Semiconductor Memory Device

Abstract

Disclosed is a semiconductor memory device capable of arbitrarily setting an upper limit of the number of error corrections during a test operation. The semiconductor memory device has a counter, a register, and a comparison circuit. The counter counts the number of error corrections. The register, when an upper limit setting signal (in the case shown in FIG. 1, an external upper limit fetch signal) is externally inputted to change the upper limit of the number of error corrections, changes the upper limit. The comparison circuit compares the number of error corrections with the changed upper limit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This is a Divisional Application, which claims the benefit of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 102,715, filed Apr. 11, 2005. The disclosure of the prior application is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and particularly to a semiconductor memory device having an error correction function.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]In a semiconductor memory device such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) mounted on computer equipments, a necessary memory capacity rapidly increases in recent years. In response to the increase in memory capacity, a miniaturization technique progresses. However, when the miniaturization technique progresses, reliability in a memory cell is reduced. In order to prevent the reduction in reliability, the following redundant technique has been used. ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018]It is another object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor memory device capable of grasping an increase of defective bits due to deterioration with time of a memory cell.

[0019]It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor memory device capable of correctly counting the number of error corrections.

Problems solved by technology

However, when the miniaturization technique progresses, reliability in a memory cell is reduced.

According to this technique, although the reduction in the reliability of products themselves can be prevented, the following problem occurs in recent years.

In the memory cell requiring a refresh operation, such as a DRAM cell, a data retention time is suddenly degraded, and thereby defects occur after packaging or shipping of products.

However, when the number of single-bit defects of which the repair by the redundant technique can be taken over by the ECC function is too large, a probability of repair defective bits caused by a data retention time degradation is reduced.

The conventional semiconductor memory device, however, has some problems as described hereinbelow.

Even if the number of error corrections counted during the test operation is too large or too small with respect to the set upper limit, the upper limit cannot be arbitrarily set.

Due to deterioration with time of the memory cell, the number of the defective bits after the packaging or shipping increases more than that during the test operation in some cases.

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