Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     I. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to systems which utilize memory array architectures. More specifically, the invention relates to a system and method for an improved sense amplifier architecture. 
     II. Description of the Related Art 
     Electronic systems typically store data during operation in a memory device. Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is very popular as a data storage device for such systems. Basically, a DRAM is an integrated circuit that stores data in binary form (e.g., “1” or “0”) in a large number of cells. The data is stored in a cell as a charge on a capacitor located within the cell. Typically, a high logic level is approximately equal to the power supply voltage and a low logic level is approximately equal to ground. 
     The cells of a conventional DRAM are arranged in an array so that individual cells can be addressed and accessed. The array can be thought of as rows and columns of cells. Each row includes a word line that interconnects cells on the row with a common control signal. Similarly, each column includes a digit line that is coupled to at most one cell in each row. Thus, the word and digit lines can be controlled so as to individually access each cell of the array. 
     To read data out of a cell, the capacitor of a cell is accessed by selecting the word line associated with the cell. A complementary digit line that is paired with the digit line for the selected cell is equilibrated to an equilibrium voltage. This equilibration voltage (Veq) is typically midway between the high Vcc and low Vss (typically ground) logic levels. Thus, conventionally, the digit lines are equilibrated to one-half of the power supply voltage, VCC/2. When the word line is activated for the selected cell, the capacitor of the selected cell discharges the stored voltage onto the digit line, thus changing the voltage on the digit line. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a sense amplifier  110  detects and amplifies the difference in voltage on the pair of digit lines. The sense amplifier  110  typically includes two main components: an n-sense amplifier and a p-sense amplifier. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the n-sense amplifier includes a cross-coupled pair of n-channel transistors  230 ,  232 , in which the gates of the transistors  230 ,  232  may be coupled to the digit lines  102  and  104  or  106  and  108 . Thus, during a read operation, the n-channel transistors  230 ,  232  are initially driven by the equilibration voltage on the digit lines  102  and  104  or  106  and  108 . The n-sense amplifier is used to drive a low digit line to ground. The p-sense amplifier includes a cross-coupled pair of p-channel transistors  234 ,  236  and is used to drive a high digit line to the power supply voltage. 
     An input/output device for the array, typically an n-channel transistor  240 ,  242 , passes the voltage on the digit line  102 ,  104  or  106 ,  108  for the selected cell to an input/output line  244 ,  246  for communication to, for example, a processor of a computer or other electronic system associated with the DRAM. In a write operation, data is passed from the input/output lines  244 ,  246  to the digit lines  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108  by the input/output device  240 ,  242  of the array for storage on the capacitor in the selected cell. 
     Each of the components of a memory device are conventionally formed as part of an integrated circuit. To more effectively use the area of the integrated circuit, the memory array may include sub-arrays which may have sense amplifier circuitry shared amongst the sub arrays. In such memory devices, the sub-arrays are coupled to the sense amplifier  110  through isolation transistors  202 ,  204 ,  206 ,  208 , typically n-channel transistors. The n-channel isolation transistors  202 ,  204 ,  206 ,  208 , selectively couple the sense amplifier  110  to the digit lines  106  and  108  or  102  and  104  for a data reading or writing operation, as is well known in the art. 
     The above arrangement of shared sense amplifiers is illustrated on a higher level in FIG.  2  and is commonly referred to as an interleaved folded scheme. In this scheme digit pairs (e.g., two digit lines) are interleaved and run next to each other inside a sub-array  112 ,  114 . Each digit pair forms a true and complement combination which is read by and written to by a sense amplifier  110 . Each of the digits lines, e.g.  102 , of a pair, e.g.  102 ,  104 , is coupled to a memory cell of a sub-array, each cell including a capacitor connected through an access transistor to the digit line. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the digit pair  102 ,  104  is connected to a sense amplifier  110  by a pair of isolation transistors  206 ,  208 . Also, sharing the same selected amplifier  110  is another digit pair  106 ,  108  from another sub-array  114 . Digit pair  106 ,  108  is isolated from the sense amplifier  110  by isolation transistors  202 ,  204  during sensing of digit pair  102 ,  104 . As shown in FIG. 1, this isolation occurs, for example, by turning off a pair of isolation transistors  202 ,  204  between the sense amplifier  110  and digit pair  106 ,  108 . The interleaved folded scheme requires that one sense amplifier fit in the space of 4 digit lines of the adjacent arrays. The interleaved folded digit line scheme works well with 8F**2 type memory cells, which are commonly used with such a scheme. The name, 8F**2, is descriptive of the area each memory cell occupies in terms of the industry standard “F units.” 
