US 6,288,927 B1 · Semiconductor memory device with column gate and equalizer circuitry · patentgrep

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Abstract

A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of element regions formed in the semiconductor, wherein at least one column gate and at least one equalizer are formed as a set in one element region of the plurality of element regions. In one embodiment, a set of a column gate and an equalizer share a diffusion layer with an adjacent set of a column gate and an equalizer. In a second embodiment, a gate electrode of the equalizer is disposed to divide a diffusion layer into six regions. In other embodiments, the equalizer is surrounded by at least a gate electrode of a column gate. In yet other embodiments, the sets of column gates and equalizers are disposed parallel to a bit line.

Claims77

Dependent claims

A semiconductor memory device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;
first and second bitlines parallelly laid in a first direction each of which performs data input/data output from/to a memory cell;
a first diffusion layer connected with a bitline precharge potential supply line;
a second diffusion layer connected with said first bitline;
a third diffusion layer connected with said second bitline;
a fourth diffusion layer connected with said bitline precharge potential supply line;
a first gate electrode having first to third portions, wherein said first portion is provided above said semiconductor substrate and is provided adjacent to said first and second diffusion layers, said second portion is provided above said semiconductor substrate and is provided adjacent to said second and third diffusion layers, and said third portion is provided above said semiconductor substrate and is provided adjacent to said third and fourth diffusion layers;
a fifth diffusion layer connected with a first data line;
a sixth diffusion layer connected with a second data line;
a second gate electrode having fourth and fifth portions, wherein said fourth portion is provided above said semiconductor substrate and is provided adjacent to said second and fifth diffusion layers, and said fifth portion is provided above said semiconductor substrate and is provided adjacent to said third and sixth diffusion layers.

7 more elements

A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;
first to eighth bitlines parallelly laid in a first direction each of which performs data input and data output from and to a memory cell;
first to eighth data lines parallelly laid in a second direction normal to the first direction;
a first element region formed in said semiconductor substrate, said first element region having first to tenth diffusion layers, said first and second diffusion layers connected with a bitline precharge potential supply line, said third to sixth diffusion layers connected with said first to fourth bitlines, respectively, said seventh to tenth diffusion layers connected with said first to fourth data lines, respectively;
a second element region formed in said semiconductor substrate, said second element region provided adjacent to said first element region and having eleventh to twenties diffusion layers, said eleventh and twelfth diffusion layers connected with said bitline precharge potential supply line, said thirteenth to sixteenth diffusion layers connected with said fifth to eighth bitlines, respectively, said seventeenth to twelfth diffusion layers connected with said fifth to eighth data lines, respectively;
a first gate formed above said first region and said second region, said first gate having first to twelfth portions, said first portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and third diffusion layers, said second portion of said first gate provided adjacent to third and fourth diffusion layers, said third portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and fourth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and fifth diffusion layers, said fifth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to fifth and sixth diffusion layers, said sixth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and sixth diffusion layers, said seventh portion of said first gate provided adjacent to eleventh and thirteenth diffusion layers, said eighth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to thirteenth and fourteenth diffusion layers, said ninth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to twelfth and fourteenth diffusion layers, said tenth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to eleventh and fifteenth diffusion layers, said eleventh portion of said first gate provided adjacent to fifteenth and sixteenth diffusion layers, said twelfth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to twelfth and sixteenth diffusion layers;
a second gate formed above said first region and said second region, said second gate having first to fourth portions, said first portion of said second gate provided adjacent to third and seventh diffusion layers, said second portion of said second gate provided adjacent to fourth and eighth diffusion layers, said third portion of said second gate provided adjacent to thirteenth and sevententh diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said second gate provided adjacent to tenth and sevententh diffusion layers;
a third gate formed above said first region and said second region, said third gate having first to fourth portions, said first portion of said third gate provided adjacent to fifth and ninth diffusion layers, said second portion of said third gate provided adjacent to sixth and tenth diffusion layers, said third portion of said third gate provided adjacent to fifteenth and nineteenth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said third gate provided adjacent to sixteenth and twelfth diffusion layers;
first to third contacts provided between said first and second element regions and connected with said first to third gates, respectively;
and
fourth and fifth contacts connected with second and twelfth diffusion layers, respectively, said first to fifth contacts arranged substantially in a line.

