Semiconductor device incorporating internal power supply for compensating for deviation in operating condition and fabrication process conditions

Abstract

A semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a semiconductor chip, a power supply terminal provided on the semiconductor chip for receiving a voltage from an external power supply source, an internal circuit provided on the semiconductor chip, a power supply circuit provided on the semiconductor chip for transforming an external power supply voltage received from the power supply terminal for supplying a source voltage resulting from the voltage transformation to the internal circuit, and a control circuit provided on the semiconductor chip for controlling the power supply circuit, wherein the control circuit includes external power supply voltage detecting means and/or temperature detecting means and responds to the signal from the external power supply voltage detecting means and/or the temperature detecting means by changing the power supply voltage to the internal circuit to thereby maintain the operating speed of the internal circuit to be constant.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an improvement of performance of a semiconductor device and more particularly to a semiconductor device of high bit density realized in a structure suited for achieving high stability and enhanced reliability.

The technique for realizing the semiconductor devices in the form of integrated circuits having high bit density has made remarkable progress in recent years. Suppose, by way of example, a MOS dynamic random access memory (hereinafter referred to as a DRAM in abbreviation). The MOS DRAM of 1 Mbits is manufactured on a mass production basis. A test chip of 4-Mbit DRAM has already been reported. At the present state of the art, a 16-Mbit-DRAM is undergoing development for practical applications. For realizing the semiconductor device of such high bit density, the size of the devices or elements constituting the semiconductor device as well as the size of wires must be made very small or fine in the range on the order of 0.5 .mu.m to 1 .mu.m. However, a great difficulty is encountered in fabricating such small (fine) devices or elements and wires accurately, giving rise to a problem that remarkable deviations can not be avoided. Taking the MOS DRAM as an example, the gate length and the threshold voltages which mainly determine the characteristics of the MOS transistors constituting the MOS DRAM will vary significantly in dependence on fluctuation in the device size and impurity concentration. Considering the changes in the supply voltage and the ambient temperature in the actual operating condition, the access time of the DRAM will vary in the range from first to third order of magnitude. Further, deviations due to the fabrication process condition exert significant influence to the reliability of the device. More specifically, degradation in the dielectric breakdown strength (dioxide breakdown strength) as well as degradation in the characteristics (due to hot carriers) occur as the result of implementation of the elements in small or minute size. Further, such characteristics concerning reliability of the device depend by and large on the dispersion in the implemented size.

As a hitherto known technique for improving the stability and reliability of the characteristics of the integrated semiconductor device, there is known a method of operating the on-chip elements by lowering the externally supplied voltage with the aid of an on-chip voltage limiter provided on the semiconductor device chip, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,985.

However, in the prior known techniques mentioned above, no consideration is paid to the influence of the conditions in the fabrication process condition and the operating condition to the electric characteristics and reliability, and thus it has been difficult to realize a semiconductor device of high stability and improved reliability.

Besides, because no consideration is made concerning the influence of the condition in the fabrication process, yield of a products of satisfactory quality in the manufacturing on a mass production basis is low, giving rise to a problem that high manufacturing cost is involved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to realize a semiconductor device enjoying high stability and improved reliability by protecting the electrical characteristics and the reliability against changes, notwithstanding a deviation or variation in the condition of the fabrication process condition and the operating condition.

In view of the above and other objects which will be more apparent as the description proceeds, it is proposed according to an aspect of the present invention to control the operation voltage and/or operation current of circuits incorporated in the semiconductor device in dependence on deviation or variation in the fabrication process condition and the operating condition.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operation voltage and/or operation current of the circuits and/or elements (devices) incorporated in the semiconductor device is controlled in accordance with the electrical characteristics, whereby a semiconductor device of high stability and enhanced reliability can be realized.

These and other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 to 6 are schematic diagrams for illustrating the basic principle underlying the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 8 to 10 are schematic circuit diagrams showing embodiments of the present invention applied to a DRAM (dynamic random access memory).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for illustrating the basic principle underlying an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a semiconductor chip, 2 denotes an internal circuit inherent to a semiconductor device, and a numeral 3 denotes a control circuit implemented according to the invention for generating control signals or controlled internal voltages in accordance with a deviation in the condition in the fabrication process as well as the operating condition in which the semiconductor device is used. The control signal or internal voltage as generated is utilized for controlling operation of the internal circuit 2 by way of a control bus or line 5. Although a single line 5 is shown, it will be readily understood that a number of signal lines may be prepared in the form of a bus in conformance with the configuration of the internal circuit 2.

