Sense Amplifier Voltage Supply Circuit With Integrated Mat Drivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor memory devices face challenges in efficiently supplying core voltage to sense amplifying circuits, leading to increased power consumption and reduced reliability due to the need for complex wiring and large area requirements, especially when transitioning between over-driving and normal driving operations.
Innovation Solution
A voltage supply circuit is integrated into the core area of semiconductor memory devices, merging drivers for core and pull-up voltages to provide a stable core voltage directly to sense amplifying circuits, reducing the need for external source voltage and minimizing unnecessary wiring, thereby improving efficiency and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate drivers for core voltage and pull-up voltage are used, then voltage supply reliability is improved, but device complexity and area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the core voltage driver and pull-up voltage driver into a single integrated driver circuit. This unified driver simultaneously controls both the core voltage (VCORE) supplied to the sense amplifying circuit and the pull-up voltage (RTO) supplied to the pull-up power line, reducing device complexity and area while maintaining voltage supply reliability through coordinated control signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated driver is designed with multi-functionality to perform both core voltage driving and pull-up voltage driving operations. By incorporating multiple output stages within a single driver unit, the circuit can selectively supply different voltages to different destinations based on control signals, eliminating the need for separate dedicated drivers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If external source voltage is used for sense amplifying circuit, then voltage supply flexibility is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the voltage supply sources by generating both the core voltage and pull-up voltage from the same internal voltage generation circuitry. This eliminates the need for separate external source voltage supplies, reducing power consumption while maintaining the flexibility to supply different voltage levels to different circuits through the integrated driver's control logic.
3Reliability
If complex wiring is used to supply voltage to sense amplifying circuit, then voltage supply reliability is improved, but area and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple voltage supply paths into a single integrated driver unit that can selectively output different voltages. This consolidation reduces the number of separate wiring routes needed to connect voltage sources to the sense amplifying circuit and pull-up power line, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining reliable voltage supply through the unified driver's controlled output stages.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor memory device includes a common driver suitable for generating a preliminary driving signal according to a voltage at a first node; and a plurality of individual drivers suitable for providing a core voltage to a sense amplifying circuit of a corresponding one of a plurality of cell mats, according to the preliminary driving signal, wherein each of the individual drivers includes: a level shifting circuit suitable for outputting a main driving signal by shifting a level of the preliminary driving signal when a corresponding mat select signal and a pull-up driving signal are activated; a pull-up driver suitable for driving a pull-up power line with the core voltage according to the main driving signal; and a switch suitable for coupling the first node to the pull-up power line when the corresponding mat select signal and the pull-up driving signal are activated.