Abstract: A semiconductor memory device capable of operating at high speeds, and a sense circuit and a decoder circuit that can be suitably used for the memory device. A latch function is imparted to at least either one of the decoder circuit or the sense circuit in the semiconductor memory device.

Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit device having memory cell arrays, power source wirings are provided on the memory cell array in parallel with the long side of the memory cell array, thereby strengthening the power source wirings without increasing a chip size and planning reduction in power source impedances.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory is provided having high reliability, and which particularly prevents data destruction by rays, and the like. In a semiconductor memory for detecting memory data from the conduction ratio between a transistor of a flip-flop type memory cell connected to selected word line and data line pairs and a load device of the data line, an arrangement is provided for setting the word line voltage to a voltage lower than the sum of the data line voltage and the threshold voltage of a data transfer MOS transistor of the memory cell. The signal read out from the memory cell is then applied through the data line to a differential amplifier using the base or gate of a junction type transistor as its input. Particularly to set the word line voltage to a voltage lower than the sum of the data line voltage and the threshold voltage of the data transfer MOS transistor of the memory cell, a device having high driving capability such as a bipolar transistor is used as the load of the data line.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes an input buffer circuit, a decoder circuit and a plurality of memory cells. Each of the input buffer circuit and the decoder circuit consists of a combination of bipolar transistors and MOS transistors. In this combination various measures are taken to increase the operation speed and to reduce the electric power consumption. In an example thereof the data line load for the memory cells is constituted by Schottky barrier type diodes. In another example the load used for the respective emitter follower transistors is constituted by an MOS transistor operating as a variable resistance. In still another example, in a CMOS NOR ciruit of the decoder circuit the number of P channel MOS transistors are fewer than the number of N channel MOS transistors.

Abstract: Considering the dispersion in the access time of semiconductor memories, at least a first and a second memory circuit are connected to the output of a sense amplifier. The output of the sense amplifier is an input to these two memory circuits alternatively at different timings. The data stored in these memory circuits are alternately transferred to a data output circuit. Even when the access time becomes long, the desired sense data can be successively read out from the output of the data output circuit at a short time interval determined by the clock cycle. When the access time becomes short and even when a second data is generated from the output of the sense amplifier at the timing of transferring a first data in the first memory circuit to the data output circuit, the first data held in the first memory circuit is prevented from being renewed by the second data.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory is provided having high reliability, and which particularly prevents data destruction by .alpha. rays, and the like. In a semiconductor memory for detecting memory data from the conduction ratio between a transistor of a flip-flop type memory cell connected to selected word line and data line pairs and a load device of the data line, an arrangement is provided for setting the word line voltage to a voltage lower than the sum of the data line voltage and the threshold voltage of a data transfer MOS transistor of the memory cell. The signal read out from the memory cell is then applied through the data line to a differential amplifier using the base or gate of a junction type transistor as its input. Particularly to set the word line voltage to a voltage lower than the sum of the data line voltage and the threshold voltage of the data transfer MOS transistor of the memory cell, a device having high driving capability such as a bipolar transistor is used as the load of the data line.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes an input buffer circuit, a decoder circuit and a plurality of memory cells. Each of the input buffer circuit and the decoder circuit consists of a combination of bipolar transistors and MOS transistors. In this combination various measures are taken to increase the operation speed and to reduce the electric power consumption. In an example thereof the data line load for the memory cells is constituted by Schottky barrier type diodes. In another example the load used for the respective emitter follower transistors is constituted by an MOS transistor operating as a variable resistance.In still another example, in a CMOS NOR circuit of the decoder circuit the number of P channel MOS transistors are fewer than the number of N channel MOS transistors.

Abstract: A circuit including a Bi-CMOS semiconductor device of a structure capable of preventing the latch-up phenomenon from occurring when operated as an inverter or the like. The semiconductor device includes a MOS FET and a bipolar transistor merged with each other and having a PNPN or NPNP structure in a region to which minority carriers can migrate through diffusion and in which a same potential is applied to at least a pair of P-type and N-type regions or a backward voltage is applied across PN junctions in operation. The semiconductor device comprises electrodes provided in both P-type and N-type regions, respectively, which form one of the PN junctions, wherein a backward voltage not lower than 0.5 V is applied across the electrodes upon operating the device.

Abstract: This invention is effective in the speeding up of a decoder circuit and maintenance of output amplitude. The invention is characterized in that, in a decoder circuit composed of a multi-emitter transistor or at least one diode group in which the anodes of a plurality of diodes are connected, and a charge circuit having an output emitter follower transistor, the multi-emitter transistor or the forward voltage of the diodes are larger than the voltage between the base and the emitter of the output emitter follower transistor.

Abstract: After an end part of a polycrystalline silicon film has been oxidized from an exposed side surface thereof, a silicon dioxide film formed is removed, and an opening thus provided is used for diffusing an impurity into a semiconductor substrate so as to form a graft base region.This measure is effective for fabricating a semiconductor device of small required area at high precision.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and the method of manufacturing the same are disclosed, the semiconductor device having a plurality of elements isolated by a groove having a gentle slope at the upper side wall, and a steep slope at the lower side wall. This groove provides low steps on its mouth and occupies a small area on the substrate, thus enabling an extremely high-density integrated circuit to be formed.

Abstract: After filling grooves with a filling material, this filling material is etched by the use of a double-layer film which is made of substances different from each other.The side etching of the lower film of the double-layer film and the etching of the filling material are alternately performed in such a manner that each etching is carried out a plurality of number of times. Thus, the upper surface of the filling material contained in each groove can be flattened.