Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application No. 09/384,134, filed Aug. 27, 1999, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/145,865, filed Sep. 2, 1998, which issued Feb. 8, 2000, as U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,434. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to integrated circuit memory devices, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for writing data to memory devices in a manner that expedites testing of memory devices and increases testing flexibility. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Integrated circuits are extensively tested both during and after production and, in some cases, routinely during use after they have been installed in products. For example, memory devices, such as dynamic random access memories (“DRAMs”), are tested during production at the wafer level and after packaging, and they are also routinely tested each time a computer system using the DRAMs executes a power up routine when power is initially applied to the computer system. DRAMs are generally tested by writing known data to each location in the memory and then reading data from each memory location to determine if the read data matches the written data. As the capacity of DRAMs and other memory devices continues to increase, the time required to write and then read data from all memory locations continues to increase, even though memory access times continue to decrease. 
     Various proposals have been made to decrease the time required to test memory devices, such as DRAMs. The time required to write known data to memory devices has been reduced by such approaches as simultaneously writing the same data to each column of each array in the memory device one row at a time. However, some types of testing require that the word lines be kept at a fixed positive voltage for an extended period of time, such as tens of milliseconds. When there are thousands of word lines in one memory device, this testing takes long periods of time since only one word line in each bank of the memory device may be accessed at a time. 
     Other approaches for reducing testing time include internal circuitry for transferring data from each column of one row to the next row without requiring the memory to be addressed. These approaches have reduced the time required to write known data or a known pattern of data to the memory array. However, when the initial or “seed” row to which data are written is defective, this approach to speeding of testing fails. 
     Additionally, it is very difficult to assess some error margins. In testing one type of error margin, known as “writeback margin”, it is difficult to measure slew rates at which circuitry involved in writing new data to memory cells limits a maximum clock frequency at which the memory device may continue to operate reliably. Since several different portions of the memory device may limit the maximum clock frequency, a series of simple “go-no go” tests at increasing clock frequencies will not provide insight into which mechanism is limiting the maximum clock frequency. 
     A new memory device design may be empirically found to be susceptible to certain defects that are most readily and efficiently identified through testing using one or more combinations of rows that could not be anticipated when the memory device was designed. Accordingly, only having a capability to invoke tests using combinations of rows chosen from a limited number of pre-programmed combinations is less than optimal. 
     In the prior art approaches to writing the same data to multiple rows, the rows are often activated at the same time. As a result, large currents are induced in the memory device, sometimes causing signals to be coupled into unintended memory locations and providing the appearance of memory device failure when the memory device may be capable of normal operation. 
     There is therefore a need to be able to write data to a memory device, while reducing testing time and increasing testing flexibility, that can be implemented on integrated circuits having memory arrays. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a test circuit for a memory device having at least one array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns selectively operates in either a normal mode or a test mode. When operating in the normal mode, the test circuit couples one row of the array to one active word line driver circuit. When operating in the test mode, the test circuit maintains local phase driving signals in an active state over multiple consecutive row activate commands, allowing multiple rows of the memory device to be accessed at the same time in a programmable fashion. 
     As a result, when tests of a memory cell or other memory device structure involve holding a memory cell or a word line in a specific state or at a specific voltage for an extended period of time, multiple word lines may be sequentially addressed and then tested together. This greatly reduces testing time. 
     Additionally, by sequentially turning on individual rows, the currents charging the word lines are spread out over time, substantially reducing switching noise that can cause interference with the proper operation of other portions of the memory device. This is useful in a variety of stress tests where multiple rows are activated, such as half-rows high, all rows high and other tests where a groups of rows are tested together. 
     Additionally, in another aspect of the present invention, the tester may use software control to program any multiple row activation test pattern as desired after the memory devices have been fabricated. This permits the tester to change testing sequences to resolve fabrication problems or to provide for other specialized test needs that develop after the memory device has been designed. 
     Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, a tester is able to compensate for problems where a first row, known as a “seed” row, is programmed with data that are then propagated from one memory cell to another through portions of the memory device before being read external to the memory device. When the seed row is defective, test software can automatically select a different row as the seed row or can rewrite data to the seed row. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a conventional memory device that may use an embodiment of a test circuit in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram of a word line driver circuit within a row decoder for each row of the memory device of FIG. 1 that can advantageously be used with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 3A and 3B are simplified timing diagrams illustrating waveforms for the circuit of FIG. 2 operating in a normal mode, in accordance with the prior art, and in a test mode, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, respectively. 
     FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic diagram of a test circuit useful in the memory device of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic diagram of another test circuit useful in the memory device of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a simplified flow chart of a process for testing writeback margin for the memory device of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a simplified timing diagram for the process of FIG. 6, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a simplified flow chart of a RASCLOBBER process for testing for leakage between cells for the memory device of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a simplified timing diagram for the process of FIG. 8, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a simplified flow chart of a process that repeatedly invokes the RASCLOBBER process of FIG. 8 to test the memory device of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional memory device  10  that can advantageously use embodiments of test circuits illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 in accordance with the present invention. The memory device  10  shown in FIG. 1 is a synchronous dynamic random access memory (“SDRAM”)  10 , although the test circuits may also be used in other DRAM&#39;s and other memory devices. The SDRAM  10  includes an address register  12  that receives either a row address or a column address on an address bus  14 . The address bus  14  is generally coupled to a memory controller (not shown). Typically, a row address is initially received by the address register  12  and applied to a row address multiplexer  18 . The row address multiplexer  18  couples the row address to a number of components associated with either of two memory banks  20 ,  22  depending upon the state of a bank address bit forming part of the row address. Associated with each of the memory banks  20 ,  22  is a respective row address latch  26 , which stores the row address, and a row decoder  28 , which applies various signals to its respective memory bank  20  or  22  as a function of the stored row address. The row address multiplexer  18  also couples row addresses to the row address latches  26  to refresh memory cells in the memory banks  20 ,  22 . The row addresses are generated for refresh purposes by a refresh counter  30  that is controlled by a refresh controller  32 . 
     After the row address has been applied to the address register  12  and stored in one of the row address latches  26 , a column address is applied to the address register  12 . The address register  12  couples the column address to a column address latch  40 . Depending on the operating mode of the SDRAM  10 , the column address is either coupled through a burst counter  42  to a column address buffer  44 , or to the burst counter  42  which applies a sequence of column addresses to the column address buffer  44  starting at the column address that is output by the address register  12 . In either case, the column address buffer  44  supplies a column address to a column decoder  48  which applies various column signals to respective sense amplifiers and associated column circuitry  50 ,  52  for the respective memory banks  20 ,  22 . 
     Data to be read from one of the memory banks  20 ,  22  are coupled to the column circuitry  50 ,  52  for one of the memory banks  20 ,  22 , respectively. The data are then coupled to a data output resister  56  which applies the data to a data bus  58 . Data to be written to one of the memory banks  20 ,  22  are coupled from the data bus  58  through a data input register  60  to the column circuitry  50 ,  52  and then are transferred through word line driver circuits in the column circuitry  50 ,  52  to one of the memory banks  20 ,  22 , respectively. A mask register  64  may be used to selectively alter the flow of data into and out of the column circuitry  50 ,  52 , such as by selectively masking data to be read from the memory banks  20 ,  22 . 
     The above-described operation of the SDRAM  10  is controlled by a command decoder  68  responsive to high level command signals received on a control bus  70 . These high level command signals, which are typically generated by a memory controller (not shown in FIG.  1 ), are a clock enable signal CKE*, a clock signal CLK, a chip select signal CS*, a write enable signal WE*, a column address strobe signal CAS*, and a row address strobe signal RAS*, with the “*” designating the signal as active low or complement. The command decoder  68  generates a sequence of command signals responsive to the high level command signals to carry out the function (e.g., a read or a write) designated by each of the high level command signals. These command signals, and the manner in which they accomplish their respective functions, are conventional. Therefore, in the interest of brevity, a further explanation of these control signals will be omitted. 
     FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram of one embodiment of a word line driver circuit  75  in accordance with the prior art that may be advantageously used in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. FIGS. 3A and 3B are timing diagrams illustrating waveforms for the circuit of FIG. 2 operating in a normal mode, in accordance with the prior art, and in a test mode, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, respectively. 
     Each word line in the memory banks  20 ,  22  of FIG. 1 is coupled to gates of a plurality of access transistors (not illustrated) for respective columns in each row. When the access transistor in an addressed column is turned ON, it couples a memory cell to one of a pair of complementary digit lines for that column. An access transistor is thus provided for each column in each row of each array  20 ,  22 . For the access transistors in each row to turn ON, the voltage applied to their gates by the respective word line drive circuit  75  must be greater than the voltage present on a digit line coupled to the source of the access transistor. The voltage on the digit line is normally either a supply voltage V CC  or ground when data is being written to the memory cell. However, since the access transistors are normally NMOS transistors, the voltage applied to their gates must be greater than V CC  by the magnitude of the threshold voltage of the access transistors for the access transistors to be able to apply V CC  to their memory cells. Accordingly, the word line driver circuit  75  includes a level translator circuit  77  that allows the word line driver circuit  75  to output signals that vary between ground or logic “0” and V CCP , which is a voltage 1.0 volts or more greater than V CC . As a result, the access transistor can be turned ON when the source of the memory cell transistor is at V CC  during a write operation. 
     In a normal mode of operation and as a part of a conventional precharge sequence, the word line driver circuit  75  has a first input LPH*, known as “local phase complement.” The first input LPH* is active low and is normally high (at logic “1”) until, at a time to (see FIG.  3 A), the memory device  10  is ready to write data to a selected memory cell coupled to that word line driver circuit  75 . The word line driver circuit  75  has a second input IN that is selected by the row decoder  28  of FIG. 1 when a row address corresponding to the row coupled to the word line driver circuit  75  is selected. The second input IN is coupled to a tristate drive circuit (not shown) that provides a word line driver circuit selection signal and that provides a high impedance (dashed trace, FIG. 3A) when the tristate drive circuit is not active. 
     The second input IN is initially (i.e., prior to time to) at logic “1” because the logic “1” at the first input LPH* turns ON a NMOS transistor  80 , which then couples the second input IN to V CC . The NMOS transistor  80  has a source coupled to V CC  and a drain coupled to the second input IN. Because the first input LPH* is initially set to logic “1,” an output node WL is set to logic “0” by a NMOS transistor  82 , which is turned ON by the signal at the first input LPH*. A PMOS transistor  84  is also initially turned ON because the output node WL is set to logic “0.” In turn, a PMOS transistor  85  is turned OFF because the node N 1  is coupled to V CCP  by the ON PMOS transistor  84 . 
     At time t 0 , the first input LPH* is switched active low in all of the word line driver circuits  75 , turning OFF the NMOS transistor  82 , but the output node WL is maintained at logic “0” by a NMOS transistor  86 , which continues to be turned ON by the logic “1” present at the second input IN. Until time t 1 , the tristate driver circuit is in the high impedance state, and the second input IN acts as a capacitor, maintaining the initial logic “1” due to the signal at the first input LPH* having been at logic “1”. At time t 1 , the tristate driver circuit switches from the high impedance state to logic “1” (solid trace, second input IN, FIG.  3 A). 
