Abstract: A nonvolatile latch circuit and a system on a chip with the same feature detection of change of latch data in an active period to store new data in a latch without an additional data storage time. The nonvolatile latch circuit does not require an additional data storage period but detects change of latch data in the active period to store new data in a nonvolatile latch unit. When power is accidentally off, new data are constantly stored in the nonvolatile latch unit, thereby preventing data loss and improving an operating speed without a booting time for restoring data.

Abstract: A RFID device having a nonvolatile ferroelectric memory regulates bit line capacitance to optimize a bit line sensing margin and minimize power consumption. The RFID device having an analog block adapted and configured to transmit and receive a radio frequency signal to/from an external communication apparatus, a digital block adapted and configured to receive a power voltage and the radio frequency signal from the analog block, transmit a response signal to the analog block and output a memory control signal, and a memory adapted and configured to store data and regulate bit line capacitance.

Abstract: A memory device includes a cell area having N+1 unit cell blocks. Each cell block includes M word lines. The N unit cell blocks are each corresponded to a logical cell block address. The one additional unit cell block is added for accessing data with high speed. A tag block receives a row address, senses the logical cell block address in the row address and outputs a physical cell block address based on the logical cell block address and the candidate information. The tag block includes:N+1 unit tag tables corresponding to the N+l unit cell blocks. Each tag block has M number of registers. The M number of registers correspond to M number of word lines of the corresponding unit cell blocks. Each register stores one logical cell block address. The tag block also includes an initialization unit that initializes the N+1 unit tag tables.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device that can secure a current consumption characteristic and an operating speed characteristic under a low power voltage environment. The semiconductor device is divided into a plurality of regions depending on the current consumption characteristics. Considering the current consumption characteristics of the corresponding regions, the ground voltage or the negative voltage is supplied as the base voltage. For example, in the memory region or the logic region, which exhibits the single transient low current characteristic, the negative voltage is supplied as the base voltage. On the contrary, in the output driver circuit region, the DLL or the PLL, which exhibits the high current characteristics, the ground voltage is supplied as the base voltage. In this case, the operating speed characteristic can be secured even under the low power supply environment without decreasing the threshold voltage of the transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a read amplifying unit for transferring a data from a local data line pair to a global data line as a read data; a write driver for transferring a write data from the global data line to the local data line pair; and an input/output (I/O) switching unit for transferring the read data from a segment data line pair to the local data line pair and for transferring the write data from the local data line pair to the segment data line pair, wherein each of the local data line pair and the segment line pair includes a VDD precharge block.

Abstract: A multi-bit nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device comprises a plurality of memory cell arrays each including a plurality of multi-bit unit cells connected serially, and a correcting block adapted and configured to group the predetermined number of multi-bit unit cells in one memory group to store a data level signal corresponding to the same multi-bit data in each memory group at a write mode, and to convert data level signals of the selected memory group at a read mode into the multi-bit data and compare the multi-bit data in each bit to identify the same data bit as an effective data bit. As a result, the multi-bit nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device includes a fail cell repair circuit to effectively process randomly distributed cell data.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a first first-type well including a first cell array for storing a data to apply the data to one of a first bit line and a first bit line bar, and a first precharge MOS transistor having a second-type channel for equalizing voltage levels of the first bit line and the first bit line bar; a first second-type well including a first sense amplifying MOS transistor having a first-type channel for sensing and amplifying the signal difference between the first bit line and the first bit line bar, and a first connection MOS transistor; and a second first-type well including a second sense amplifying MOS transistor having a second-type channel for sensing and amplifying the signal difference between the first bit line and the first bit line bar.

Abstract: A nonvolatile latch circuit and a system on a chip with the same feature detection of change of latch data in an active period to store new data in a latch without an additional data storage time. The nonvolatile latch circuit does not require an additional data storage period but detects change of latch data in the active period to store new data in a nonvolatile latch unit. When power is accidentally off, new data are constantly stored in the nonvolatile latch unit, thereby preventing data loss and improving an operating speed without a booting time for restoring data.

Abstract: A nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device has a plurality of ferroelectric memory cells. The ferroelectric memory cells include a first double gate cell for storing a bit of datum, the first double gate cell including a ferroelectric layer and a floating channel layer, wherein a polarity state of the ferroelectric layer affects a resistance of the floating channel layer, the resistance of the floating channel layer corresponding to the bit of datum stored in the first double gate cell; and a second double gate cell selectively turned on by a potential on a selection line to supply a potential of a sense line to the first double gate cell to control read and write operations of the first double gate cell. The present invention also provides methods for operating the nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device for improving an operation speed of a data input buffer includes: a plurality of data input buffers each for detecting a logic level of an input data by comparing the input data with a reference voltage to output the detected signal as an internal data signal; and a base voltage driving unit for driving a base power supply terminal of each data input buffer with one of a ground voltage and a negative boosted voltage according to an operation mode.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) system and a method for correcting a failed cell using the same are provided. The RFID system effectively corrects randomly distributed cell data by using a failed cell correcting circuit in a memory. In the RFID system, a predetermined number of unit cells are separated into one memory group, and the same data are stored in each memory group at a write mode. At a read mode, the cell data of the selected memory group are compared, and the same data are identified as effective data to improve yield of the RFID system.