According to the illustrated embodiment of the intention, the characteristics of the internal circuit 2 can be maintained in predetermined constant relationship in conformance with the fabrication process condition and the operating condition, whereby a semiconductor device enjoying high stability and improved reliability can be realized.

FIG. 2 shows another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which is so arranged that an operation characteristic of the internal circuit 2 such as, for example, operating speed, operating current or the like is detected by a detecting or sensing line 6, whereby a corresponding control signal is generated. In this respect, the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 2 differs from the one shown in FIG. 1.

In the case of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2, dynamic characteristics of the circuit 2 are detected straightforwardly for generating the control signal. Thus, the arrangement shown in FIG. 2 allows the control to be performed with a higher accuracy as compared with that of the device shown in FIG. 1, whereby a semiconductor device can be realized which enjoys further improved stability and reliability. It goes without saying that a plurality of the sensing lines 6 may be provided, if necessary.

FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention which differs from the one shown in FIG. 2 in that a detecting or monitor circuit 4 having characteristics similar to those of the internal circuit 2 is provided for detecting the operation characteristics thereof.

With this arrangement, the operation characteristics of the internal circuit can be detected indirectly in terms of the characteristics of the detecting or monitor circuit 4 even in the case where no proper circuitry is provided for detecting the operation characteristics of the circuit 2, whereby the control can be so performed that the characteristics of the circuit 2 bear a predetermined relation.

In the case of the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 3, the detecting circuit 4 is also under the control of the control circuit 3 which serves to vary the characteristics of the detecting or monitor circuit 4 in a manner similar to the control of internal circuit 2. It is conceivable to operate the detecting circuit 4 independent of the internal circuit 2 in accordance with the envisaged applications of the semiconductor device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a version of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. In the case of the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 4, a power supply source voltage is fed to the internal circuit 2 from the control circuit 3 by way of a power supply line 5I. The instant embodiment of the invention is suited for the internal circuit implemented with small or fine elements. More specifically, by setting the potential on the power supply line 5I at a value lower than the voltage which the elements constituting the internal circuit 2 can withstand, the semiconductor device constituted by the fine elements with high bit density can be operated while maintaining high stability and reliability. Further, since there arises no necessity to lower the external voltage, no burden is imposed on the user. In the case of the dynamic random access memory or DRAM, as the bit density is increased from 256 K bits to 1 M bits and hence to 4 M bits, the constituent elements have to be realized in more and more fine (minute) structure. In that case, lowering of the external voltage to cope with the lowering of the voltage withstanding capability of the constituent elements is undesirable, in order to assure the compatibility with the conventional devices. For this reason alone, the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is advantageous. Although a plurality of control lines are shown in FIG. 4, the operation characteristics of the internal circuit 2 can be stabilized by controlling the voltage by means of the control circuit. Further, the voltage control may be carried out such that a variation in the internal voltage with reference to the external voltage V.sub.cc can be first compensated for, being followed by compensation of variations in the characteristics of the internal circuit 2 brought about by changes in the environmental conditions such as temperature and deviations in the fabrication process condition. Needless to say, the control circuit to which the external voltage V.sub.cc is applied directly is implemented by using the elements having the voltage withstanding capability or the breakdown strength exceeding the external voltage V.sub.cc.

However, there may exist some application in which a part of the control circuit has to be constituted by a fine element of lower breakdown strength in an effort to enhance the bit density or in an attempt to make the characteristics of the control circuit coincide with those of the internal circuit. To this end, a voltage transformer circuit 3A may be provided internally in the control circuit 3, whereby a voltage lower than the level V.sub.cc is supplied through an output line 5I to the internal circuit 2 as well as the circuitry 3B of the low breakdown strength incorporated in the control circuit 3, as is shown in FIG. 5. With this arrangement of the semiconductor device, the integration or bit density thereof can be further enhanced because the circuits inclusive of the control circuit can be realized with fine (minute) elements. Besides, since the control circuitry 3B and the internal circuit 2 can be constituted the elements having identical characteristics, variation in the operation characteristics of the internal circuit 2 can be controlled very precisely on the basis of corresponding variations in the characteristics of the control circuitry 3B, to a further advantage.