     When one of the word line driver circuits  75  is addressed at time t 2  (FIG.  3 A), the second input IN in that word line driver circuit  75  changes to logic “0”, turning the NMOS transistor  86  OFF. The second input IN being logic “0” turns an NMOS transistor  88  ON, setting a node N 1  low. Setting the node N 1  low turns the PMOS transistor  85  ON, thereby driving the output node WL to V CCP  and turning OFF the PMOS transistor  84 . In accordance with the prior art, the tristate drive circuit coupled to the second input IN becomes high impedance after t 3  at the end of writing data into a memory cell, maintaining the voltage present on the second input IN, and thereby maintaining the voltage present on the node N 1 . In the normal mode of operation, the signal to the first input LPH* then becomes inactive high at time t 3 , turning the NMOS transistor  82  ON and causing the voltage present on the output node WL to decrease towards ground, turning the PMOS transistor  84  ON. In turn, the voltage on the node N 1  increases to V CCP , turning the PMOS transistor  85  OFF. As a result, the output node WL is no longer enabled and is coupled to ground or logic “0.” 
     In a test mode of operation in accordance with the present invention, the PMOS transistors  84 ,  85  and the NMOS transistors  86 ,  88  of the word line driver circuit  75  are also able to act as a dynamic latch. Prior to the time t 2 , the word line driver  75  input and output signals of FIGS. 3A and 3B are identical for both the normal and test modes of operation. 
     When the signal coupled to the first input LPH* is maintained active low at logic “0” after time t 3 , the word line driver circuit  75  remains latched with the output node WL at a voltage of V CCP  until leakage currents cause the output node WL to discharge enough, or until leakage currents cause the node N 1  to charge enough, to turn the PMOS transistor  84  ON and to turn the PMOS transistor  85  OFF. As a result, when the signal coupled to the first input LPH* is maintained at logic “0” following the return of the tristate drive circuit coupled to the second input IN to a high impedance state after time t 3 , the word line that was just selected will remain selected while the row decoder  28  of FIG. 1 selects and triggers another word line driver circuit  75  to activate that word line driver circuit  75 . 
     The ability to successively activate subsequent word lines while keeping active the word lines that have already been activated allows a variety of tests to be conducted more efficiently. For example, when tests of a memory cell or other structure are being conducted that involve holding a memory cell or a word line in a specific state or at a specific voltage for an extended period of time, multiple word lines may be sequentially addressed and thus tested together. This greatly reduces testing time. 
     Additionally, some prior art tests turn on multiple word lines but do so simultaneously. The word lines provide a capacitive load, resulting in large charging currents and thereby generating substantial noise or interference due to capacitive coupling. This noise is coupled to other portions of the memory device  10  and, in particular, results in excessive coupling of signals between activated row lines and associated digit lines. By sequentially turning on individual rows, the currents charging the word lines are spread out in time, substantially reducing this source of interference. This is useful in a variety of prior art stress tests where multiple rows are activated, such as half-rows high, all rows high and other tests where groups of rows are turned on and then stay on together. 
     Further, when testing patterns that turn on multiple rows are programmed into the row decoder  28  of FIG. 1 during the design of the memory device  10 , only a limited number of test patterns are programmed, and these test patterns are determined before the first memory device  10  of this design is fabricated. Some of the problems that may be encountered in fabricating large numbers of memory devices  10  using this design may be more efficiently tested for by using, a test pattern that cannot be predicted before the memory devices  10  have been fabricated. The present invention allows the tester to use software control to program any multiple row activation test pattern as desired after the memory devices  10  have been fabricated in order to address problems that develop after the memory device  10  has been fabricated. 
     In some tests, a first row, known as a “seed” row, is programmed with data that are then propagated from one memory cell to another through portions of the memory device  10  before being read external to the memory device  10 . When the seed row is defective, or when an error occurs in writing data to the seed row, and the test sequence is preprogrammed into the row decoder  28 , the prior art does not allow either the seed row or another row to be written with new data in order to allow testing to proceed. Embodiments of the present invention solve this problem by allowing test software to automatically select a different row as the seed row or to rewrite data to the seed row. 
     There are several ways that a test signal TEST can maintain the signal coupled to the first input LPH* in an active state (e.g., active low) in the test mode of operation, allowing activation of multiple word line driver circuits  75  in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. One embodiment (not shown) includes one extra NMOS transistor in each word line driver circuit  75 . 