8 more elements

A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;
first to eighth bitlines parallelly laid in a first direction each of which performs data input and data output from and to a memory cell;
first to eighth data lines parallelly laid in a second direction normal to the first direction;
a first element region formed in said semiconductor substrate, said first element region having first to tenth diffusion layers, said first and second diffusion layers connected with a bitline precharge potential supply line, said third and sixth diffusion layers connected with said first to fourth bitlines, respectively, said seventh to tenth diffusion layers connected with said first to fourth data lines, respectively;
a second element region formed in said semiconductor substrate, said second element region provided adjacent to said first element region and having eleventh to twenties diffusion layers, said eleventh and twelfth diffusion layers connected with said bitline precharge potential supply line, said thirteenth to sixteenth diffusion layers connected with said fifth to eighth bitlines, respectively, said seventeenth to twelfth diffusion layers connected with said fifth to eighth data lines, respectively;
a first gate formed above said first region and said second region, said first gate having first to twelfth portions, said first portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and third diffusion layers, said second portion of said first gate provided adjacent to third and fourth diffusion layers, said third portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and fourth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and fifth diffusion layers, said fifth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to fifth and sixth diffusion layers, said sixth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and sixth diffusion layers, said seventh portion of said first gate provided adjacent to eleventh and thirteenth diffusion layers, said eighth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to thirteenth and fourteenth diffusion layers, said ninth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to twelfth and fourteenth diffusion layers, said tenth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to eleventh and fifteenth diffusion layers, said eleventh portion of said first gate provided adjacent to fifteenth and sixteenth diffusion layers, said twelfth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to twelfth and sixteenth diffusion layers;
a second gate formed above said first region and said second region, said second gate having first to fourth portions, said first portion of said second gate provided adjacent to third and seventh diffusion layers, said second portion of said second gate provided adjacent to fourth and eighth diffusion layers, said third portion of said third gate provided adjacent to fifth and ninth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said third gate provided adjacent to sixth and tenth diffusion layers;
and
a third gate formed above said first region and said second region, said third gate having first to fourth portions, said first portion of said second gate provided adjacent to thirteenth and seventeenth diffusion layers, said second portion of said second gate provided adjacent to fourteenth and eighteenth diffusion layers, said third portion of said third data provided adjacent to fifteenth and nineteenth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said third gate provided adjacent to sixteenth and twelfth diffusion layers, wherein
said bitline precharge potential supply line provided substantially above said eleventh diffusion layer.

