The embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings attached herein.
This NAND type flash memory comprises plural memory chips 2 stacked inside a package 1 formed of resin or the like. The stacked memory chips 2 are defined as Chip1, Chip2, Chip3, and Chip4 from the top, respectively.
Each of the stacked memory chips 2 has pads 3 for receiving and transmitting signals from and to outside of the memory chips 2. The pads 3 are formed at the center of the chips 3 in the planar direction.
The pads 3 provided in each of the stacked memory chips 2 are commonly connected by plural through holes 4. The holes 4 penetrate from the bottommost memory chip 2 to the uppermost memory chip 2 in a vertical direction.
As shown in
As described later, these chips Chip 1-4 are given a self-chip address INTCA 1-4, respectively. The addresses INTCA 1-4 differs from one another. These chips Chip1-4 operate when the selected address EXTCA 1-4 input from the lead wire 6 matches their self-chip address INTCA 1-4.
The pads 3 comprises a power supply pad 10 for supplying a supply voltage, an I/O pad 11 for receiving and transmitting a data signal, and a control pad 12 for inputting a control signal. In addition to such the power supply pad 10, the I/O pad 11, and the control pad 12, the memory chip 2 is equipped with a memory cell array 13, a row decoder 14, a sense amplifier 15 and the like.
A memory cell array 13 includes plural bit lines and word lines. The electrically rewritable memory cells are arranged in matrix at the intersections of the bit lines and the word lines. The row decoder 14 selectively activates a word line and a selection gate line according to a row address. It includes a word-line driver and a selection gate line driver. The sense amplifier 15 is connected to the bit lines. The sense amplifier 15 detects and amplifies data.
Data transfer between the memory chip 2 and the I/O pad 11 is performed through the I/O buffer 16, a data bus, an address buffer 17, a column decoder 18 and a command buffer 19. The data input from the I/O pad 11 is taken into a sense amplifier 15.
Moreover, the address Add input through the I/O pad 11 is transmitted to the row decoder 14 and the column decoder 18 through the I/O buffer 16, a data bus, and an address buffer 17. Furthermore, the command Com input through the I/O pad 11 is transmitted to the control circuit 20 through the I/O buffer 16, a data bus, and a command buffer 19.
The control circuit 20 performs a control of data-write, data-read, and data-erase based on the input command Com. The voltage generation circuit 21 is controlled by the control circuit 20, and generates various internally-generated voltages required for write, read and erase. The voltage generation circuit 21 also includes a booster circuit to generate an internal voltage higher than the supply voltage supplied from the power supply pad 10.
A power-on reset circuit 22 detects a power-on in a memory chip 2, and makes the control circuit 20 to perform a reset operation. The self-chip address INTCAi is stored in a fuse 23. The chip Chip 1-4 is given an original self-chip address INTCAi.
A laser-fuse type fuse element or a nonvolatile-memory type fuse element may be used as a fuse 23 storing its own chip address INTCAi. The chip-address comparator 24 compares the selected chip address EXTCAi input from the address buffer 17, and the self-chip address INTCAi input from the fuse 23. It outputs an address flag signal CAFLG as a matching judgment signal to show whether they match or not.
Eight-bit data I/O 0-7 are input into the I/O pads 11, for example. The data I/O 0-7 is fed into the I/O buffer 16. The control pads 12 comprise six pads 3, for example. Different control signals are input to the pads 3, respectively.
Here, the following control signals shall be input as an example:
(1) A reset signal /RST for resetting the memory chip 2 in a selectable state (selected and thus accessible) or a non-selectable state (not selected, thus not accessible), to be in a selectable state;
(2) a chip-enable signals /CE for setting a memory chip 2 accessible;
(3) a write-enable signal /WE for writing data in a memory chip 2;
(4) a read enable signal /RE for serially outputting data from the memory chip 2;
(5) a command latch enable signal CLE for inputting data I/O 0-7 as a command; and
(6) an address-latch-enable signal ALE for inputting data I/O 0-7 as an address.
