Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state imaging device and a camera system capable of recording a still image without using a recording medium. Each pixel P of an image sensor is provided with a photodiode, a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, and an amplifying transistor, as well as a memory element that has functions of a select transistor. The memory element has a structure integrating a drain side select transistor, a source side select transistor, and a memory transistor. By applying a program voltage to a memory gate electrode as a gate voltage, the memory transistor stores charge of an amount corresponding to an amount of light received by the photodiode in a charge storage layer.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device that achieves downsizing as compared to conventional cases is disclosed. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device has a configuration in which a memory cell is disposed between a programming bit line and a reading bit line. The reading bit line provided between adjacent memory cells is shared by the adjacent memory cells. This configuration of the non-volatile semiconductor memory device, in which the reading bit line is shared by the adjacent memory cells, leads to reduction of the number of reading bit lines as compared to that in a conventional configuration, and further leads to reduction of the area of a control circuit and a sense amplifier circuit connected with the reading bit line, thereby achieving downsizing as compared to conventional cases accordingly.

Abstract: A multiply-accumulate operation apparatus is capable of sufficiently restraining a sneak current when employing a precharge method where the magnitude of an electric current flowing through an output line is detected. In a synapse operation section, memory cells storing respective synaptic connection weights are arranged in rows and columns. Output lines are connected to memory cells in the corresponding column, and input lines are connected to memory cells in the corresponding row. Each output line is precharged, and then its electric potential is decreased during the corresponding memory cells flow cell currents corresponding to their synaptic connection weights. A memory element of each memory cell includes a memory transistor, a drain side transistor, and a source side transistor connected in series, and is connected between the corresponding input and output line. The memory transistor stores a synaptic connection weight according to the amount of charge in a charge storage layer.

Abstract: In a semiconductor memory device, voltage application from a memory gate electrode of the memory capacitor to a word line can be blocked by a rectifier element depending on values of voltages applied to the memory gate electrode and the word line without using a conventional control circuit. The configuration eliminates the need to provide a switch transistor and a switch control circuit for turning on and off the switch transistor as in conventional cases, and accordingly achieves downsizing. In the semiconductor memory device, for example, each bit line contact is shared by four anti-fuse memories adjacent to each other and each word line contact is shared by four anti-fuse memories adjacent to each other, thereby achieving downsizing of the entire device as compared to a case in which the bit line contact and the word line contact are individually provided to each anti-fuse memory.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state imaging device and a camera system capable of recording a still image without using a recording medium. Each pixel P of an image sensor is provided with a photodiode, a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, and an amplifying transistor, as well as a memory element that has functions of a select transistor. The memory element has a structure integrating a drain side select transistor, a source side select transistor, and a memory transistor. By applying a program voltage to a memory gate electrode as a gate voltage, the memory transistor stores charge of an amount corresponding to an amount of light received by the photodiode in a charge storage layer.

Abstract: When a memory cell (MC) is downsized by reducing the distance between a drain region (12a) and a source region (12b) on the surface of a fin (S2) with a high impurity concentration inside the fin (S2), the shape of the fin (S2) can be set such that a potential difference between a memory gate electrode (MG) and the fin (S2) is reduced to suppress the occurrence of disturbance. Accordingly, the memory cell (MC) achieves downsizing and suppression of the occurrence of disturbance.

Abstract: A multiply-accumulate operation apparatus is capable of sufficiently restraining a sneak current when employing a precharge method where the magnitude of an electric current flowing through an output line is detected. In a synapse operation section, memory cells storing respective synaptic connection weights are arranged in rows and columns. Output lines are connected to memory cells in the corresponding column, and input lines are connected to memory cells in the corresponding row. Each output line is precharged, and then its electric potential is decreased during the corresponding memory cells flow cell currents corresponding to their synaptic connection weights. A memory element of each memory cell includes a memory transistor, a drain side transistor, and a source side transistor connected in series, and is connected between the corresponding input and output line. The memory transistor stores a synaptic connection weight according to the amount of charge in a charge storage layer.

Abstract: A memory cell includes a memory gate structure, a first select gate structure, and a second select gate structure. In the memory gate structure, a lower memory gate insulating film, a charge storage layer, an upper memory gate insulating film, and a metal memory gate electrode are stacked in this order. The first select gate structure includes a metal first select gate electrode along a first sidewall spacer provided on a sidewall of the memory gate structure. The second select gate structure includes a metal second select gate electrode along a second sidewall spacer provided on another sidewall of the memory gate structure. Thus, the metal memory gate electrode, the metal first select gate electrode, and the metal second select gate electrode can be formed of a same metallic material as a metal logic gate electrode, permitting the memory cell to be formed together with the metal logic gate electrode.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device that achieves downsizing as compared to conventional cases is disclosed. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device has a configuration in which a memory cell is disposed between a programming bit line and a reading bit line. The reading bit line provided between adjacent memory cells is shared by the adjacent memory cells. This configuration of the non-volatile semiconductor memory device, in which the reading bit line is shared by the adjacent memory cells, leads to reduction of the number of reading bit lines as compared to that in a conventional configuration, and further leads to reduction of the area of a control circuit and a sense amplifier circuit connected with the reading bit line, thereby achieving downsizing as compared to conventional cases accordingly.

