Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Infineon Technologies Ag

Andrej Majdic

Georg Braun

Heinz H&ouml;nigschmid

Carlos Mazure-Espejo

Heinz Honigschmid

An integrated memory has a normal bit line for transferring data from or to normal memory cells connected to it, and also a normal sense amplifier, which is connected via a line to the normal bit line and connected to a data line and amplifies data read from the normal memory cells. Furthermore, the memory has a redundant sense amplifier for replacing the normal sense amplifier in the redundancy situation. The redundant sense amplifier is likewise connected on the one hand to the line and on the other hand to the data line and, in the redundancy situation, serves for amplifying the data read from the normal memory cells. A method for repairing an integrated memory is also provided.

Integrated memory with redundancy and method for repairing an integrated memory

An integrated memory includes a cell array having bit lines, word lines and writable memory cells. A first differential sense amplifier has connections connected to a data line pair through which the first sense amplifier reads information from one of the memory cells during a read access operation in order to amplify it subsequently, and through which the first sense amplifier writes information to one of the memory cells during a write access operation. The relevant information is transferred as differential signals through the data line pair and is temporarily stored by the first sense amplifier during every write access operation. The memory also has a switching unit through which the data line pair is connected to the connections of the first sense amplifier, for interchanging the lines of the data line pair in relation to the connections of the first sense amplifier, depending on the switching state of the switching unit. The switching state of the switching unit is changed at least once during a write access operation, so that the information to be written is written to the relevant memory cell by the first sense amplifier initially in noninverted form and then in inverted form. A method for preventing aging in a memory cell in an integrated memory is also provided.

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Zorneding, Germany

Andrej Majdic