It should, however, be mentioned in conjunction with the illustrative embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 that some of the constituent elements thereof which exhibit a high breakdown strength (voltage withstanding capability) may be operated with the external voltage V.sub.cc, as occasion requires. Additionally, it goes without saying that the semiconductor devices shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 may equally be realized with the fine elements having low breakdown strength in the manner similar to the semiconductor devices shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In the exemplary embodiments of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, it is assumed that a single control circuit is provided on one semiconductor chip. It should, however, be appreciated that the internal circuit 2 may be divided into several circuits each being provided with the respective control circuitry. To this end, the arrangements shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 may of course be combined appropriately on a case-by-case basis. With the arrangement that the internal circuit 2 is divided into several circuits for accomplishing the control of the operation characteristics thereof, such control can be achieved for realizing the optimum operation characteristics for the individual functions of the divided circuitry.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating, in graph form such control that the operating speed of the circuit is maintained constantly at values differing from one another. More specifically, a broken curve C.sub.11 shown in this figure represents the operation speed of a conventional circuit incorporating no control circuitry. As will be seen from this curve, the operating speed varies significantly in dependence on the fabrication process condition and the operating conditions. In contrast, a circuit incorporating a number of control circuits according to the teaching of the invention can exhibit a constant high speed as indicated by a solid line curve B.sub.11. Of course, the circuit incorporating the control circuits and destined for low-speed operation can be maintained at a desired constant low speed, as indicated by a solid line curve A.sub.12.

In the case of an output circuit or the like, by way of example, when charge and discharge of the output load capacitance is performed at a high speed, noise is likely to be generated in the power supply source to exert adverse influence to the operation of the internal circuits or semiconductor devices disposed in the vicinity. In that case, by controlling only the output circuit so that it operates at a low speed, the operating speed can be maintained at a constant value without lowering the speed of the whole circuit system. Although such control that the circuit operation is maintained independent of the fabrication process condition and the operating condition is described, this is only one example of the use of the present invention. The circuit operation speed may be imparted with a desired dependency on a desired factor, as occasion requires. For example, such control can be equally realized that the operating speed of a circuit is increased as a function of increases in the temperature. In that case, control may be made such that a delay involved due to resistance of wiring conductors within a semiconductor device or wiring conductors interconnecting the semiconductor devices can be compensated for by the increased operating speed brought about by a temperature rise, to thereby maintain constant the speed of the semiconductor device or that of the whole system including the semiconductor devices.

As will now be appreciated, according to the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, circuit characteristics can be protected against variation brought about in the fabrication process, which in turn means that yield of the products of satisfactory quality fabricated on the mass production basis can be improved. Further, since the circuit characteristics can be protected from variations as caused by changes in the operating condition, reliability of a system such as a computer which is realized by using the semiconductor devices according to the invention can be improved significantly.

There exist certain applications where synchronization is required between operations of the two circuits incorporated in the internal circuit 2. In that case, by adopting the inventive circuit arrangement, the timing margin can be set at a minimum value, by virtue of the invariability of the characteristics. This in turn means that the operating speed of the semiconductor device can be correspondingly increased. In the case of a DRAM (dynamic random access memory), for example, synchronization has to be established between the memory cell array and peripheral circuitry. In that case, by adopting the teachings of the present invention, the timing margin can be set to a minimum, whereby operating speed of the DRAM can be increased. The same holds true in the case where synchronization in operation must be established among more than two semiconductor devices. In other words, operating speed of a system such as a computer constituted by a number of semiconductor devices can be increased by applying the present invention to these semiconductor devices.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a so-called TTL interface with the positive power source of V.sub.cc is assumed to be employed. It should however be appreciated that essentially the same effects can be attained even when an ECL interface is employed. The following description will be made on the assumption that the TTL interface is employed. However, this never means that the invention is restricted to the use of TTL interface. The present invention can be equally realized by using the ECL interface.

FIG. 8 shows an arrangement of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) to which the embodiments of the invention may be applied.

