# US 8,570,822 B2 · Semiconductor memory and semiconductor memory test method

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- Number: US 8,570,822 B2
- Document ID: US8570822B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/978,775
- Filed: 2010-12-27
- Published: 2011-09-22
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2010-03-18
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Applicants: Kaoru Hama
- Inventors: Kaoru Hama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8570822B2

## CPC

- G11C 29/48: Arrangements in static stores specially adapted for testing by means external to the store, e.g. using direct memory access [DMA] or using auxiliary access paths
- G11C 29/12: Built-in arrangements for testing, e.g. built-in self testing [BIST] {or interconnection details}
- G11C 29/1201: {comprising I/O circuitry}
- G11C 11/401: forming cells needing refreshing or charge regeneration, i.e. dynamic cells
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

According to the embodiments, a read circuit is connected to the other end of the bit line for reading out data from read data storing memory cells and test data storing memory cells via the bit line, and a read control circuit makes data to be read out from the test data storing memory cells when testing the bit line and makes data to be read out from the read data storing memory cells when reading out the read data.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor memory comprising:
a memory cell array in which memory cells are arranged in matrix;
a word line commonly connected to memory cells for each of rows;
a bit line commonly connected to memory cells for each of columns;
a write circuit connected to one ends of the bit lines configured to write data to the memory cells via the bit lines;
a read circuit connected to the other ends of the bit lines configured to read data from the memory cells via the bit lines;
a write control circuit configured to make test data to be sent from the write circuit to the bit lines for testing the bit lines and configured to make data to be written from the write circuit to the memory cells for data writing; and
a read control circuit configured to make the test data sent to the bit lines to be read out when testing the bit lines and configured to make the data stored in the memory cells to be read out by the read circuit when reading out the data, wherein the word line is inactivated during testing the bit lines.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory according to claim 1, wherein the write circuit and the read circuit are capable of simultaneous operation for testing the bit lines.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory according to claim 1, wherein each of the memory cells is an SRAM.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory according to claim 1, further comprising:
a power source switching circuit configured to switch a voltage of a power source of the write circuit in such a manner that a high voltage is supplied to the bit lines for writing the data to the memory cells and a low voltage is supplied to the bit lines for testing the bit lines; and
a disconnection circuit configured to connect the write circuit and the read circuit to each other via the bit lines for testing the bit lines and disconnect the write circuit and the read circuit from each other for the data writing to the memory cells.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The semiconductor memory according to claim 4, wherein each of the memory cells is an EEPROM or a flash memory.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that the bit line has an open failure in the case where the test data sent from one end of the bit line are “0” and the test data read out from the other end of the bit line are “1”.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor memory according to claim 1, wherein, in the case where the test data sent from one ends of a pair of bit lines adjacent to each other are different from each other and the test data read out from the other ends of the pair of bit lines are identical with each other, it is determined that a short failure is generated between the bit lines.