Non-volatile semiconductor switch circuit

Abstract

A semiconductor switch circuit that assuredly preserves a switch condition when a power supply is turned off. When a first signal is set to “L” and a second signal is set to “H” and a control signal of VCC/2 is applied, a first ferroelectric capacitor and a second ferroelectric capacitor connect to a first control terminal and a second control terminal, respectively, and signals at the control terminals are stored as polarization states in the ferroelectric capacitors. After this storage, the second signal is set to “L”, the ferroelectric capacitors disconnect from the control terminals and terminals of the ferroelectric capacitors are short-circuited. Consequently, imprint effects are prevented and polarizations are assuredly preserved. To read out stored information, a power supply for two inverters is disconnected, the control signal of VCC/2 is applied, and the first and second signals are set to “H”. Hence, a potential difference corresponding to the polarization states of the ferroelectric capacitors is output at the control terminals. Then, when the power supply for the two inverters is connected, the original switch condition is reproduced.

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