7 more elements

A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;
first to eighth bitlines parallelly laid in a first direction each of which performs data input and data output from and to a memory cell;
first to eighth data lines parallelly laid in a second direction normal to the first direction;
a first element region formed in said semiconductor substrate, said first element region having first to tenth diffusion layers, said first and second diffusion layers connected with a bitline precharge potential supply line, said third to sixth diffusion layers connected with said first to fourth bitlines, respectively, said seventh to tenth diffusion layers connected with said first to fourth data lines, respectively;
a second element region formed in said semiconductor substrate, said second element region provided adjacent to said first element region and having eleventh to twenties diffusion layers, said eleventh and twelfth diffusion layers connected with said bitline precharge potential supply line, said thirteenth to sixteenth diffusion layers connected with said fifth to eighth bitlines, respectively, said seventeenth to twelfth diffusion layers connected with said fifth to eighth data lines, respectively;
a first gate formed above said first region and said second region, said first gate having first to twelfth portions, said first portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and third diffusion layers, said second portion of said first gate provided adjacent to third and fourth diffusion layers, said third portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and fourth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and fifth diffusion layers, said fifth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to fifth and sixth diffusion layers, said sixth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and sixth diffusion layers, said seventh portion of said first gate provided adjacent to eleventh and thirteenth diffusion layers, said eighth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to thirteenth and fourteenth diffusion layers, said ninth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to twelfth and fourteenth diffusion layers, said tenth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to eleventh and fifteenth diffusion layers, said eleventh portion of said first gate provided adjacent to fifteenth and sixteenth diffusion layers, said twelfth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to twelfth and sixteenth diffusion layers;
a second gate forned above said first region and said second region, said second gate having first and second portions, said first portion of said second gate provided adjacent to third and seventh diffusion layers, said second portion of said second gate provided adjacent to fourth and eighth diffusion layers;
a third gate formed above said first region and said second region, said third gate having first and second portions, said first portion of said third gate provided adjacent to fifth and ninth diffusion layers, said second portion of said third gate provided adjacent to sixth and tenth diffusion layers;
a fourth gate formed above said first region and said second region, said second gate having first and second portions, said first portion of said fourth gate provided adjacent to thirteenth and seventeenth diffusion layers, said second portion of said fourth gate provided adjacent to fourteenth and eighteenth diffusion layers;
a fifth gate forned above said first region and said second region, said third gate having first and second portions, said first portion of said fifth gate provided adjacent to fifteenth and nineteenth diffusion layers, said second portion of said fifth gate provided adjacent to sixteenth and twelfth diffusion layers;
a first wiring formed above said first to eighth bitlines in the second direction and connected to said second and third gate electrodes;
and
a second wiring formed above said first to eighth bitlines in the second direction and connected to said fourth and fifth gate electrode, wherein
said bitline precharge potential supply line provided substantially above said eleventh diffusion layer.

11 more elements

A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;
first to eighth bitlines parallelly laid in a first direction each of which performs data input and data output from and to a memory cell;
first to eighth data lines parallelly laid in a second direction normal to the first direction;
an element region formed in said semiconductor substrate, said element region having first to nineteenth diffusion layers, said first, second and eleventh diffusion layers connected with a bitline precharge potential supply line, said third to sixth and twelfth to fifteenth diffusion layers connected with said first to eighth bitlines, respectively, said seventh to tenth and sixteenth to nineteenth diffusion layers connected with said first to fourth data lines, respectively;
a first gate formed above said first region and said second region, said first gate having first to sixth portions, said first portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and third diffusion layers, said second portion of said first gate provided adjacent to third and fourth diffusion layers, said third portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and fourth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and fifth diffusion layers, said fifth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to fifth and sixth diffusion layers, said sixth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and sixth diffusion layers;
a second gate formed above said first region and said second region, said second gate having first to sixth portions, said seventh portion of said second gate provided adjacent to second and twelfth diffusion layers, said eighth portion of said second gate provided adjacent to twelfth and thirteenth diffusion layers, said ninth portion of said second gate provided adjacent to eleventh the thirteenth diffusion layers, said tenth portion of said second gate provided adjacent to second and fourteenth diffusion layers, said eleventh portion of said second gate provided adjacent to fourteenth and fifteenth diffusion layers, said twelfth portion of said second gate provided adjacent to eleventh and fifteenth diffusion layers;
a bitline equalizer control line provided above said first to eighth bitlines in the second direction and connected with said first and second gate;
a third gate formed above said first region and said second region, said second gate having first to fourth portions, said first portion of said second gate provided adjacent to third and seventh diffusion layers, said second portion of said second gate provided adjacent to fourth and eighth diffusion layers, said third portion of said third gate provided adjacent to fifth and ninth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said third gate provided adjacent to sixth and tenth diffusion layers;
a fourth gate formed above said first region and said second region, said third gate having first to fourth portions, said first portion of said second gate provided adjacent to twelfth and sixteenth diffusion layers, said second portion of said second gate provided adjacent to thirteenth and nineteenth diffusion layers, said third portion of said third gate provided adjacent to fourteenth and eighteenth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said third gate provided adjacent to fifteenth and eleventh diffusion layers.