     A gate of the extra NMOS transistor is coupled to the output node WL, a drain of the extra NMOS transistor is coupled to the node N 1  and a source of the extra NMOS transistor is coupled to a drain of another NMOS transistor by a line extending from each word line driver circuit  75  to a common node. 
     The another NMOS transistor is shared by multiple word line driver circuits  75  and has a gate coupled to the signal TEST and a source coupled to ground. The extra NMOS transistor maintains the voltage on the node N 1  by compensating for leakage currents that result in the voltage present on the output node WL decreasing from V CCP  towards ground. A disadvantage of this approach is that the extra NMOS transistor is required in each word line driver circuit  75 . The DRAM memory device  10  of FIG. 1 includes over sixteen thousand word line driver circuits  75 . This embodiment thereby requires over sixteen thousand of the extra NMOS transistors, and twenty or more additional lines across the chip. 
     A technique in accordance with embodiments of the present invention for maintaining the voltage on the output node WL at V CCP  refreshes the word line driver circuit  75  at suitable intervals by resetting the second input IN to logic “0” and thus retriggering the dynamic latch. For example, when a group of 64 rows is repeatedly selected with a cycle time of 20 nanoseconds between row activation commands, each word line driver circuit  75  will be refreshed every 1.28 microseconds. These techniques may be used to maintain the signal coupled to the first input LPH* active low, and the voltage on the output node WL near V CCP , during consecutive row activate commands. 
     FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic diagram of a test circuit  100  useful in the memory device  10  of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The test circuit  100  is a portion of the even row drivers of the row address latch  26  of FIG. 1, and includes row sublatches  102  and  104 , NAND gates  106 - 110 , inverters/buffers  112 - 122 , multiplexers  124 - 130  and NOR gates  132 - 138 . Only the NOR gates  132 - 138  are not conventional, and, in the interest of brevity, only the NOR gates  132 - 138  will be discussed here. 
     The NOR gate  132  has an input coupled to the signal TEST. When the signal TEST is active high, all of the global phase driver signals GPH are maintained active high. As a result, all of the local phase driver signals coupled to the first input LPH* (FIG. 2) are maintained active low. The NOR gate  132  replaces an inverter normally used in the even row driver portion of the row address latch  26 . The NOR gate  132  acts as an inverter when the signal TEST is inactive low. The test circuit  100  eliminates signals RA 0 , RA 7  and RA 8  (row addresses  0 ,  7  and  8 ) and redundant match decoding from the phase driver signal path. 
     The signals TEST*, RA 0  (RA 0 * is used in odd row driver paths) and RMCH (redundant match) are coupled to combinatorial logic formed from NOR gates  134 - 138 , inverters  120  and  122  and multiplexer  126  to re-incorporate the signals RA 0  and RMCH into a predecoding path as will be understood by those of skill in the art. Similarly, the signals RA 7  and RA 8  may be incorporated into the predecoding path by other conventional combinatorial logic. The embodiment of FIG. 4 activates four rows per section at a time for all combinations of signals RA 7  and RA 8  unless RA 7  and/or RA 8  are incorporated into the predecode path. 
     FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic diagram of another test circuit  150  useful in the memory device  10  of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The test circuit  150  is also a modification of the even row drivers of the row address latch  26  of FIG. 1, with the inverter  112  (see FIG. 4) replaced by one side of a latch comprising two cross-coupled NOR gates  152 ,  154  that act as the inverter  112  when the signal TEST is inactive low. A NAND gate  156  decodes RA 80  and TEST to determine when to set the global phase driver BPH active high. 
     These embodiments all cause the output node WL of FIG. 2 to remain active, i.e., to maintain a voltage of V CCP , through multiple consecutive row activate commands. In these embodiments, the output node WL is reset when either a PRECHARGE or a CLEAR TEST command takes effect and resets the signal TEST inactive low. An advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that only a single test signal TEST is required in order to enter the test mode of operation. 