In this figure, a reference symbol MA designates a memory cell array constituted by memory cells arrayed two-dimensionally. Reference symbol PC designates a data wire precharge circuit, and SA designates a sense amplifier for amplifying a feeble signal outputted onto the data wire from the memory cell, the sense amplifier being constituted by P-and N-channel MOS transistors. Symbol AB designates an address buffer circuit for translating an address input A.sub.in into an internal signal, "X-Dec & Driv." and "Y-Dec & Driv." designate an X-decoder driver and a Y-decoder driver, respectively, DP designates a generator circuit for generating the data wire precharge voltage when the memory is in the standby state, SAD and SAD designate driver circuits for the sense amplifier, and WC designates a write control circuit for writing the data input signal D.sub.in into memory cell under the command of a write-in signal WE. A peripheral circuit serves for generating pulse signals required for operation of the individual circuit in accordance with external inputs. A reference symbol MA denotes a main amplifier for amplifying the readout signals on the input/output (I/O) line. The circuit shown in FIG. 7 may be employed as the main amplifier. A reference numeral 3 designates the circuit for outputting signals 5 in accordance with deviation or variation in the fabrication process condition and the operating condition onto the lines 5 for controlling operation of the individual circuit so that the characteristics thereof can be maintained stable. The individual circuits are implemented to be controlled by the outputs of the circuit 3.

In operation, upon inputting of a signal CE, the memory read operation is started. The address input signal A.sub.in is amplified by the address buffer circuit AB to supply the output signal thereof to the decoders X-Dec and Y-Dec. In response thereto, one word wire W is selected by the associated drivers "X-Dec & Driv", whereupon information charge stored in the capacitors of the memory cell is outputted onto the selected data wire or line, resulting in appearance of a feeble signal on the data line, which signal is then amplified by the sense amplifier SA. The selected data wire signal is outputted to the I/O and I/O ports through "Y-Dec & Driv.". This signal is amplified by the main amplifier MA to be outputted externally as the signal DOUt. The write operation is performed through the procedure reverse to the above in response to the data input signal WC.

With the arrangement described above, controls may be performed for various purposes.

In the first place, there can be mentioned the control method for maintaining the operation speed or reliability of the whole circuit to be constant. To this end, the control circuit 3 can produce the control signals conforming to the individual circuits in accordance with the fabrication process condition and the operating condition, which control signals being outputted to the circuit 5 to be utilized for the intended controls.

A method of controlling the individual circuits independently in accordance with the functions thereof is described below. In particular, in the case of the DRAM, the memory cell array unit is realized by using the finest (smallest) elements and is poor in respect to the dielectric (dioxide) breakdown strength as compared with the other circuitry. Under the circumstances, the control of the memory cell array will be concerned with the enhancement of reliability, while the control for the other circuits will be for stabilization of the operation speed and stabilization. The method of controlling the operation speed can be realized in accordance with the embodiments of the invention described hereinbefore. Concerning the control of the memory array, several methods are conceivable. One is a method of maintaining the electric field to be constant in the thickness of insulation film of the capacitor C.sub.s constituting the memory cell. This is because the dielectric breakdown strength of the capacitor C.sub.s is smallest in the whole chip, since there is a general trend for minimizing the thickness t.sub.oxs of the insulation film of the capacitor serving as dielectric thereof with a view to realizing the element C.sub.s in a large capacitance in the smallest possible area because the element C.sub.s should have a large capacitance for ensuring the stable operation by increasing the amount of information charge Q.sub.s. In order to ensure high reliability by maintaining the electric field E.sub.oxs to be constant, the output voltages of the sense amplifier drive circuit SAD, precharge driver DP, write circuit WC and others may have to be controlled for thereby controlling the voltage V.sub.s at which the information is written in the cell element C.sub.s. In this connection, the quantity of information charge Q.sub.s is expressed as follows: ##EQU1## where .epsilon. represents dielectric constant, and A.sub.oxs represents the area of C.sub.s.

As will be seen from the above expression, the quantity of information charge Q.sub.s can be maintained constant by maintaining constant the electric field E.sub.oxs, whereby reliability as well as stability of operation can be enhanced. Further, as the temperature rises, the diffusion layer leakage current in the memory cell MC is decreased. Accordingly, the minimum quantity of the information charge required for the stable operation has to be also increased. To this end, such control may be performed for increasing the information charge Q.sub.s and hence the electric field E.sub.oxs as the temperature becomes higher, to thereby further enhance the reliability. In this case, since conductance G.sub.m of the MOS transistor is lowered as the temperature increases, the control can be accomplished without involving any significant increase in the peak values of the data line charge/discharge currents.