6 more elements

A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;
first to eighth bitlines parallelly laid in a first direction each of which performs data input and data output from and to a memory cell;
first to eighth data lines parallelly laid in a second direction normal to the first direction;
an element region formed in said semiconductor substrate, said element region having first to nineteenth diffusion layers, said first, second and eleventh diffusion layers connected with said bitline precharge potential supply line, said third and sixth and twelfth to fifteenth diffusion layers connected with said first to eighth bitlines, respectively, said seventh to tenth and sixteenth to nineteenth diffusion layers connected with said first to fourth data lines, respectively;
a first gate formed above said first region and said second region, said first gate having first to sixth portions, said first portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and third diffusion layers, said second portion of said first gate provided adjacent to third and fourth diffusion layers, said third portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and fourth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and fifth diffusion layers, said fifth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to fifth and sixth diffusion layers, said sixth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and sixth diffusion layers;
a second gate formed above said first region and said second region, said second gate having first to sixth portions, said seventh portion of said second gate provided adjacent to second and twelfth diffusion layers, said eighth portion of said second gate provided adjacent to twelfth and thirteenth diffusion layers, said ninth portion of said second gate provided adjacent to eleventh and thirteenth diffusion layers, said tenth portion of said second gate provided adjacent to second and fourteenth diffusion layers, said eleventh portion of said second gate provided adjacent to fourteenth and fifteenth diffusion layers, said twelfth portion of said second gate provided adjacent to eleventh and fifteenth diffusion layers;
a bitline equalizer control line provided above said first to eighth bitlines in the second direction and connected with said first and second gate;
a third gate formed above said first region and said second region, said second gate having first and second portions, said first portion of said second gate provided adjacent to third and seventh diffusion layers, said second portion of said second gate provided adjacent to fourth and eighth diffusion layers;
a fourth gate formed above said first region and said second region, said third gate having first and second portions, said first portion of said third gate provided adjacent to fifth and ninth diffusion layers, said second portion of said third gate provided adjacent to sixth and tenth diffusion layers;
a fifth gate formed above said first region and said second region, said second gate having first and second portions, said first portion of said fifth gate provided adjacent to twelfth and sixteenth diffusion layers, said second portion of said fifth gate provided adjacent to thirteenth and seventeenth diffusion layers;
a sixth gate formed above said first region and said second region, said third gate having first and second portions, said first portion of said sixth gate provided adjacent to fourteenth and eighteenth diffusion layers, said second portion of said sixth gate provided adjacent to fifteenth and nineteenth diffusion layers;
a first wiring formed above said first to eighth bitlines in the second direction and connected to said third and fourth gate electrodes;
and
a second wiring formed above said first to eighth bitlines in the second direction and connected to said fifth and sixth gate electrode.