     The NOR gates  134 - 138 , inverters  120 ,  122  and multiplexers  124 ,  126  function as in the circuit  100  of FIG.  4 . Accordingly, operation of these circuits is not discussed further here. 
     FIG. 6 is a simplified flow chart of a process  200  for testing writeback margin for the memory device  10  of FIG. 1, and FIG. 7 is a simplified timing diagram for the process  200 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 7 shows waveforms CLK, corresponding to a clock signal; COMMAND, corresponding to commands that are active during a specific clock cycle; ADDRESS, corresponding to the address in the memory array  20 ,  22  of FIG. 1 that the commands are relevant to; and ARRAY, corresponding to several signals present in the memory array  20 ,  22 , as given below in Table I. The word lines of the example of FIGS. 6 and 7 are arbitrary and are in an arbitrary order (and could be in any other arbitrary order). 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE I 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Label 
                 Waveforms in ARRAY of FIG. 6. 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 WL0 
                 Word line 0 
               
               
                   
                 WL4 
                 Word line 4 
               
               
                   
                 WL8 
                 Word line 8 
               
               
                   
                 WL12 
                 Word line l2 
               
               
                   
                 DIGITS 
                 signals present on digit line pair 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The process  200  of FIG. 6 begins with a step  202  of setting the signal TEST (FIG. 2) active high prior to a first clock cycle of a memory test, i.e., prior to T0 (see arrow, top trace, labeled CLK in FIG.  7 ). COMMAND is ACTIVE, i.e., data may now be read from or written to the memory arrays  20 ,  22  of FIG.  1 . COMMAND stays in this state during the first four clock cycles of the process  200  in this example. During the first clock cycle, ADDRESS corresponds to ROW  0  and the word line driver circuit  75  of FIG. 2 for row  0  is activated. In a step  204 , a first word line WL0 is activated on a rising edge of the first clock pulse, i.e., at a time T0. 
     In a step  206 , a pair of digit lines are set to data values DIGITS (bottom trace, FIG.  7 ), thereby addressing the data DIGITS to a first memory cell at an intersection of the pair of digit lines and the first word line WL 0 0. In a step  208 , a second word line WL4 is activated on a rising edge T1 of a second clock pulse immediately succeeding the first clock pulse, thereby addressing a second memory cell at the intersection of the pair of digit lines and the second word line WL4, and the first word line WL0 is maintained active. In a step  210 , a third word line WL8 is activated on a rising edge T2 of a third clock pulse immediately succeeding the second clock pulse, thereby addressing a third memory cell at the intersection of the pair of digit lines and the third word line WL8, and the first WL0 and second WL4 word lines are maintained active. In a step  212 , a fourth word line WL12 is activated on a rising edge T3 of a fourth clock pulse immediately succeeding the third clock pulse, thereby addressing a fourth memory cell at the intersection of the pair of digit lines and the fourth word line WL12, and the first WL0, second WL4 and third WL8 word lines are maintained active. 
     In a step  214 , the first WL0, second WL4, third WL8 and fourth WL12 word lines are maintained active during a pause of three to twenty microseconds, represented by slashes in FIG.  7 . In a step  216 , following the pause, the digital values DIGITS of the pair of digit lines are inverted at the falling edge of an n TH  clock pulse, i.e., a sense amplifier associated with the pair of digit lines is driven to a logical state that is the inverse of the logical state of the sense amplifier in steps  206 - 212 . In a step  218 , on a rising edge at a time Tn+1 of an n+ 1-   TH  clock pulse, the first through fourth word lines WL0-WL12 are turned off, storing values in the addressed memory cells that correspond to the state of the signals DIGITS on the pair of digit lines. In a step  220 , the data stored in the memory cells that were addressed in steps  204 - 218  are read out. 
