Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having an open bitline memory structure from which an edge dummy memory block is removed, the semiconductor memory device includes a memory block, an edge sense amplification block including a first sense amplifier having a first bitline, a first complementary bitline, and a first amplification circuit comprising a first transistor having a first size, a central sense amplification block including a second sense amplifier having a second bitline, a second complementary bitline, and a second amplification circuit comprising a second transistor having a second size different from the first size, a capacitor block electrically connected to the edge sense amplification block.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device for performing charge pumping. The semiconductor device may include a first pumping unit, a second pumping unit, and a controller. The first pumping unit may be configured to output a boosted voltage via an output node by using a first input signal and the initial voltage, where the boosted voltage is greater than an initial voltage. The second pumping unit may be configured to output the boosted voltage via the output node by using a second input signal and the initial voltage. The controller may be configured to control the first and second pumping units. Each of the first and second pumping units may include an initialization unit, a boosting unit, and a transmission unit. The initialization unit may be configured to control a voltage of a boosting node to be equal to the initial voltage during an initialization operation. The boosting unit may be configured to boost the voltage of the boosting node based on the first and second input signals.

Abstract: A latency control circuit and method thereof and auto-precharge control circuit and method thereof are provided. The example latency control circuit may include a master unit activating at least one master signal based on a reference signal and an internal clock signal and a plurality of slave units receiving the at least one master signal, each of the plurality of slave units receiving a plurality of signals and outputting an output signal based at least in part upon one of the received plurality of signals. The example method of latency control may include receiving at least one master signal, the received at least one master signal activated based on a reference signal and an internal clock signal and receiving a plurality of signals and outputting an output signal based at least in part upon one of the received plurality of signals and latency information.

Abstract: A structure for controlling the size of a transistor may include: an active region; a first gate line on the active region; one or more second gate lines on the active region; and source or drain regions arranged in three or more divided active regions that result from the first gate line and the one or more second gate lines dividing the active region into the divided active regions. A method of controlling the size of a transistor may include: arranging an active region; arranging a first gate line on the active region; arranging one or more second gate lines on the active region; arranging source or drain regions in three or more divided active regions; and controlling the size of the transistor by connecting to each other or separating from each other the source or drain regions using upper wires.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array block including a plurality of memory cells each connected to one of a plurality of bit lines and one of a plurality of word lines, a sense amplifier connected to a half of the plurality of bit lines, the sense amplifier for sensing and amplifying a voltage between each of the half of the bit lines and a corresponding complementary bit line; and a dummy block connected to the half of the plurality of bit lines of the memory cell array block, the dummy block for controlling a load on the memory cell array block to be different from a load on the dummy block according to a dummy load signal.

Abstract: An input/output circuit includes an I/O node connected to a pull up and pull down circuit having a pull up and pull down transistors. Data is sent and received at through the I/O node. A level shifter provides voltages including a supply voltage and a high voltage higher than the supply voltage. A signal control circuit controls the voltage level applied to the pull up and pull down circuit. During a data input mode, data is received at the I/O node and the pull up transistor is biased at the high voltage to cut off the pull up transistor. During a data output mode, data is output at the I/O node and the pull down transistor pulls down the I/O node to ground when the output data is low, and the pull up transistor is activated when the output data is high.

Abstract: A CMOS charge pump with improved latch-up immunity is provided. The CMOS charge pump includes a blocking transistor that disconnects first and second boost nodes from a bulk node in response to a blocking control signal, such that a bulk voltage can be maintained at a predetermined level or higher. The CMOS charge pump in a power-up period first precharges the bulk voltage before the main pump performs a boosting operation and prevents a latch-up phenomenon.

Abstract: A charge pump circuit includes initialization units, each of which initializes a boost node to an initialization voltage. Boosting units each boost the boost node to a higher voltage than the initialization voltage in response to an input voltage. First and second pump circuits each include a transfer unit for transferring a voltage of the boost node to an output node and sharing the output node. The transfer unit of the first pump circuit includes two transfer transistors that are switched in response to a voltage of a control node of the first pump circuit and the voltage of the boost node of the second pump circuit. The transfer unit of the second pump circuit includes two transfer transistors that are switched in response to a voltage of a control node of the second pump circuit and the voltage of the boost node of the first pump circuit.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device for performing charge pumping. The semiconductor device may include a first pumping unit, a second pumping unit, and a controller. The first pumping unit may be configured to output a boosted voltage via an output node by using a first input signal and the initial voltage, where the boosted voltage is greater than an initial voltage. The second pumping unit may be configured to output the boosted voltage via the output node by using a second input signal and the initial voltage. The controller may be configured to control the first and second pumping units. Each of the first and second pumping units may include an initialization unit, a boosting unit, and a transmission unit. The initialization unit may be configured to control a voltage of a boosting node to be equal to the initial voltage during an initialization operation. The boosting unit may be configured to boost the voltage of the boosting node based on the first and second input signals.

Abstract: A latency control circuit and method thereof and auto-precharge control circuit and method thereof are provided. The example latency control circuit may include a master unit activating at least one master signal based on a reference signal and an internal clock signal and a plurality of slave units receiving the at least one master signal, each of the plurality of slave units receiving a plurality of signals and outputting an output signal based at least in part upon one of the received plurality of signals. The example method of latency control may include receiving at least one master signal, the received at least one master signal activated based on a reference signal and an internal clock signal and receiving a plurality of signals and outputting an output signal based at least in part upon one of the received plurality of signals and latency information.

Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a semiconductor memory device may include a memory core, input circuit, and/or an output circuit. The input circuit may be configured to generate second data from first data using latch circuits operating in response to input control signals enabled during different periods. The input circuit may be further configured to provide the second data to the memory core. The second data may have 2N times the number of bits of the first data, where N is a positive integer. The output circuit may be configured to generate fourth data from third data using latch circuits operating in response to output control signals enabled during different periods. The output circuit may be further configured to provide the fourth data to data output pins. The fourth data may have ½N times the number of bits of the third data. A method of inputting/outputting data is also provided.

Abstract: A latency control circuit and method thereof and auto-precharge control circuit and method thereof are provided. The example latency control circuit may include a master unit activating at least one master signal based on a reference signal and an internal clock signal and a plurality of slave units receiving the at least one master signal, each of the plurality of slave units receiving a plurality of signals and outputting an output signal based at least in part upon one of the received plurality of signals. The example method of latency control may include receiving at least one master signal, the received at least one master signal activated based on a reference signal and an internal clock signal and receiving a plurality of signals and outputting an output signal based at least in part upon one of the received plurality of signals and latency information.

Abstract: An input latency control circuit, a semiconductor memory device including an input latency control circuit and method thereof are provided. The example semiconductor memory device may include a clock buffer configured to generate an internal clock signal based on an external clock signal, a command decoder configured to decode an external command signal to generate a write command signal and an input latency control circuit configured to gate an address signal in a pipeline mode to generate a column address signal and a bank address signal based on the internal clock signal, the write command signal and the write latency signal.

Abstract: An address buffer circuit for a semiconductor memory device wherein an address buffer is enabled (to output an internal address signal) in response to a first level of a control signal and, but is disabled in response to a second level of the control signal. An address buffer control unit generates the control signal at the second level in ‘no operation’ state (NOP command) in which the semiconductor memory device does not perform data accessing operations and generates the control signal at the first level while the semiconductor memory device performs data accessing operations, thereby reducing or minimizing the output of an internal address buffered and output by the address buffer at and thus reducing power consumption during no-operation states of the semiconductor memory device.

Abstract: A method for testing a memory cell array of a semiconductor memory device in a parallel bit test mode includes selecting first data from one of a plurality of memory regions in the memory array for output from the memory device via an input/output pad, and then selecting second data from another of the plurality of memory regions for output via the input/output pad. The first and second data can be selected from memory regions sharing a row select or a column select control line. Alternatively, one of the first and second data can be selected from memory regions sharing a row select control line, and the other can be selected from memory regions sharing a column select control line. Therefore, a parallel bit test can be performed using fewer input/output pads, and a larger number of semiconductor memory devices can simultaneously be tested. Related circuits are also discussed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device that includes a clock buffer, which generates an internal clock signal in response to a clock signal and a complementary clock signal if the semiconductor device is operating in a first mode and generates the internal clock signal in response to the clock signal and a reference voltage if the semiconductor device is operating in a second mode.

Abstract: A charge pump circuit includes initialization units, each of which initializes a boost node to an initialization voltage. Boosting units each boost the boost node to a higher voltage than the initialization voltage in response to an input voltage. First and second pump circuits each include a transfer unit for transferring a voltage of the boost node to an output node and sharing the output node. The transfer unit of the first pump circuit includes two transfer transistors that are switched in response to a voltage of a control node of the first pump circuit and the voltage of the boost node of the second pump circuit. The transfer unit of the second pump circuit includes two transfer transistors that are switched in response to a voltage of a control node of the second pump circuit and the voltage of the boost node of the first pump circuit.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices having an interface of an open drain or a pseudo-open drain type are provided, and the semiconductor devices include a data strobe (DQS) control signal generating circuit, a DQS control circuit and an output unit. The generating circuit generates a first DQS control signal and a second DQS control signal, and the control circuit controls a data strobe signal by sequentially changing a state of a following section next to a postamble section of the data strobe signal in response to a clock signal; the first and second DQS control signals, from a first logical state of the postamble section to a second logical state, and then from the second logical state to a high impedance state after a first predetermined time. Operations at a high frequency may be possible by controlling a data strobe signal. Related controlling methods are provided.

Abstract: Provided is a wave pipelined output circuit of a synchronous memory device. In the wave pipelined output circuit, paths for transferring data in a high frequency mode of the synchronous memory device are separated from paths for transferring the data in a low frequency mode of the synchronous memory device. The number of registers included in data output paths in the high frequency mode is reduced and the number of control signals used for data input/output of the registers is also reduced. Consequently, loads of the data output paths in the high frequency mode are decreased to improve a high frequency operation and reduce the chip area of the output circuit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device pad is configured to have the same voltage level as that of a semiconductor substrate. The pad includes a semiconductor substrate having a junction area doped with a high concentration of impurity ions, a polylayer portion at least a portion of which is electrically connected to the junction area and a metal layer portion electrically connected to the polylayer portion and receiving a voltage externally applied. The metal layer is configured to transfer the received voltage to the semiconductor substrate.