed.

Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit including a first storage having memory cells of a first configuration and a second storage having memory cells of a second configuration, according to a first combination (CS, RAS, CAS, and WE=“L” and A7=“0”) of control signals (CS, RAS, CAS, and WE) input to control terminals and at least a part of signals input to address terminals to which an address signal (A7) for selecting a memory cell in the first storage is input, an access to the first storage is instructed. According to a second combination (CS, RAS, CAS, WE=“L”, and A7=“1”) of the signals input to the control terminals and at least a part of signals input to the address terminals, an access to the second storage is instructed.