     A query task  222  compares the read data to corresponding expected values. When the query task  222  determines that one or more of the memory cells provided read data that do not agree with the expected data, the sense amplifier is not able to effectively drive the load of the combined addressed memory cells at that clock speed. In a task  224 , data describing memory cell failures, such as the number of memory cell failures, is stored in a memory and the process  200  ends. When the query task  222  determines that the read data and the expected values agree, the sense amplifier is able to drive the load represented by the addressed memory cells at that clock speed, as is discussed below in more detail. The process  200  then ends. 
     The sense amplifiers in the column circuitry  50 ,  52  (FIG. 1) have an output resistance, and the digit lines are capacitive. As a result, the digit lines do not switch immediately and instead charge up or down over a period of time (see, e.g., the traces DIGITS at the bottom of FIG. 7 at times between T0 and T1 and to the right of Tn, as denoted at the top). When the second through fourth memory cells are added to the sense amplifier load, the time constant for charging the digit lines increases (compare DIGITS between T0 and T1 to DIGITS to the right of Tn). When the output resistance of the sense amplifier is too high, or when the clock speed is too fast, the signals DIGITS on the pair of digit lines will not have changed state before the first through fourth word lines WL0-WL12 were turned off at time Tn+1. As a result, the data stored in one or more of the first through fourth memory cells will be incorrect. 
     The present invention allows the number of word lines that are used in this type of test to be incremented by one word line at a time, providing finer granularity to the measured data than is possible with prior art writeback margin tests. As a result, it is possible to learn more about margin stress for the memory device  10  being tested than could be learned from prior art testing techniques. 
     FIG. 8 is a simplified flow chart of a process  250  for RASCLOBBER testing for leakage between cells for the memory device  10  of FIG. 1, and FIG. 9 is a simplified timing diagram for the RASCLOBBER process  250 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Tests where a relatively long pause between writing a data pattern and reading data measures even small amounts of charge leaking from one memory cell to another are known as “CLOBBER” tests. When charge leakage is present, one or more memory cells adjacent to the memory cells to which data were written will “float” from a pre-programmed logical state to a voltage about halfway between the allowed states of logic “0” and logic “1” or to the value stored in the adjacent cell to which charge is leaking. FIG. 9 shows waveforms CLK, COMMAND, ADDRESS and ARRAY, having the same meanings as the corresponding waveforms illustrated in FIG.  7 . 
     In a step  252  (FIG.  8 ), the signal TEST (FIGS. 4 and 5) is set active high prior to a first clock cycle of a memory test, i.e., to the left of an arrow at T0 (see the top trace labeled CLK in FIG.  9 ). COMMAND is ACTIVE, i.e., data may be read from or written to the memory arrays  20 ,  22  of FIG.  1 . COMMAND stays in this state during those subsequent clock cycles in which columns are selected for re-writing a seed row. During the first clock cycle, i.e., while CLK is at logic “1” following time T0 (top trace, FIG.  9 ), ADDRESS corresponds to, for example, ROW  0  and the word line driver circuit  75  of FIG. 2 for row  0  is activated. In a step  254 , a first word line WL0 is activated on a rising edge (at T0) of the first clock cycle. 
     In a step  256 , a pair of digit lines are set to data values DIGITS (bottom trace, FIG.  9 ), thereby addressing data to memory cells coupled to the pair of digit lines. In a step  258 , COMMAND is set to WRITE and a selected column, for example COL  0 , is written on a rising edge T1 of a second clock cycle immediately succeeding the first clock cycle, thereby addressing and writing data to an addressed memory cell. The step  258  also includes providing the row address and the bank address to specify the addressed memory cell to which the data represented by DIGITS is being written. COMMAND stays in the WRITE state for the next three clock cycles in the example of FIG.  9 . 
     A query task  262  then determines if all of the desired columns have been written. When the query task  262  determines that not all of the desired columns have been written, a next desired column is selected in a step  264  and control passes back to the step  258 . The steps  264 ,  258  and  262  then repeat until the query task  262  determines that all of the desired columns have been addressed, i.e., the new seed row has had data written to it, or the seed row has been rewritten with new data. In the example of FIGS. 8 and 9, memory cells located at the intersection of columns  0 - 4  and row  0  form at least part of the seed row. Then, in a step  266 , COMMAND is set to ACTIVE. In a step  268 , a selected row is activated to copy the data that were written to the seed row into the selected row. 
