Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Faraday Technology Corporation

Aiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

Hao-I Yang

Cheng Hung Lee

Wei Hwang

Ching-Te Chuang

Geng-Cing Lin

Fu-An Wu

Chen-Lin Yang

Yi-Tzu Chen

Ming-Hung Chang

Yu-Hao Hu

Cheng-Jen Chang

Chia-En Huang

Chiting Cheng

Yangsyu Lin

Ming-Hsien Tu

Ming-Chien Tsai

Atul Katoch

Ching-Wei Wu

Kao-Cheng Lin

Saman M I Adham

Donald George Mikan, Jr

Shyh-Jye Jou

Wei-Chiang Shih

Tsung-Yung Chang

Uppu Sharath Chandra

Chia-Cheng Chen

Jung-Ping Yang

Nan-Chun Lien

Tsung-Hsien Huang

Yi-Te Chiu

Yi-Wei Lin

Chien-Yu Lu

Mao-Chih Hsia

Chia-Hao Hsu

Yu-Hao Hsu

Chia-en Huang

Po-Tsang Huang

Shu-Lin Lai

Kun-Ti Lee

Chi-Kai Hsieh

Wei-Nan Liao

Chi-Shin Chang

Kuen-Di Lee

Jihi-Yu Lin

Hung-Yu Li

Chi-Hsin Chang

Chien-Hen Chen

Yung-Wei Lin

Shyh-Chyi Yang

An exemplary testing environment can operate in a testing mode of operation to test whether a memory device or other electronic devices communicatively coupled to the memory device operate as expected or unexpectedly as a result of one or more manufacturing faults. The testing mode of operation includes a shift mode of operation, a capture mode of operation, and/or a scan mode of operation. In the shift mode of operation and the scan mode of operation, the exemplary testing environment delivers a serial input sequence of data to the memory device. In the capture mode of operation, the exemplary testing environment delivers a parallel input sequence of data to the memory device. The memory device thereafter passes through the serial input sequence of data or the parallel input sequence of data to provide an output sequence of data in the shift mode of operation or the capture mode of operation or passes through the serial input sequence of data to provide a serial output sequence of scan data in the scan mode of operation.

Scan synchronous-write-through testing architectures for a memory device

A clock circuit includes a latch circuit, a memory state latch circuit, a first inverter, a memory state trigger circuit and a second inverter. The latch circuit is configured to latch an enable signal, and to generate a latch output signal based on a first clock signal and a first output clock signal. The memory state latch circuit is configured to latch a second output clock signal responsive to a third output clock signal. The first inverter is configured to generate the first output clock signal responsive to the third output clock signal. The memory state trigger circuit is configured to generate the second output clock signal responsive to the latch output signal. The second inverter is configured to generate the first clock signal responsive to a second clock signal, and configured to control the latch circuit and the memory state trigger circuit based on the first clock signal.

Clock circuit and method of operating the same

A clock circuit includes a latch circuit, a memory state latch circuit, a memory state trigger circuit and a clock trigger circuit. The latch circuit is configured to latch an enable signal, and to generate a latch output signal based on a first clock signal or an output clock signal. The memory state latch circuit is configured to generate the output clock signal responsive to a first control signal. The memory state trigger circuit is coupled to the memory state latch circuit, and configured to adjust the output clock signal responsive to the latch output signal. The clock trigger circuit is coupled to the latch circuit or the memory state trigger circuit by a first node, configured to generate the first clock signal responsive to a second clock signal, and configured to control the latch circuit and the memory state trigger circuit based on the first clock signal.

A power switch control circuit includes a supply rail configured to supply power to a memory array. A first header switch couples the supply rail to a first power supply that corresponds to a first power domain. A second header switch couples the supply rail to a second power supply that corresponds to a second power domain. A control circuit is configured to receive a select signal and a shutdown signal, and to output control signals to the first and second header switches to selectively couple the first and second header switches to the first and second power supplies, respectively, in response to the select signal and the shutdown signal. The control circuit is configured to output the control signals to the first and second header switches to disconnect both the first and second header switches from the first and second power supplies in response to the shutdown signal and irrespective of the select signal.