Abstract: A float gate memory device comprises a bottom word line, a float channel layer formed on the bottom word line and kept at a floating state, a float gate, and a top word line formed on the float gate in parallel with the bottom word line. In the float gate formed on the float channel, data are stored. Here, data are written in the float gate depending on levels of the bottom word line and the top word line, and different channel resistances are induced to the float channel depending on polarity states of charges stored in the float gate, so that data are read. As a result, in the float gate memory device, a retention characteristic is improved, and cell integrated capacity is also increased due to a plurality of float gate cell arrays deposited vertically using a plurality of cell oxide layers.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device obtained by combining a nonvolatile memory device with a SRAM is provided to improve operating speed and reliability. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of data registers. Preferably, each of the plurality of data registers includes a pull-up driving unit adapted and configured to pull up a storage node, a pull-down driving unit adapted and configured to pull down the storage node, a data input/output unit adapted and configured to selectively input and output data between a bit line and the storage node depending on a voltage applied to a word line, and a data storing unit adapted and configured to store data of the storage node depending on a voltage applied to a top word line and a bottom word line or to output the stored data to the storage node.

Abstract: An output driver of a semiconductor device, removing the inter-symbol interference noise in data transmission in order to achieve a signal integrity, includes a main driver for driving an output terminal and a supporting driver for controlling the inter-symbol interference noise. The supporting driver is provided with a pull up supporting driver for pulling up the output terminal by detecting a transmission pattern of an output data and a pull down supporting driver for pulling down the output terminal by detecting the transmission pattern of the output data.

Abstract: A nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device including a failed cell correcting circuit which effectively processes randomly distributed cell data. The nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device checks horizontal parity of a main memory cell array and stores the parity in a horizontal parity check cell array, and checks vertical parity of a main memory cell array and stores the parity in the vertical parity check cell array. Then, code data stored in the horizontal parity check cell array and the vertical parity check cell array are compared to sensing data of the main memory cell to correct an error datum. As a result, a 1 bit failure randomly generated within a predetermined column is corrected.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a silicon substrate, in which an active region is formed between two device isolation films and a gate is formed on the surface of the active region. The silicon substrate has a laterally etched portion in the active region below the surface of the active region on the side near the device isolation film. An insulating film is formed on the laterally etched portion of the silicon substrate. A conductive electrode is formed on the insulating film, through which an external voltage is applied to adjust a threshold voltage. The device isolation film is formed on the conductive electrode. None or some pockets of vacant cavity is present between the device isolation film and the conductive electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory includes first and second cell arrays for applying a data signal onto pairs of first bit lines and second bit lines, respectively, first and second reference cell blocks each of which applies a reference signal onto a corresponding bit line bar or a corresponding bit line when the data signal is inputted to the corresponding bit line or the corresponding bit line bar, and a sense amp for sensing and amplifying a difference of data signals applied onto one pair of bit lines connected thereto of the pairs of first and second bit lines, wherein each bit line maintains a floating state without an input of an extra pre-charge voltage upon a pre-charge operation, and the other pair of bit lines disconnected to the sense amp are pre-charged with the reference signal by the corresponding reference cell block.

Abstract: A method for driving a semiconductor memory device, includes initializing first data corresponding to a refresh time of each corresponding row included in a cell array; storing second data corresponding to column data included in the first row after entering a self refresh mode; setting the first data corresponding to the first row by detecting the refresh time of the first row while performing refresh operations on the other rows in the cell array according to a refresh period selected based on the corresponding first data for predetermined refresh cycles, wherein the refresh operation is not performed on the first row during the predetermined refresh cycles; restoring the second data to the first row; and repeating the above steps for the other rows to thereby set the corresponding first data until the setting step is completed for all rows or the self refresh mode expires.

Abstract: A data latch circuit for latching a data and a method for latching a data signal in synchronization with a clock signal are provided. The data latch circuit includes: a data input controller for outputting a first data transition detection signal in response to a first transition point of the data signal, and outputting a second data transition detection signal in response to a second transition point of the data signal; and a data latch unit for starting latching the data signal in response to the first data transition detection signal and finishing latching the data signal in response to the second data transition detection signal, wherein the data latch unit deactivates the first data transition detection signal corresponding to the start of latching the data signal, and outputs a feedback signal for deactivating the second data transition detection signal corresponding to the finish of latching the data signal.

Abstract: A nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device is provided so as to control read/write operations of a nonvolatile memory cell using a channel resistance of the memory cell which is differentiated by polarity states of a ferroelectric material. In the memory device, an insulating layer is formed on a bottom word line, and a floating channel layer comprising a P-type drain region, a P-type channel region and a P-type source region is formed on the insulating layer. Then, a ferroelectric layer is formed on the floating channel layer, and a word line is formed on the ferroelectric layer. As a result, the resistance state induced to the channel region is controlled depending on the polarity of the ferroelectric layer, thereby regulating the read/write operations of the memory cell array.