Abstract: A memory cell includes a memory gate structure, a first select gate structure, and a second select gate structure. In the memory gate structure, a lower memory gate insulating film, a charge storage layer, an upper memory gate insulating film, and a metal memory gate electrode are stacked in this order. The first select gate structure includes a metal first select gate electrode along a first sidewall spacer provided on a sidewall of the memory gate structure. The second select gate structure includes a metal second select gate electrode along a second sidewall spacer provided on another sidewall of the memory gate structure. Thus, the metal memory gate electrode, the metal first select gate electrode, and the metal second select gate electrode can be formed of a same metallic material as a metal logic gate electrode, permitting the memory cell to be formed together with the metal logic gate electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first mode and a second mode different from the first mode, includes a memory circuit including a first switch, a memory array, and a peripheral circuit. A first power source line is electrically coupled with an I/O circuit of the peripheral circuit and is supplied with a first voltage in the first mode. A second power source line is electrically coupled with a memory cell of the memory array, and supplied with a second voltage lower than the first voltage in the second mode.

Abstract: When threshold voltages of constituent transistors are reduced in order to operate an SRAM circuit at a low voltage, there is a problem in that a leakage current of the transistors is increased and, as a result, electric power consumption when the SRAM circuit is not operated while storing data is increased. Therefore, there is provided a technique for reducing the leakage current of MOS transistors in SRAM memory cells MC by controlling a potential of a source line ssl of the driver MOS transistors in the memory cells.

Abstract: A memory cell includes a memory gate structure, a first select gate structure, and a second select gate structure. In the memory gate structure, a lower memory gate insulating film, a charge storage layer, an upper memory gate insulating film, and a metal memory gate electrode are stacked in this order. The first select gate structure includes a metal first select gate electrode along a first sidewall spacer provided on a sidewall of the memory gate structure. The second select gate structure includes a metal second select gate electrode along a second sidewall spacer provided on another sidewall of the memory gate structure. Thus, the metal memory gate electrode, the metal first select gate electrode, and the metal second select gate electrode can be formed of a same metallic material as a metal logic gate electrode, permitting the memory cell to be formed together with the metal logic gate electrode.

Abstract: When a memory cell (MC) is downsized by reducing the distance between a drain region (12a) and a source region (12b) on the surface of a fin (S2) with a high impurity concentration inside the fin (S2), the shape of the fin (S2) can be set such that a potential difference between a memory gate electrode (MG) and the fin (S2) is reduced to suppress the occurrence of disturbance. Accordingly, the memory cell (MC) achieves downsizing and suppression of the occurrence of disturbance.

Abstract: When a memory cell (MC) is downsized by reducing the distance between a drain region (12a) and a source region (12b) on the surface of a fin (S2) with a high impurity concentration inside the fin (S2), the shape of the fin (S2) can be set such that a potential difference between a memory gate electrode (MG) and the fin (S2) is reduced to suppress the occurrence of disturbance. Accordingly, the memory cell (MC) achieves downsizing and suppression of the occurrence of disturbance.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first mode and a second mode different from the first mode, includes a memory circuit including a first switch, a memory array, and a peripheral circuit. A first power source line is electrically coupled with an I/O circuit of the peripheral circuit and is supplied with a first voltage in the first mode. A second power source line is electrically coupled with a memory cell of the memory array, and supplied with a second voltage lower than the first voltage in the second mode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first power source line for supplying a first voltage; a second power source line for supplying a second voltage; a memory circuit coupled with the first and second power source lines; a first switch which electrically coupling the first power source line with the second power source line and electrically decoupling the first power source line from the second power source line, in response to a control signal; a second switch which electrically coupling the first power source line with the second power source line and electrically decoupling the first power source line from the second power source line, in response to the control signal, wherein a memory circuit includes a memory cell array and a peripheral circuit, wherein a memory cell array includes a plurality of memory cells, the memory cells coupled with the second power source line.

Abstract: When a memory cell (MC) is downsized by reducing the distance between a drain region (12a) and a source region (12b) on the surface of a fin (S2) with a high impurity concentration inside the fin (S2), the shape of the fin (S2) can be set such that a potential difference between a memory gate electrode (MG) and the fin (S2) is reduced to suppress the occurrence of disturbance. Accordingly, the memory cell (MC) achieves downsizing and suppression of the occurrence of disturbance.

Abstract: A memory cell includes a memory gate structure, a first select gate structure, and a second select gate structure. In the memory gate structure, a lower memory gate insulating film, a charge storage layer, an upper memory gate insulating film, and a metal memory gate electrode are stacked in this order. The first select gate structure includes a metal first select gate electrode along a first sidewall spacer provided on a sidewall of the memory gate structure. The second select gate structure includes a metal second select gate electrode along a second sidewall spacer provided on another sidewall of the memory gate structure. Thus, the metal memory gate electrode, the metal first select gate electrode, and the metal second select gate electrode can be formed of a same metallic material as a metal logic gate electrode, permitting the memory cell to be formed together with the metal logic gate electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first power source line for supplying a first voltage; a second power source line for supplying a second voltage; a memory circuit coupled with the first and second power source lines; a first switch which electrically coupling the first power source line with the second power source line and electrically decoupling the first power source line from the second power source line, in response to a control signal; a second switch which electrically coupling the first power source line with the second power source line and electrically decoupling the first power source line from the second power source line, in response to the control signal, wherein a memory circuit includes a memory cell array and a peripheral circuit, wherein a memory cell array includes a plurality of memory cells, the memory cells coupled with the second power source line.