     Another known memory cell arrangement is known as 6F**2 cells. The 6F**2 cells are different from the 8F**2 cells in that for an interleaved folded scheme a sense amplifier  110  must fit into the width of two (2) digit lines rather than within the space of four (4) digit lines as are used with 8F**2 cells. While 6F**2 memory cells can be utilized with the same sense amplifier layout shown in FIG. 1, this may require extremely tight design rules or additional interconnects. Therefore, there exists a need for a more efficient sense amplifier scheme layout which is better suited for 6F**2 memory cells. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a sense amplifier layout for use with 6F**2 memory cells. The layout uses an open digit architecture where digit lines fed from each adjacent sub array do not share sense amplifiers. This open digit architecture utilizes a perpendicular orientation of the sense amplifier length with respect to the digit lines. This layout allows for an efficient memory array system using 6F**2 memory cells, while avoiding the complexities of implementing an interleaved folded scheme for 6F**2 memory cells. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing and other advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of exemplary embodiments provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an illustration of a schematic diagram for a memory device employing an interleaved folded digit line layout for shared sense amplifiers; 
     FIG. 2 is an illustration of a shared sense amplifier and multiple digit lines in accordance with an interleaved folded digit line layout; 
     FIG. 3 is an electrical schematic diagram of a memory device fabricated in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention and including an open digit array sense amplifier arrangement in which the digit lines run perpendicular to the length of the sense amplifier; 
     FIG. 4 is a layout illustration of a portion of the memory device illustrated in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is an illustration of the open digit architecture in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a processor system employing a memory device containing an open digit array sense amplifier arrangement in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is an electrical schematic diagram of a portion of a memory device fabricated in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a layout illustration of a portion of the memory device illustrated in FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, where like reference numerals designate like elements, FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of a circuit for a memory device  500  employing an open digit array sense amplifier arrangement in which the length of the sense amplifier  110  (shown running horizontally in FIG. 4) is perpendicular to the extending direction of digit lines  102 ,  104  (shown extending vertically in FIG.  4 ). Since multiple memory sub-arrays are not coupled via multiple digit lines to the same sense amplifier  110  (i.e., the sense amplifier  110  is not shared), isolation transistors are not needed, unlike the conventional arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 5, the two digit lines  102 ,  104  used for the comparisons performed by sense amplifier  110  are taken from two different sub arrays on either side of a sense amplifier  110 . It should be understood that although isolation transistors  202 ,  204 ,  206 ,  208  (FIG. 1) are not required, they may be included without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, equalization of digit lines  102 ,  104  is accomplished by connecting them to a common node COM  584  of two n-channel transistors  290 ,  292 . By controlling the voltage at node LEQ  294 , which enables or disables n-channel transistors  290 ,  292  at the same time, transistors  290 ,  292  may be turned on at the same time to couple the digit lines  102 ,  104 , at the common mode COM  584 , thereby equalizing them. Since the digit lines  102 ,  104  are separated by a value equal to VCC, the resulting potential at the common node COM  584  is VCC/2. A voltage source DVC/2 (e.g., at VCC/2) is coupled through a source voltage element, e.g., a Vccp transistor  590  as shown in FIG. 3, to hold the common node COM  584  at VCC/2. It should be understood that a Vccp transistor  590  is not required, however, and other source voltage elements may be used in place of or in combination with the Vccp transistor  590  illustrated, for example a resistor, a plurality of resistors, a plurality of transistors, a combination of resistors and transistors, or other devices or combinations known in the art. One advantage of this configuration is that if multiple digit lines are additionally equalized to each other (e.g., shorted together), then only one source voltage element (e.g., Vccp transistor  590 ) is required to hold the multiple digit lines to the desired voltage, (e.g., VCC/2). 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a single sense amplifier  110  for simplicity. It should be understood that in actual practice, and as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of FIG. 4 circuits would be used for access and control of a memory device  500 , where each circuit would read/write one data bit on a selected word line. For example, in a 4 bit data arrangement four sense amplifiers  110  of the type illustrated in FIG. 3 would be fabricated and share the RNL_, ACT, CS, COM and LEQ signals. 
     Since the sense amplifiers  110  are arranged perpendicular to the digit lines  102 ,  104 , extra interconnect spaces become available parallel to the digit lines  102 ,  104 . The extra interconnect spaces may be used for control signals, power strapping, or local interconnection for other devices. 
