US 5,289,404 AGranted

Semiconductor memory device

AssigneeSony Corporation

InventorYutaka Okamoto

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Abstract

A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cells arranged along a word line. Each memory cell is constituted by a flip-flop formed by a pair of driver transistors of a first conductivity channel and a pair of load transistors of a second conductivity channel. The load transistors have an active layer formed by a semiconductor thin film. A power line connected to the load transistors includes a first metal layer that extends in a direction parallel to the word line and connections, arranged at intervals along the word line, between the first metal layer and the semiconductor thin film. A ground line is connected to the driver transistors and includes a second metal layer that extends in a direction parallel to the word line and a connecting portion that is connected to the second metal layer and extends in a direction perpendicular to the word line. This arrangement prevents the ON current of the load transistors from being reduced thereby increasing the ON/OFF current ratio without increasing the area required for the memory device. Accordingly, data retention characteristics can be improved without decreasing the degree of circuit integration.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A semiconductor memory device having a plurality of memory cells arranged along a word line, each said memory cell being constituted by a flip-flop formed by a pair of driver transistors of a first conductivity channel and a pair of load transistors of a second conductivity channel, said load transistors having an active layer formed by a semiconductor thin film, the device comprising:

a ground line including a first line formed by a first metal layer and extending in a direction perpendicular to said word line, a second line formed by a second metal layer and connected to said first line at first connecting sections and extending in a direction parallel to said word line, a third line extending parallel to said word line and connected to an active layer of said driver transistors, and a fourth line formed by said first metal layer and interconnecting said second line and said third line at second connecting sections;
and
a power supply line including a fifth line formed by said second metal layer and extending in said direction parallel to said word line, a sixth line extending parallel to said word line and connected to said active layer of said load transistors, and a seventh line formed at least in part by said first metal layer and interconnecting said fifth line and said sixth line at third connecting sections.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.