Low-leakage row decoder and memory structure incorporating the low-leakage row decoder

Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of a low-leakage row decoder and a memory circuit incorporating the row decoder. The row decoder includes wordline driver circuitry including first devices (pre-drivers) and second devices (wordline drivers). Each second device is connected in series between a first device and a wordline for a row in a memory array. The first devices can be directly connected to a positive supply voltage rail and connected to a ground rail through a footer. The second devices can be connected to the positive supply voltage rail through a header and directly connected to the ground rail. The on/off states of the header and footer are controlled by clock signal-dependent control signals so that they are either concurrently on or off. With this configuration, leakage power consumption of the wordline driver circuitry is minimized while the memory structures as idle and also while it operates in a normal active mode.