Further, there can be mentioned a control method associated with the MOS transistors constituting other parts of the memory cell MA. The MOS transistor is the finest element on the chip, and in most cases, the dielectric breakdown strength and the hot-carrier breakdown strength tend to be smaller when compared with other elements. The various strength factors of the MOS transistor are more degraded as the gate length L.sub.g is shorter and as the gate insulation film thickness t.sub.oxs becomes smaller. Accordingly, it is desirable to lower the voltages applied to the word wire, data wire and others, as to values of the gate length L.sub.g and the insulation film thickness t.sub.oxs become smaller. To this end, the control of the applied voltage can be performed by the method similar to those described hereinbefore. Besides, the hot carrier breakdown strength also becomes lowered as the temperature decreases. Accordingly, the voltages on the data wire and others may have to be lowered as the temperature becomes lower. Through this control, there can be realized the highly stable and reliable characteristics. Needless to say, the control method described just above may be combined with the control method concerned with the memory cell capacitance C.sub.s.

As will be appreciated from the above description, operation of the DRAM can be controlled in association with various factors. In the case of the DRAM, the prevailing trend is to implement the constituent element in more and more small size in an effort to realize the higher integration bit density. At present, the external power supply voltage V.sub.cc of 5 volts is used, it is expected in the future that difficulty will be encountered in applying the voltage of 5 volts directly to the fine elements in view of degradation in the voltage withstanding capability thereof as the integration bit density is increased from 4 Mbits and hence to 16 Mbits. However, a smaller value of the voltage V.sub.cc than 5 volts is not preferred when taking into consideration the compatibility with the conventional DRAMs, because otherwise a burden is imposed on the user. Accordingly, it is also preferred in the case of DRAM that a lower voltage than V.sub.cc is generated by the control circuit such as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 to thereby protect the fine constituent elements of the DRAM in performing the various controls.

An embodiment of the present invention for controlling the charge/discharge of the data line or wire of a DRAM is described below referring to FIG. 9.

In the DRAM, it is practically performed to charge and discharge the paired data wires through a well known SAi composed of P-channel and N-channel MOS transistor in dependence on information read out from a memory cell (constituted by one MOS transistor and one capacitor). At that time, the quantity of electric charge Q.sub.c stored in the capacitor of the memory cell is determined by a product of the data line voltage V.sub.DL and the capacity C.sub.s of the capacitor. In view of the reliability of the DRAM, it is desirable to maintain the above-mentioned charge quantity Q.sub.c to be stable. Accordingly, by making the data line voltage V.sub.DL independent of the external power supply voltage V.sub.cc and temperature, highly stable and reliable operation insusceptible to the influence of external conditions can be ensured. Furthermore, by setting the data line voltage V.sub.DL at a value lower than the external power supply voltage V.sub.cc within the range in which operation is affected by no adverse influence, the power consumption can be reduced. In a modern M-bit DRAM, for example, it is necessary to charge simultaneously 1024 pairs of data lines at a high speed. In that case, the capacity in total of these data lines amounts to as large a value as on the order of 500 to 1000 pF. When the transistor Q.sub.2 is off (non-conduction) with Q.sub.1 being on, the drive transistor Q.sub.D is turned off. When the transistor Q.sub.2 is turned on with Q.sub.1 being turned off, the transistors Q.sub.3, Q.sub.D and current i.sub.o yield a current mirror circuit. In the mirror circuit (Q.sub.3, Q.sub.D, i.sub.o), the current inlet i.sub.o of the internal current supply is represented by i/n, the gate width of the MOS transistor Q.sub.D is represented by w/n and the gate width of the transistor Q.sub.D is by W, the ON-current (current in the conducting state) of the output drive transistor Q.sub.D is a constant current .sub.i. By setting the ratio of i/n to be constant, the drive current of the transistor Q.sub.D can remain substantially constant even when the factor W or gate width and the threshold value of the transistor is changed due to deviation in the fabrication process condition. The reason for selecting i/n and w/n involves the problem concerning the transient current, which of course should preferably be reduced. Further, in order to reduce the occurrence of noise, accompanying the charge and discharge, it is desirable to carry out symmetrically the charge and the discharge of the data line.

