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US 9,520,873 B2Granted
Semiconductor device and electronic device
AssigneeSemiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
InventorsYoshiyuki Kurokawa, Takayuki Ikeda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor device having excellent data retention characteristics. A transistor with a low off-state current is utilized to save and retain data stored in a memory circuit, and a potential to be applied to a back gate of the transistor is applied from a battery provided for each memory circuit. The potential applied to the back gate of the transistor and a potential for charging the battery are generated in a voltage generation circuit. The battery is charged utilizing power gating of the memory circuit and data retention characteristics is improved.
Claims20
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a first circuit configured to retain data;
- a second circuit comprising:
- a first transistor comprising a first gate, a second gate, a source, and a drain;
- and
- a second transistor comprising a gate,
- wherein the gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of the source and the drain of the first transistor through a node, and
- wherein the second circuit is configured to hold charge corresponding to the data in the node;
- a battery comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the second terminal is electrically connected to the second gate of the first transistor;
- a voltage generation circuit electrically connected to the second terminal of the battery;
- and
- a switch electrically connected to the first circuit and a wiring,
- wherein a first potential is applied to the first circuit through the wiring,
- wherein a second potential is applied to the first circuit and the first terminal of the battery,
- wherein a third potential is applied to the second gate of the second transistor and the second terminal of the battery, and
- wherein the third potential is lower than the second potential.
12 more elements
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a first circuit configured to retain data;
- a second circuit comprising:
- a first transistor comprising a first gate, a second gate, a source, and a drain;
- and
- a second transistor comprising a gate,
- wherein the gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of the source and the drain of the first transistor, and
- wherein the second circuit is configured to retain the data stored in the first circuit;
- a battery comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the second terminal of the battery is electrically connected to the second gate of the first transistor;
- a voltage generation circuit comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the second terminal of the voltage generation circuit is electrically connected to the second terminal of the battery and the second gate of the first transistor;
- and
- a switch electrically connected the first circuit, a wiring, and the first terminal of the voltage generation circuit.
8 more elements
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a first circuit configured to retain data during supply of a power supply voltage;
- a second circuit comprising:
- a first transistor comprising a first gate, a second gate, a source, and a drain;
- and
- a second transistor comprising a gate,
- wherein the gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of the source and the drain of the first transistor, and
- wherein the second circuit is configured to retain the data when the supply of the power supply voltage is stopped,
- a battery comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the second terminal of the battery is electrically connected to the second gate of the first transistor;
- a voltage generation circuit comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the second terminal of the voltage generation circuit is electrically connected to the second terminal of the battery and the second gate of the first transistor;
- and
- a switch electrically connected the first circuit, a wiring, and the first terminal of the voltage generation circuit,
- wherein the power supply voltage is supplied by controlling on and off of the switch.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.