Patent ID: 7313050

Claim:
A word-line driver with an input from a word-line decoder and an output to drive a word-line, the word-line driver comprising: a plurality of inverters connected in series between the input and output including a first and a second inverter with a first node designating an output of the first inverter and an input of the second inverter, the first inverter having a NMOS transistor with a controllable first source; a first pull-up circuitry coupled between a positive supply voltage (Vcc) and the first node and selectively activated by a first control signal; and a second pull-up circuitry coupled between the positive supply voltage and a source of a PMOS transistor of the second inverter, and selectively activated by a second control signal, wherein when the first source is set to the positive supply voltage and the first control signal is set to a complementary supply voltage (Vss) of the positive supply voltage, the first node is pulled up to the positive supply voltage to ensure an output of the second inverter is pulled down to the complementary supply voltage, and wherein when the second pull-up circuitry is not activated, a current path through the PMOS transistor in the second inverter is turned off.