Power switch control in a memory device

A clock circuit includes a latch circuit, a memory state latch circuit, a memory state trigger circuit and a clock trigger circuit. The latch circuit is configured to latch an enable signal, and to generate a latch output signal based on a first clock signal. The memory state latch circuit is coupled to the latch circuit, and generates an output clock signal responsive to a first control signal. The memory state trigger circuit is coupled to the memory state latch circuit, and adjusts the output clock signal responsive to the latch output signal or a reset signal. The clock trigger circuit is coupled to the latch circuit and the memory state trigger circuit by a first node, configured to generate the first clock signal responsive to a second clock signal, and configured to control the latch circuit and the memory state trigger circuit based on the first clock signal.

A clock circuit includes a first latch circuit, second latch circuit, first trigger circuit and second trigger circuit. The first latch circuit is configured to generate a first latch output signal based on at least a trigger signal or an output clock signal. The second latch circuit is coupled to the first latch circuit, and configured to generate the output clock signal responsive to a control signal. The first trigger circuit is coupled to the second latch circuit, and configured to adjust the output clock signal responsive to at least the first latch output signal. The second trigger circuit is coupled to the first latch circuit and the first trigger circuit by a first node, configured to generate the trigger signal responsive to an input clock signal, and configured to control the first latch circuit and the first trigger circuit based on at least the trigger signal.

A clock circuit includes a first latch, second latch, first trigger circuit and clock trigger circuit. The first latch generates a first latch output signal based on a first control signal, an enable signal and an output clock signal. The second latch is coupled to the first latch, and configured to generate the output clock signal responsive to a second control signal. The first trigger circuit is coupled to the first latch and the second latch, and configured to adjust the output clock signal responsive to at least the first latch output signal or a reset signal. The clock trigger circuit is coupled to the first latch and the first trigger circuit by a first node, is configured to generate the first control signal responsive to an input clock signal, and configured to control the first latch and the first trigger circuit based on at least the first control signal.

Clock generating circuit and method of operating the same

A sense amplify enable (SAE) signal is generated on a SAE line by receiving a trigger signal at a first circuit portion coupled to a first domain power supply and a second circuit portion coupled to a second domain power supply. The second domain power supply is separate and distinct from the first domain power supply. The first circuit portion and the second circuit portion are each further coupled to the SAE line for carrying the SAE signal. For a first period of time, a first portion of the SAE signal is generated based on the first domain power supply using the first circuit portion. And, for second period of time, a second portion of the SAE signal is generated based on the second domain power supply using a second circuit portion.

Read margin tracking in memory applications

A memory array includes a first column of memory cells, a second column of memory cells, a first pre-charge circuit, a second pre-charge circuit and a set of input output circuits. The first column of memory cells includes a first bit line, a first word line and a first bit line bar. The second column of memory cells includes the first bit line bar, a second word line and a second bit line. The first pre-charge circuit is coupled to the first bit line. The second pre-charge circuit is coupled to the first bit line bar. The first column of memory cells and the second column of memory cells are configured to share the first bit line bar. The first bit line and the first bit line bar are in a first plane. At least a portion of the first word line and at least a portion of the second word line are in a second plane intersecting the first plane.

Memory array and method of forming the same

A memory array includes a first column of memory cells, a second column of memory cells and a set of switching elements. The first column of memory cells includes a first bit line, a first word line and a second bit line. The second column of memory cells includes the second bit line, a second word line and a third bit line. The first and second column of memory cells are configured to share the second bit line. The first and second bit lines are in a first plane. At least a portion of the first word line and at least a portion of the second word line are in a second plane intersecting the first plane. An amount of bit line switching elements in the set of bit line switching elements is equal to N*2, where N is an amount of columns of memory cells in the memory array.

A semiconductor device comprising a first supply voltage, a second supply voltage, different from the first supply voltage; and a switching circuit. The switching circuit comprises an input configured to receive an input signal corresponding to the first supply voltage and an output configured to output an output signal corresponding to the second supply voltage. The switching circuit is a combined latch with a built-in level shifter that provides latching functionality and level shifting functionality and a leakage path is cut-off when the switching circuit is providing latching functionality.

Latch with built-in level shifter

A circuit includes: a first data line; a second data line; a write driver including first and second transistors; a first switch connected in series with the first transistor to form a first series-connected pair; a second switch in series with the second transistor to form a second series-connected pair; and a level shifter which includes the first and second transistors. The first series-connected pair is coupled between a first voltage node and the first data line. The second series-connected pair is coupled between the first voltage node and the second data line. Gate terminals of the first and second transistors are correspondingly cross-coupled with the second and first data lines.

Write driver and level shifter having shared transistors

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Taipei, Taiwan

Hao-I Yang