     FIG. 4 is a top down illustration of the physical layout of a portion  500 ′ of the memory device  500  illustrated in FIG.  3 . As noted, the layout employs an open sense amplifier arrangement with the sense amplifier  110  oriented perpendicular to the extending direction of the digit lines  102 ,  104 . The sense amplifier  110  of circuit of FIG. 4 is electrically equivalent to the sense amplifier  110  illustrated in FIG.  3 . The sense amplifier  110  contains two n-channel transistors  230 ,  232  and two p-channel transistors  234 ,  236 , and has a length which extends in a direction shown horizontally in FIG.  4 . The digit lines  102 ,  104  enter from the top and bottom, respectively, in FIG.  4  and run in a direction (shown vertically in FIG. 4) perpendicular to the length of the sense amplifier  110 . Interconnects  414 ,  410  between the p-channel transistors  234 ,  236  and n-channel transistors  232 ,  230 , respectively, extend in a direction parallel to the length of the sense amplifier  110  (shown horizontally in FIG. 4) and perpendicular to the extending direction of the digit lines  102 ,  104 . As a result, the digit lines  102 ,  104  may be connected at multiple places along the interconnects  414 ,  410 , respectively, allowing considerable design flexibility. N-well  502  includes within it the active area  504  forming the source/drain regions of the p-channel transistors  234 ,  236 . Likewise, active area  506  forms the source/drain regions of the n-channel transistors  230 ,  232 . The transistors  290 ,  292  are illustrated between source/drain regions of the n-channel transistors  230 ,  232  and the node COM (e.g., node  584  on FIG. 3) for selective coupling of the digit lines  102 ,  104  during equalization. Input/output devices  240 ,  242  (FIG. 3) and a source voltage element, e.g., a Vccp transistor  590  (FIG.  3 ), are omitted from FIG. 4 for simplicity. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a memory device  800  constructed in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 7, the device  800  places an equalization device  802  between the two n-channel transistors  230 ,  232 . In doing so, the device does not require that a plurality of transistors  290 ,  292  and a COM node  584  (FIG. 4) be used for equalization. The digit lines  102 ,  104  can be equalized through the equalization device  802  as controlled by the LEQ signal. A voltage source DVC/2 (e.g., at VCC/2) connected through a source voltage element, e.g., a Vccp transistor  590 , may also be used to hold the digit lines  102 ,  104  to a desired voltage, e.g., VCC/2, during equalization as shown in FIG.  7 . As noted, one advantage of this configuration is that if multiple digit lines are additionally equalized to each other (e.g., shorted together), then only one source voltage element (e.g., Vccp transistor  590 ) is required to hold the multiple digit lines to the desired voltage, (e.g., VCC/2). Also as noted, Vccp transistor  590  is not required for the source voltage element, and it may also be a resistor, a plurality of resistors, a plurality of transistors, a combination of these, or other elements known in the art. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, a top down view is illustrated of the physical layout for a portion  800 ′ of the memory device  800  depicted in FIG.  7 . The portion  800 ′ of FIG. 7 illustrated in FIG. 8 includes the digit lines  102 ,  104 , the sense amplifier  110  and the equalization device  802 . The equalization device  802  is located between the interconnects  410 ,  414  coupled to the digit lines  102 ,  104 , and is coupled to LEQ on the periphery for selective connection of the digit lines  102 ,  104  during equalization. Again, n-well  502  includes within it the active area  504  forming the source/drain regions of the p-channel transistors  234 ,  236 . Likewise, active area  506  forms the source/drain regions of the n-channel transistors  230 ,  232 , as well as for the equalization device  802 . 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a simplified processor system  700  which may employ RAM devices  708  containing the sense amplifier arrangement described and illustrated with reference to FIGS. 3-5 and  7 - 8 . Processor system  700  includes central processing unit (CPU)  712 , RAM memory devices  708  and ROM memory devices  710 , and may also include input/output (I/O) devices  704 ,  706 , disk drive  714  and CD ROM drive  716 . All of the above components communicate with each other over bus  718 . RAM memory devices  708  and CPU  712  may also be integrated together on a single chip. 
     Although the invention has been described as providing benefits for arrays having 6F**2 memory cell arrangements, the present invention may also be used for 8F**2 memory arrays and others. 
     Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative of the invention and not restrictive. Many variations, modifications and substitutions for the structures described and illustrated herein will be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art. The present invention is not to be considered as limited by the specifics of the described and illustrated embodiment, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 3