International Business Machines Corporation

Globalfoundries Inc.

Marvell Asia Pte., Ltd.

Globalfoundries U.S. Inc.

George Maria Braceras

Harold Pilo

Venkatraghavan Bringivijayaraghavan

Donald Albert Evans

John Atkinson Fifield

Krishnan Santhana Rengarajan

Igor Arsovski

Albert Manhee Chu

Wagdi William Abadeer

John P Connor

Daryl Michael Seitzer

Patrick R Hansen

Kevin William Gorman

Chad Allen Adams

Fred John Towler

Rohit Pradeep Shetty

Michael Richard Ouellette

Joseph Andrew Iadanza

Robert E Busch

Vinod Ramadurai

Robert Maurice Houle

Robert Dean Adams

Ronald A Piro

Thomas W Wyckoff

Wilfried E A Haensch

Lawrence Carey Howell, Jr

Sebastian Theodore Ventrone

Kirk David Peterson

John Edward Barth, Jr

Kenneth Joseph Goodnow

Todd Alan Christensen

Wei Zhao

Qing Li

Daniel Mark Nelson

Jeffrey H Dreibelbis

Kevin A Batson

Reid A Wistort

James J Covino

Alan L Roberts

Steven Harley Lamphier

Xiaoli Hu

Rahul Nayak

Arjun Sankar

Sreenivasula Reddy Dhani Reddy

Binu Jose

Hao Pu

Shuangdi Zhao

George E Rudgers

Sheikh Sabiq Chishti

Vinay Bhatsoori

Yuzheng Jin

Eswararao Potladhurthi

Richard E Hee

Reid C Hutchins

Steven Burns

A structure includes a multi-port memory including a multiple transistor bitcell single ended read port and a write port, a read circuit which is connected to a multiple transistor bitcell circuit and is also configured to evaluate the multiple transistor bitcell single ended read port, and a timer circuit for the single ended read port and which is configured to generate two successive read pulses in one clock cycle for the multi-port memory.

Multi-port high performance memory

Disclosed is a chip with a memory array and at least one positive voltage boost circuit, which provides positive voltage boost pulses to the sources of pull-up transistors in the memory cells of the array during write operations to store data values in those memory cells and, more specifically, provides positive voltage boost pulses substantially concurrently with wordline deactivation during the write operations to ensure that the data is stored. Application of such pulses to different columns can be performed using different positive voltage boost circuits to minimize power consumption. Also disclosed are a memory array operating method that employs a positive voltage boost circuit and a chip manufacturing method, wherein post-manufacture testing is performed to identify chips having memory arrays that would benefit from positive voltage boost pulses and positive voltage boost circuits are attached to those identified chips and operably connected to the memory arrays.

Column-dependent positive voltage boost for memory cell supply voltage

The present disclosure relates to a structure which includes at least one bit line restore device which is configured to precharge a bit line to a specified voltage during an intracycle time between a read operation and a write operation and is configured to be turned off during the read operation and the write operation.

Intracycle bitline restore in high performance memory

Data paths are provided to a memory array. The data paths include switches for selectively aligning the data paths to different multiplexors for reading or writing to the memory array. Read data lines are steered to selected sense amplifiers based on the decode address, using the switches. Write data lines are steered to selected write drivers based on the decode address, using the switches.

Address based memory data path programming scheme

Approaches for stability of cells in a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) array are provided. A circuit includes a precharging circuit configured to precharge bitlines of a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) array to a first voltage potential for a non-read operation and to a second voltage potential for a read operation. The first voltage potential is different than the second voltage potential.

Circuit to improve SRAM stability

Approaches for providing write-assist for a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) array are provided. A circuit includes a control circuit connected to a cell in a SRAM array. The control circuit is configured to: apply a first voltage to a first pull down transistor of the cell during a write operation to the cell; and apply a second voltage, different than the first voltage, to a second pull down transistor of the cell during the write operation.

Data aware write scheme for SRAM

Approaches for providing write-assist boost for a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) array are provided. A circuit includes a write driver of a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) array. The circuit also includes a boost circuit that dynamically varies a write-assist boost voltage based on a stability assist setting applied to a wordline of the array.