11 more elements

A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;
first to eighth bitlines parallelly laid in a first direction each of which performs data input and data output from and to a memory cell;
first to eighth data lines parallelly laid in a second direction normal to the first direction;
a first element region formed in said semiconductor substrate, said first element region having first to tenth diffusion layers, said first and second diffusion layers connected with a first bitline precharge potential supply line, said third to sixth diffusion layers connected with said first to fourth bitlines, respectively, said seventh to tenth diffusion layers connected with said first to fourth data lines, respectively;
a second element region formed in said semiconductor substrate, said second element region provided adjacent to said first element region and having eleventh to twenties diffusion layers, said eleventh and twelfth diffusion layers connected with a second bitline precharge potential supply line, said thirteenth to sixteenth diffusion layers connected with said fifth to eighth bitlines, respectively, said seventeenth to twelfth diffusion layers connected with said fifth to eighth data lines, respectively;
a first gate formed above said first region and said second region, said first gate having first to twelfth portions, said first portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and third diffusion layers, said second portion of said first gate provided adjacent to third and fourth diffusion layers, said third portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and fourth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to first and fifth diffusion layers, said fifth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to fifth and sixth diffusion layers, said sixth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to second and sixth diffusion layers, said seventh portion of said first gate provided adjacent to eleventh and thirteenth diffusion layers, said eighth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to thirteenth and fourteenth diffusion layers, said ninth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to twelfth and fourteenth diffusion layers, said tenth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to eleventh and fifteenth diffusion layers, said eleventh portion of said first gate provided adjacent to fifteenth and sixteenth diffusion layers, said twelfth portion of said first gate provided adjacent to twelfth and sixteenth diffusion layers;
a second gate forned above said first region and said second region, said second gate having first to fourth portions, said first portion of said second gate provided adjacent to third and seventh diffusion layers, said second portion of said second gate provided adjacent to fourth and eighth diffusion layers, said third portion of said second gate provided adjacent to thirteenth and seventeenth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said second gate provided adjacent to thirteenth and seventeenth diffusion layers;
a third gate formed above said first region and said second region, said third gate having first to fourth portions, said first portion of said third gate provided adjacent to fifth and ninth diffusion layers, said second portion of said third gate provided adjacent to sixth and tenth diffusion layers, said third portion of said third gate provided adjacent to fifteenth and nineteenth diffusion layers, said fourth portion of said third gate provided adjacent to sixteenth and twelfth diffusion layers;
first to third contacts connected with said first to third gates, respectively;
and
fourth and fifth contacts connected with second and twelfth diffusion layers, respectively, said first to fifth contacts arranged substantially in a line.

8 more elements

A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;
an element region formed in said semiconductor substrate;
first and second data lines parallelly laid in a first direction each of which performs data input/data output from/to a memory cell;
a first diffusion layer formed in said element region, said first diffusion layer being connected with a predetermined potential supply line;
a second diffusion layer formed in said element region, said second diffusion layer being connected with said predetermined potential supply line;
a third diffusion layer formed in said element region, said third diffusion layer being connected with said first data line;
a fourth diffusion layer formed in said element region, said fourth diffusion layer being connected with said second data line;
a fifth diffusion layer formed in said element region, said fifth diffusion layer being connected with a third data line;
a sixth diffusion layer formed in said element region, said sixth diffusion layer being connected with a fourth data line;
a first gate electrode having first to third portions, wherein said first portion is provided above said semiconductor substrate and is provided adjacent said first and third diffusion layers, said second portion is provided above said semiconductor substrate and is provided adjacent said second and fourth diffusion layers, and said third portion is provided above said semiconductor substrate and is provided adjacent said third and fourth diffusion layers;
a second gate electrode having fourth and fifth portions, wherein said fourth portion is provided above said semiconductor substrate and is provided adjacent said third and fourth diffusion layers, said fifth portion is provided above said semiconductor substrate and is provided adjacent said fourth and sixth diffusion layers.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/587,263Filed 5 Jun 2000 · continuation
Priority: JP 9-1196399 May 1997
Granted: 11 Sep 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H10B 12/50
Dynamic random access memory [DRAM] devices: peripheral circuit region structures
G11C 7/1048
Input/output [I/O] data interface arrangements, e.g. I/O data control circuits, I/O data buffers: data bus control circuits, e.g. precharging,…
G11C 7/12
Arrangements for writing information into, or reading information out from, a digital store: bit line control circuits, e.g. drivers, boosters,…
G11C 7/18
Arrangements for writing information into, or reading information out from, a digital store: bit line organisation; Bit line lay-out

Family

Application09/072,724Parent of this continuation · filed 6 May 1998
US 6,094,390 AParent of this continuation
US 6,288,927 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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