Abstract: A SRAM memory is composed of FD-SOI transistors, and performance of the memory cell is improved by controlling an electric potential of a layer under a buried oxide film of a SOI transistor constituting a driver transistor. Performance of the SRAM circuit in the low power voltage state is improved. In the SRAM memory cell composed of the FD-SOI transistor, an electric potential of a well under a BOX layer is controlled to control a threshold voltage Vth, thereby increasing a current. Thus, the operations of the memory cell can be stabilized.

Abstract: A high-speed and low-voltage DRAM memory cell capable of operating at 1 V or less and an array peripheral circuit are provided. A DRAM cell is comprised of a memory cell transistor and planar capacitor which utilize a FD-SOI MOST structure. Since there is no junction leakage current, loss of stored charge is eliminated, and the low-voltage operation can be realized. Further, a gate and a well in a cross-coupled type sense amplifier using FD-SOI MOSTs are connected. By this means, a threshold value dynamically changes and high-speed sensing operation can be realized.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including first and second power lines, and first and second circuit blocks coupled between the power lines. A first switching element is inserted between the first circuit block and at least one of the power lines and a second switching element is inserted between the second circuit block and at least one of the power lines. The first switching element is rendered conductive to allow the first circuit block to receive the power voltage through the first and second power lines while the second switching element is rendered nonconductive to prevent the second circuit block from receiving the power voltage through the first and second power lines, so that a leakage current flowing through the second circuit is suppressed.

Abstract: A semiconductor non volatile memory device capable of multiple write operations with high reliability includes memory cells. Each memory cell of the device has a first electrode, a second electrode, and an information storage section between the two electrodes. A segregation of composing elements of the information storage section caused by applying a first current pulse from the first electrode to the second electrode is corrected by applying a second current pulse from the second electrode to the first electrode such that the composition of the storage section recovers to its original state.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit with an operating voltage having an absolute value is 2.5 V or below includes circuit blocks to which operation voltage is supplied by first and second power lines and a first switching element for each circuit block. Each circuit block includes a first MOS transistor in which a leakage current flows even under a condition that a gate voltage is equal to a source voltage. Each of the first switching elements controls the leakage current flowing through a corresponding first MOS transistor of each circuit block. Also, while one of the first switching elements is controlled to reduce the leakage current flowing through the circuit block relating to one of the first switching elements, another one of the first switching elements is controlled to allow current to flow through the circuit block relating to another one of the first switching elements.

Abstract: A CMOS circuit in low-voltage implementation, low power-consumption implementation, high-speed implementation, or small-size implementation. In a circuit which uses a FD-SOI MOST where a back gate is controlled by a well, voltage amplitude at the well is made larger than input-voltage amplitude at the gate. Alternatively, the circuit is modified into a circuit which uses a MOST that changes dynamically into an enhancement mode and a depletion mode.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell and forming method thereof utilizes a vertical select transistor to eliminate the problem of a large cell surface area in memory cells of the related art utilizing phase changes. A memory cell with a smaller surface area than the DRAM device of the related art is achieved by the present invention. Besides low power consumption during read operation, the invention also provides phase change memory having low power consumption even during write operation. Phase change memory also has stable read-out operation.

Abstract: Memory blocks having memory cells which are comprised of vertical transistors and memory elements in which the resistance value is varied depending on the temperature imposed on the upper side thereof, are laminated to realize a highly-integrated non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device is composed of logic gates each provided with at least two MOS transistors. The logic gates are connected to a first potential point and a second potential point. The semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a current control device connected between the logic gate and the first potential point and/or between the logic gate and the second potential point for controlling a value of a current flowing in the logic gate depending on an operating state of the logic gate. The circuit can be used in devices that cycle in operation between high and low power consumption modes, such as microprocessors that have both an operation mode and a low power back-up or sleep mode used for power reduction.