Boost control to improve SRAM write operation

A read only memory (ROM) with redundancy and methods of use are provided. The ROM with redundancy includes a programmable array coupled to a repair circuit having one or more redundant repairs. The one or more redundant repairs include a word address match logic block, a data I/O address, and a tri-state buffer. The word address match logic block is provided to the tri-state buffer as a control input and the data I/O address is provided to the tri-state buffer as an input. An output of the tri-state buffer of each redundant repair is provided as a first input to one or more logic devices. One or more data outputs of a ROM bit cell array is provided as a second input to a respective one of the one or more logic devices.

Read only memory (ROM) with redundancy

A sense amplifier device for sensing a differential signal produced by a memory cell includes a first n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (NMOS) stack having multiple NMOS devices sharing a gate connection connected to a complementary data line; and a second NMOS stack having multiple NMOS devices sharing a gate connection connected to a true data line. At least one of the devices in the first stack has higher gate-to-source and drain-to-source voltages than a gate-to-source and drain-to-source voltages of at least one device in the second stack when the voltage of the complementary data line is higher than the true data line. At least one of the devices in the second stack has a higher gate-to-source and drain-to-source voltages than the gate-to-source and drain-to-source voltages of at least one device in the first stack when the voltage of the true data line is higher than the complementary data line.

High performance sense amplifier

Multiplexed latches include a multiplexor having a first data input, a second data input, a selection input, and a multiplexor output. A first latch has a first latch clock input, and a first latch output. A second latch has a second latch clock input, and a second latch output. The first latch output is connected to the first data input of the multiplexor, and the second latch output is connected to the second data input of the multiplexor. A feedback loop connects the multiplexor output to the first latch clock input and the second latch clock input. When the selection signal is received by the multiplexor, the feedback loop feeds the output from the multiplexor back to the latches to maintain the existing latch output until the clock signal transitions, to avoid glitches in the multiplexor output when the selection signal and clock signal are not synchronized.

Sense amplifiers and multiplexed latches

Memory cells with read assist schemes and methods of use are provided. The memory includes a plurality of rows and columns, each of which include a memory cell having a pull-down device. The memory further includes at least one boost circuit connected to each of the memory cells and which provides a negative boost signal to the pull-down devices during read access.

Memory cells with read access schemes

An integrated circuit structure comprises a static random access memory (SRAM) structure and a logic circuit. A power supply is operatively connected to the SRAM structure, and provides a first voltage to the SRAM structure. A voltage limiter is operatively connected to the power supply. The voltage limiter comprises a switching device operatively connected to the power supply. The switching device receives the first voltage and a second voltage supplied to structures external to the SRAM structure. A resistive element is operatively connected to the switching device. The switching device connects the resistive element to the power supply. The resistive element is selected to enable an output from the switching device to the logic circuit when a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is greater than a voltage threshold value of the switching device.

Vdiff max limiter in SRAMs for improved yield and power

Disclosed is a memory array in which the lower of two supply voltages from two power supplies is dynamically selected for bitline pre-charge operations. In the memory array, a voltage comparator compares the first supply voltage on a first power supply rail to a second supply voltage on a second power supply rail and outputs a voltage difference signal. If the voltage difference signal has a first value indicating that the first supply voltage is equal to or less than the second supply voltage, than a control circuit ensures that the complementary bitlines connected to a memory cell are pre-charged to the first supply voltage. If the voltage difference signal has a second value indicating that the first supply voltage is greater than the second supply voltage, then the control circuit ensures that the complementary bitlines are pre-charged to the second supply voltage. Also disclosed is an associated method.

Dual power supply memory array having a control circuit that dynamically selects a lower of two supply voltages for bitline pre-charge operations and an associated method

The invention provides a device and method for detecting a resistive defect in a static random access memory (SRAM) device. A first aspect of the invention provides a static random access memory (SRAM) device comprising: a bitline; a wordline; a bitline precharge circuit electrically connected to the bitline and adapted to provide to the bitline a first precharge voltage for precharging the bitline during normal operation of the SRAM device and a second precharge voltage less than the first precharge voltage for testing the SRAM device for a resistive defect between the bitline and the wordline.

Device and method for detecting resistive defect

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Essex Junction, VT, United States of America

George Maria Braceras