According to another embodiment of the invention, it is therefore proposed to make the data line voltage V.sub.DL equal to the aforementioned voltage V.sub.I ' through the control by the voltage transformer (limiter) circuit described hereinbefore to thereby nullify the external voltage dependency as well as the temperature dependency and at the same time to reduce the power consumption by lowering the voltage V.sub.DL to be less than V.sub.cc while reducing the transient current and noise mentioned above by controlling the rate of charging and discharging the data line. Now, this embodiment will be described. Charging of the data line is performed by the driver circuit DRV connect to a common line cl of a flip-flop constituting a part of the sense amplifier composed of a P-channel MOS transistor. The instant embodiment is characterized in that the above-mentioned drive circuit DRV is constituted by a current mirror circuit and a comparator, wherein the current mirror circuit is controlled by a sort of inverter constituted by transistors Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2. When the transistor Q.sub.2 is turned on with the transistor Q.sub.1 being off, the current mirror circuit is formed through cooperation by a transistor Q.sub.3, a constant current supply source (i/n) and an output drive transistor Q.sub.D. When the transistor Q.sub.2 is off (non-conducting) with Q.sub.1 being on, the transistor Q.sub.D is turned off. In the mirror circuit, the current inlet of the internal current supply is represented by i/n, the gate width of the MOS transistor Q.sub.D is represented by w/n and the gate width of the transistor Q.sub.D is by W, the ON-current (current in the conducting state) of the output drive transistor Q.sub.D is a constant current i. By setting the ratio of i/n to be constant, the drive current of the transistor Q.sub.D can remain substantially constant even when the factor w or gate width and the threshold value of the transistor is changed due to deviation in the fabrication process condition. The reason for selecting i/n and w/n for the constant current supply source is for the purpose of diminishing the current consumption as well as the area to be occupied. It is preferred to select n to be greater.

The comparator serves to compare the output voltage V.sub.I ' (e.g., 4 volts) of the voltage transformer (limiter) circuit and the output voltage V.sub.0. When V.sub.I ' is higher than V.sub.0, the output of the comparator is a voltage of high level. Reversely, when V.sub.I ' is lower than V.sub.0 ' the comparator outputs a voltage of low level.

Now, the operation will be described.

Ordinarily, the DRAM is implemented as a so-called half-precharge type DRAM in which the paired data lines are set at a voltage value approximately equal to a half of the data line voltage V.sub.DL during the precharge period. Accordingly, the common drive line cl or all the paired data lines are precharged to the level of V.sub.DL /2 during the precharge period. When a pulse is applied to a selected one of the word lines in this state, there make appearance minute differential read-out signals on each pair of the data lines, as illustrated typically by D.sub.0 and D.sub.0 in FIG. 10. Subsequently, the low voltage is discharged to 0 volts with the high voltage being charged to V.sub.I ' by the sense amplifier constituted by N-channel and P-channel MOS transistors. Discharge is effectuated through the MOS transistor T.sub.N2. The following description will be directed only to the charging operation. The common line cl is driven by application of an input pulse . When the input pulse is ON (i.e. high voltage is inputted), the output voltage of a control circuit AND assumes a high voltage level, while the gate voltage V.sub.G of the transistor Q.sub.D assumes the same level as the output voltage V.sub.s of the constant current supply source, whereby the load is driven with the constant current i by the drive transistor Q.sub.D. As a result of this, the load voltage V.sub.0 rises up at a constant rate from the level V.sub.I '/2. However, when the load voltage V.sub.0 exceeds V.sub.I ', the comparator operates to cause the output of the control circuit AND to assume a low level, as a result of which the transistor Q.sub.1 is turned on with Q.sub.2 being off. Thus, the drive transistor Q.sub.D is turned off, whereby the output voltage V.sub.0 is clamped at a level substantially equal to V.sub.I '. Consequently, one of the paired data lines is charged approximately to V.sub.I ' from the level V.sub.I '/2.

It will be appreciated that the discharge rate is controlled as in the case of the charging operation since the N-channel MOS transistors T.sub.M3 ', and T.sub.N2 form a current mirror circuit in response to application of the input pulse .

