# US 10,311,944 B2 · SRAM read multiplexer including replica transistors

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- Number: US 10,311,944 B2
- Document ID: US10311944B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/025,647
- Filed: 2018-07-02
- Published: 2019-01-31
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-26
- Assignees: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
- Applicants: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
- Inventors: Dhori Kedar Janardan; Abhishek Pathak; Shishir Kumar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10311944B2

## CPC

- G11C 11/417: for memory cells of the field-effect type
- G11C 11/419: Read-write [R-W] circuits
- G11C 5/14: Power supply arrangements {, e.g. power down, chip selection or deselection, layout of wirings or power grids, or multiple supply levels}
- G11C 7/227: {Timing of memory operations based on dummy memory elements or replica circuits}
- G11C 2207/002: Isolation gates, i.e. gates coupling bit lines to the sense amplifier
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

A first transistor has a first conduction terminal coupled to a second bit line, a second conduction terminal coupled to a bit line node, and a control terminal biased by a second control signal. A second transistor has a first conduction terminal coupled to a second complementary bit line, a second conduction terminal coupled to a complementary bit line node, and a control terminal biased by the second control signal. A first replica transistor has a first conduction terminal coupled to the second bit line, a second conduction terminal coupled to the complementary bit line node, and a control terminal biased such that the first replica transistor is off. A second replica transistor has a first conduction terminal coupled to the second complementary bit line, a second conduction terminal coupled to the bit line node, and a control terminal biased such that the second replica transistor is off.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic device, comprising:
a sense amplifier having first and second inputs;
a first column coupled to the first and second inputs of the sense amplifier, the first column comprising:
a first memory cell coupled to a first bitline;
a first transistor coupled between the first bitline and the first input of the sense amplifier; and
a first replica transistor coupled between the first bitline and the second input of the sense amplifier, wherein the first replica transistor is a replica of the first transistor; and
a second column coupled to the first and second inputs of the sense amplifier.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first transistor provides an unwanted parasitic coupling the first bitline to the first input of the sense amplifier when the second column is selected for a read operation, and wherein the first replica transistor provides a compensating parasitic capacitance coupling the first bitline to the second input of the sense amplifier when the second column is selected for the read operation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first transistor and first replica transistor are PMOS transistors.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first replica transistor is configured to be turned off at least when the second column is selected for a read during operation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first replica transistor is configured to be turned off at all times.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second column comprises:
a second memory cell coupled to a second bitline;
a second transistor coupled between the second bitline and the first input of the sense amplifier; and
a second replica transistor coupled between the second bitline and the second input of the sense amplifier, the second replica transistor being a replica of the second transistor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the second transistor provides an unwanted parasitic coupling the second bitline to the first input of the sense amplifier when the first column is selected for a read operation, and wherein the second replica transistor provides a compensating parasitic capacitance coupling the second bitline to the second input of the sense amplifier when the first column is selected for the read operation.

### Claim 8

An electronic device, comprising:
a sense amplifier having first and second inputs; and
a first column comprising:
a first memory cell coupled to a first bitline and a first complementary bitline;
a first read transistor coupled between the first complementary bitline and the second input of the sense amplifier;
a first replica transistor coupled between the first complementary bitline and the first input of the sense amplifier, wherein the first replica transistor is a replica of the first read transistor;
a second read transistor coupled between the first bitline and the first input of the sense amplifier; and
a second replica transistor coupled between the first bitline and the second input of the sense amplifier, wherein the second replica transistor is a replica of the second read transistor;
wherein the first and second replica transistors have control terminals coupled to a fixed voltage node.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The electronic device of claim 8, wherein a voltage at the fixed voltage node biases the first and second replica transistors to be off at all times.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first and second read transistors and the first and second replica transistors are all PMOS transistors.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising a second column having:
a second memory cell coupled to a second bitline and a second complementary bitline;
a third read transistor coupled between the second complementary bitline and the second input of the sense amplifier;
a third replica transistor coupled between the second complementary bitline and the first input of the sense amplifier, wherein the third replica transistor is a replica of the third read transistor;
a fourth read transistor coupled between the second bitline and the first input of the sense amplifier; and
a fourth replica transistor coupled between the second bitline and the second input of the sense amplifier, wherein the fourth replica transistor is a replica of the fourth read transistor;
wherein the third and fourth replica transistors have control terminals coupled to the fixed voltage node.

### Claim 12

An electronic device, comprising:
a sense amplifier having a non-inverting input and an inverting input; and
a first column comprising:
a first memory cell coupled to a first bitline and a first complementary bitline;
a first read PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the first complementary bitline, a drain coupled to the inverting input of the sense amplifier, and a gate coupled to a first control signal node; and
a first replica transistor having a source coupled to the first complementary bitline, a drain coupled to the non-inverting input of the sense amplifier, and a gate coupled to a power supply node, wherein the first replica transistor is a replica of the first read PMOS transistor;
a second read PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the first bitline, a drain coupled to the non-inverting input of the sense amplifier, and a gate coupled to the first control signal node; and
a second replica transistor having a source coupled to the first bitline, a drain coupled to the inverting input of the sense amplifier, and a gate coupled to the power supply node, wherein the second replica transistor is a replica of the second read PMOS transistor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The electronic device of claim 12, further comprising a second column, wherein the second column comprises:
a second memory cell coupled to a second bitline and a second complementary bitline;
a third read PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the second complementary bitline, a drain coupled to the inverting input of the sense amplifier, and a gate coupled to a second control signal node;
a third replica transistor having a source coupled to the second complementary bitline, a drain coupled to the non-inverting input of the sense amplifier, and a gate coupled to the power supply node, wherein the third replica transistor is a replica of the third read PMOS transistor;
a fourth read PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the second bitline, a drain coupled to the non-inverting input of the sense amplifier, and a gate coupled to the second control signal node; and
a fourth replica transistor having a source coupled to the second bitline, a drain coupled to the inverting input of the sense amplifier, and a gate coupled to the power supply node, wherein the fourth replica transistor is a replica of the fourth read PMOS transistor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The electronic device of claim 12, wherein a voltage at the power supply node drives the first and second replica transistors to be in an off state.

### Claim 15

A method, comprising:
selecting a first memory column to connect first and second bitlines of the first memory column to first and second inputs of a sense amplifier;
deselecting a second memory column to disconnect first and second bitlines of the second memory column from the first and second inputs of the sense amplifier; and
compensating for an unwanted parasitic capacitive coupling between the first bitline of the second memory column and the first input of the sense amplifier by providing a compensating capacitive coupling between the first bitline of the second memory column and the second input of the sense amplifier.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein deselecting comprises selectively turning off a first transistor coupled between the first bitline of the second memory column and the first input of the sense amplifier and selectively turning off a second transistor coupled between the second bitline of the second memory column and the second input of the sense amplifier.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein providing the compensating capacitive coupling comprises providing a first replica transistor coupled between the first bitline of the second memory column and the second input of the sense amplifier.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising controlling the first replica transistor to be in an off state.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein controlling comprises placing the first replica transistor in the off state when selecting the first memory column to connect first and second bitlines of the first memory column to first and second inputs of the sense amplifier.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the unwanted parasitic capacitive coupling passes a current from the first bitline of the second memory column, and wherein the compensating capacitive coupling passes a compensating current to the first bitline of the second memory column.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the passed current causes a lowering of a voltage on the first bitline of the second memory column and the passed compensating current causes an increase in the voltage on the first bitline of the second memory column.