Abstract: A sense amplifier capable of performing high-speed data sense operation with lower power consumption using a minuscule signal from a memory cell even in a case where a memory array voltage is reduced. A plurality of drive switches for over-driving are distributively arranged in a sense amplifier area, and a plurality of drive switches for restore operation are concentratively disposed at one end of a row of the sense amplifiers. A potential for over-driving is supplied using a meshed power line circuit. Through the use of the drive switches for over-driving, initial sense operation can be performed on data line pairs with a voltage having an amplitude larger than a data-line amplitude, allowing implementation of high-speed sense operation. The distributed arrangement of the drive switched for over-driving makes it possible to dispersively supply current in sense operation, thereby reducing a difference in sense voltage with respect to far and near positions of the sense amplifiers.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to avoid an unselected data line being driven in a memory array composed of memory cells each of which uses a storage element depending upon variable resistance and a selection transistor when the selection transistors in all memory cells on a selected wordline conduct. To achieve the object, a source line parallel to a data line is provided, a precharge circuit for equipotentially driving both and a circuit for selectively driving the source line are arranged. Owing to this configuration, a current path is created in only a cell selected by a row decoder and a column decoder and a read-out signal can be generated. Therefore, a lower-power, lower-noise and more highly integrated nonvolatile memory such as a phase change memory can be realized, compared with a conventional type.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell and forming method thereof utilizes a vertical select transistor to eliminate the problem of a large cell surface area in memory cells of the related art utilizing phase changes. A memory cell with a smaller surface area than the DRAM device of the related art is achieved by the present invention. Besides low power consumption during read operation, the invention also provides phase change memory having low power consumption even during write operation. Phase change memory also has stable read-out operation.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to avoid an unselected data line being driven in a memory array composed of memory cells each of which uses a storage element depending upon variable resistance and a selection transistor when the selection transistors in all memory cells on a selected word line conduct. To achieve the object, a source line parallel to a data line is provided, a precharge circuit for equipotentially driving both and a circuit for selectively driving the source line are arranged. Owing to this configuration, a current path is created in only a cell selected by a row decoder and a column decoder and a read-out signal can be generated. Therefore, a lower-power, lower-noise and more highly integrated nonvolatile memory such as a phase change memory can be realized, compared with a conventional type.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device is composed of logic gates each provided with at least two MOS transistors. The logic gates are connected to a first potential point and a second potential point. The semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a current control device connected between the logic gate and the first potential point and/or between the logic gate and the second potential point for controlling a value of a current flowing in the logic gate depending on an operating state of the logic gate. The circuit can be used in devices that cycle in operation between high and low power consumption modes, such as microprocessors that have both an operation mode and a low power back-up or sleep mode used for power reduction.

Abstract: Memory blocks having memory cells which are comprised of vertical transistors and memory elements in which the resistance value is varied depending on the temperature imposed on the upper side thereof, are laminated to realize a highly-integrated non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit with an operating voltage having an absolute value is 2.5 V or below includes circuit blocks to which operation voltage is supplied by first and second power lines and a first switching element for each circuit block. Each circuit block includes a first MOS transistor in which a leakage current flows even under a condition that a gate voltage is equal to a source voltage. Each of the first switching elements controls the leakage current flowing through a corresponding first MOS transistor of each circuit block. Also, while one of the first switching elements is controlled to reduce the leakage current flowing through the circuit block relating to one of the first switching elements, another one of the first switching elements is controlled to allow current to flow through the circuit block relating to another one of the first switching elements.

Abstract: A sense amplifier capable of performing high-speed data sense operation with lower power consumption using a minuscule signal from a memory cell even in a case where a memory array voltage is reduced. A plurality of drive switches for over-driving are distributively arranged in a sense amplifier area, and a plurality of drive switches for restore operation are concentratively disposed at one end of a row of the sense amplifiers. A potential for over-driving is supplied using a meshed power line circuit. Through the use of the drive switches for over-driving, initial sense operation can be performed on data line pairs with a voltage having an amplitude larger than a data-line amplitude, allowing implementation of high-speed sense operation. The distributed arrangement of the drive switched for over-driving makes it possible to dispersively supply current in sense operation, thereby reducing a difference in sense voltage with respect to far and near positions of the sense amplifiers.

Abstract: Memory blocks having memory cells which are comprised of vertical transistors and memory elements in which the resistance value is varied depending on the temperature imposed on the upper side thereof, are laminated to realize a highly-integrated non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A static memory cell, composed of cross-coupled MOS transistors having a relatively high threshold voltage, is equipped with MOS transistors for controlling the power supply line voltage of the memory cell. To permit the voltage difference between two data storage nodes in the inactivated memory cell to exceed the voltage difference between the two nodes when write data is applied from a data line pair DL and /DL to the two nodes in the activated memory cell, the power supply line voltage control transistors are turned on to apply a high voltage VCH to the power supply lines after the word line voltage is turned off. The data holding voltage in the memory cell can be activated to a high voltage independent of the data line voltage, and the data holding voltage can be dynamically set so that read and write operations can be performed at high speed with low power consumption.

Abstract: A static memory cell, composed of cross-coupled MOS transistors having a relatively high threshold voltage, is equipped with MOS transistors for controlling the power supply line voltage of the memory cell. To permit the voltage difference between two data storage nodes in the inactivated memory cell to exceed the voltage difference between the two nodes when write data is applied from a data line pair DL and /DL to the two nodes in the activated memory cell, the power supply line voltage control transistors are turned on to apply a high voltage VCH to the power supply lines after the word line voltage is turned off. The data holding voltage in the memory cell can be activated to a high voltage independent of the data line voltage, and the data holding voltage can be dynamically set so that read and write operations can be performed at high speed with low power consumption.