According to the embodiment described above which allows the data line voltage V.sub.DL to be approximately equal to the voltage V.sub.I ' the temperature dependency of the data line voltage V.sub.DL can be zeroed while the dependency on the external supply voltage V.sub.cc can be nullified within a desired range. Furthermore, since the data line can be charged with a substantially constant current, the charging of the data lines can be achieved at a high speed without being accompanied with any appreciable increase in the transient current. Besides, by keeping the current i.sub.o to be constant, influence of fluctuation in the source voltage and deviation in the fabrication process conditions can be suppressed to minimum. Additionally, the power consumption can be reduced by virtue of the low data line voltage. Finally, possibility that the data line charging and discharging can be carried out at the same speed is advantageously effective in noise reduction.

The present invention can be applied to other logic LSIs than a memory. In the control circuit shown in FIG. 8, the characteristics of the peripheral circuit are detected at 6. It should however be understood that the detection may be carried out at other various circuit points in dependence on the intended purposes. By way of example, duration required for amplification of the feeble (weak) signal by the sense amplifier may be detected, wherein the result of the detection may be utilized for changing the driving voltage and the driving current of the sense amplifier to thereby control the operation characteristics of the memory cell array. Of course, other control methods may occur to those skilled in the art. Although the invention has been described on the assumption that the MOS transistor and/or bipolar transistor are employed as main constituent elements, it will be appreciated that the principle of this invention can be equally applied without any substantial modification to the circuits constituted by compound semiconductor elements such as GaAs-elements. As the variable factors of the characteristics, element constants of MOS transistor are mainly considered. However, it goes without saying that variations in the current amplification factor, cut-off frequency and the forward bias voltage of the bipolar transistor can be similarly taken into consideration. Further, although the foregoing description of the embodiments has been made primarily with the intention to maintain the various characteristics to be constant. However, when such deviation in the fabrication process condition as the variations in the gate length and the threshold voltage as well as changes in the operating condition such as changes in the temperature and the power supply voltage have tendency to contribute to the increasing in the operation speed of the semiconductor, control may be made such that the operation speed is further increased, by applying correspondingly the teaching of the present invention. Reversely, when the deviation in the fabrication process condition and variation in the operating condition tend to lower the operation speed of the semiconductor device, control may be made such that the operating speed is further decreased. Although the foregoing description has been mainly directed to the utilization of TTL interface, it is self-explanatory that the invention can equally be carried out with other type of interface such as ECL.

As will now be appreciated from the foregoing description, there can be realized semiconductor devices enjoying high stability and reliability regardless of deviations and variations in the fabrication process condition and the operating condition according to the present invention. Besides, since high yield can be assured even in the fabrication on the mass production basis, the semiconductor devices can be manufactured inexpensively when compared with the hitherto known devices.

It is further understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing description is a preferred embodiment of the disclosed device and that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device on a chip comprising:

a current mirror circuit coupled to a first operating potential and producing at an output terminal an output current whose magnitude depends upon the magnitude of an input current;

a current source coupled to an input terminal of said current mirror circuit setting said input current of said current mirror circuit to a constant current;

an internal circuit including MOS transistors through which said output current of said current mirror circuit flows,

a comparator comparing a voltage at a node, coupled to said output terminal of said current mirror circuit and said internal circuit, through which said output current flows, with a reference voltage smaller than said first operating potential; and

a controller, coupled said current mirror circuit and performing control under control of an output of said comparator and an input pulse,

wherein said controller responds to said input pulse to start to supply the output current of the current mirror circuit to said internal circuit, and when a voltage at said node of said internal circuit reaches a predetermined value, said output of said comparator causes said controller to stop the supply of said output current of said current mirror circuit to said internal circuit to thereby limit said node voltage.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said controller includes a first electronic switch;

said current mirror circuit comprises a first MOS transistor and a second MOS transistor, each transistor having a gate, a source and a drain;

the source of said first and said second MOS transistors are coupled to said first operating potential;

the drain of said first MOS transistor is coupled to said internal circuit;

the drain and gate of said second MOS transistor are coupled to said current source;

the gates of said first and second MOS transistors are coupled through a first electronic switch; and

said first electronic switch is controlled by said input pulse.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said first MOS transistor has a gate width larger than that of said second MOS transistor.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said current mirror circuit is formed of MOS transistors.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein said current mirror circuit is formed of PMOS transistors.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said internal circuit is a semiconductor memory.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said semiconductor memory is a dynamic random access memory having a sense amplifier drive line and said output current flows through a said sense amplifier drive line of said dynamic random memory.