     A query task  270  then determines if all of the desired rows have been activated. When the query task  270  determines that not all of the desired rows have been activated, a next desired row is selected in a step  272  and control passes back to the step  268 . The steps  272 ,  268  and  270  repeat until the query task  270  determines that all of the desired rows have been addressed, i.e., the data from the seed row have been written to the desired rows (ROW  4  and ROW  8  in the example of FIGS.  8  and  9 ). The steps  254 - 270  require that the local phase signals LPH* be latched active low during these steps for at least these rows. Then, in a step  274 , a pause is introduced (denoted by slashes in FIG. 9) generally on the order of 32 to 100 milliseconds but which may be longer or shorter. The pause in step  274  allows defective memory cells to discharge through high resistance interconnects to memory cells adjacent to the cells to which data were written during the steps  260 - 272 . The precharge command shuts off all row lines at the end of the pause time. 
     In the step  275 , data are read normally (i.e., per specifications) from the memory cells. A query task  276  determines if the read data agree with corresponding expect data. When the query task  276  determines that the read data and the corresponding expect data agree, the process  250  ends. When the read data and the corresponding expect data do not agree, the addresses of failed memory cells are stored in a memory in a step  278 . The process  250  then ends. 
     As a result of the dynamic latching capability of the write line driver circuit  75  of FIG. 2, and the software programmability of the present invention, any row may be used as the seed row and the rows to which data are written from the seed row may be chosen under software control. 
     FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a process  280  that repeatedly uses the RASCLOBBER process  250  of FIG. 8 to test the memory arrays  20 ,  22  of FIG.  1 . In a step  282 , the process  250  is invoked to write a first set of data, DATA, to, e.g., all the even rows, and to determine which, if any, memory cells  25  fail. For example, all of the even rows could be written to logical “1” and all of the odd rows to logical “0,” or a “checkerboard” pattern could be used. In a step  284 , the process  250  (FIG. 8) is invoked to write the complement of the first set of data, DATA*, to all of the even rows, and to determine which, if any, memory cells fail. In a step  286 , the process  250  is invoked to write the first set of data, DATA, to all of the odd rows, and to determine which, if any, memory cells fail. In a step  288 , the process  280  is invoked to write the complement of the first set of data, DATA*, to all of the odd rows, and to determine which, if any, memory cells fail. The process  280  then ends. The process  280  thus tests each memory cell in the memory arrays  20 ,  22  of FIG. 1 in each logical state, i.e., logic “0” and logic “1,” to determine if a high resistance interconnection exists between any memory cell and the neighboring memory cells. 
     In a typical RASCLOBBER test, where a 48 millisecond delay is used in the step  272  for the pause, and 16,000 rows need to be tested, a total test time of about 800 seconds is required to test the memory arrays  20 ,  22  of FIG. 1 if the rows are tested one at a time. Prior art approaches turn groups of rows on simultaneously, resulting in large charging currents that may cause interference, and are inflexible in that only predetermined groups of rows may be turned on together. 
     The embodiments of the present invention allow rows to be turned on one at a time, in any order and in any combination. As a result, test time is reduced and flexibility in testing is possible. When a row is initially written to as the chosen seed row and the read data suggest that the seed row may be defective, embodiments of the present invention allow either that seed row to be rewritten or a new seed row to be chosen. For example, when a seed row includes a memory cell that is shorted to ground, all of the other memory cells that are coupled to that memory cell will store a logic “0.” When the data are read from the memory arrays  20 ,  22 , the presence of a short circuit will be seen to be likely. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, the invention is not limited to this preferred embodiment. Rather, the invention is limited only by the appended claims, which include within their scope all equivalent devices or methods which operate according to the principles of the invention as described.

Technology Category: 3