Patent ID: 8565036
Filing Date: 2013-10-22
Classification: G11C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A device comprising: a plurality of word lines each extending in a first direction, each of the word lines including a first end portion and a second end portion, the word lines being arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction to include a first edge word line, a second edge word line and one or more intermediate word lines between the first and second edge word lines; a plurality of drivers each connected to the first end portion of an associated one of the word lines, a selected one of the drivers driving a selected one of the word lines to an active level and remaining ones of the drivers driving remaining ones of the word lines to an inactive level, respectively; and a plurality of transistors each connected to the second end portion of an associated one of the word lines, the transistors being controlled so that one of the transistors, which is connected to the selected one of the word lines, is rendered non-conductive and that at least one of remaining ones of the transistors, which is connected to at least one of the remaining ones of the word lines that is contiguous to the selected one of the word lines, is rendered conductive; wherein the drivers are divided into first and second groups and the transistors are divided into third and fourth groups, the drivers belonging to the first group being connected to odd-numbered ones of the word lines, respectively, the drivers belonging to the second group being connected to even-numbered ones of the word lines, respectively, the transistors belonging to the third group being connected to the even-numbered ones of the word lines, respectively, the transistors belonging to the fourth group being connected to the odd-numbered ones of the word lines, respectively, each of the transistors belonging to the third group being rendered conductive when one of the drivers belonging to the first group drives an associated one of the odd-numbered ones of the word lines, and each of the transistors belonging to the fourth group being rendered conductive when one of the drivers belonging to the second group drives an associated one of the even-numbered ones of the word lines; wherein each of the transistors is connected to an associated one of the word lines and a potential line supplied with the inactive level to supply, when rendered conductive, the inactive level to the associated one of the word line so that each of the remaining ones of the word lines is driven to the inactive level by an associated one of the remaining drives and by an associated one of the transistors; wherein the device further comprises first and second signal generating circuits, the first signal generation circuit generating a first control signal to render conductive each of the transistors belonging to the third group, and the second signal generation circuit generating a second control signal to render conductive each of the transistors belonging to the fourth group; and wherein the device further comprises a plurality of additional transistors, the additional transistors being divided into fifth and sixth groups, each of the additional transistors belonging to the fifth group being connected between different two of even-numbered ones of the word lines and rendered conductive in response to the first control signal, and each of the additional transistors belonging to the sixth group being connected between different two of odd-numbered ones of the word lines and rendered conductive in response to the second control signal.