Such signals that are input to the control pad 12 are output to an RST buffer 25, a CE buffer 26, a WE buffer 27, an RE buffer 28, a CLE buffer 29, and an ALE buffer 30, respectively. These buffers 25-30 are changed between an active state or an inactive state by a signal input to the buffer input terminal INBUFen. That is, each of the buffers 25-30 serves as a control signal setting unit for setting the control signal input thereto valid or invalid based on the signal from this buffer input terminal INBUFen.
A structure of the RST buffer 25, the CE buffer 26, the WE buffer 27, and the RE buffer 28 is shown in
As shown in
In addition, the signal input to the buffer input terminal INBUFen is always set as “H” in the RST buffer 25. On the other hand, in the CE buffer 26, an address flag signal CAFLG is input to the buffer input terminal INBUFen. Moreover, in the WE buffer 27 and the RE buffer 28, a chip-enable signal CE′ output from the CE buffer 26 is input to the buffer input terminal INBUFen, as described later.
The P-type MOS transistor MP1 has a source connected to a drain of the P-type MOS transistor MP0. It also has a gate given a control signal (a reset signal /RST, a chip-enable signal /CE, a write-enable signal WE, a read enable signal RE) from each control pad 12.
The N-type MOS transistor NM1 has a drain node N1 connected to a drain of the P-type MOS transistor MP1, a source connected to the ground voltage VSS, and a gate given the control signal from each control pad 12. When the control signal is “H”, the output of the node N1 is set to “L”. When the control signal is “L”, the output of the node N1 is “H”. That is, one MOS inverter INVc comprises the transistors MP1 and MN1.
The output from the drain of the N-type MOS transistor MN1 is connected to the buffer output terminal INBUFout through the inverters INV1 and INV2. The signal output from the buffer output terminal INBUFout in the RST buffer 25 is the reset signal RST. The signal output from the buffer output terminal INBUFout in the CE buffer 26 is the chip-enable signal CE′. The signal output from the buffer output terminal INBUFout in the WE buffer 27 is the write-enable signal WE. The signal output from the buffer output terminal INBUFout in the RE buffer 28 is the read enable signal RE.
The N-type MOS transistor MN2 has a source connected to the ground voltage VSS, and a gate given an inversion signal (/INBUFen) of the signal input to the buffer input terminal INBUFen through the inverter INV0. Since the buffers 25-28 are constituted as described above, the control signal input from each control pad 12 may be made valid when the signal input to the buffer input terminal INBUFen is “H”. Moreover, the control signal input from each control pad 12 may be made invalid when the signal input to the buffer input terminal INBUFen is “L”.
Moreover, as shown in
The P-type MOS transistor MP0 has a source connected to the supply voltage VCC, a drain connected to the node N2, and a gate connected to the buffer input terminal INBUFen.
The P-type MOS transistor MP1 has a source connected to the supply voltage VCC, a drain connected to the node N2, and a gate given the control signal (ALE or CLE) from the control pad 12.
The N-type MOS transistor MN1 has a source connected to the ground voltage VSS through the N-type MOS transistor MN0, a drain connected to the node N2, and a gate given the control signal (ALE or CLE) from the control pad 12.
The N-type MOS transistor MN0 has a source connected to the ground voltage VSS, a drain connected to the source of the N-type MOS transistor MN1, and a gate connected to the buffer input terminal INBUFen.
Note that the P-type MOS transistor MP1 and the N-type MOS transistor MN1 constitute one inverter INVd. The node N2 is an output of this inverter INVd. The node N2 is connected to the buffer output terminal INBUFout through the inverter INV1.
As mentioned above, the buffers 29 and 30 may validate the control signal ALE and CLE input from each control pad 12 when the signal input to the buffer input terminal INBUFen is “H”. On the other hand, the buffers 29 and 30 may invalidate the control signal ALE and CLE input from each control pad 12 when the signal input to the buffer input terminal INBUFen is “L”.
Next, connections between the buffers 25-30 and the internal circuits in the memory chip 2 are further explained with reference to
The RST buffer 25, receives a signal that is always “H” at the buffer input terminal INBUFen.
The RST buffer 25 reverses the reset signal /RST input from the control pad 12 with inverters (INVc, INV1, INV2), and outputs the reset signal RST to a chip-address comparator 24 from the buffer output-terminal INBUFout. The chip-address comparator 24 is configured to reset (make it “H”) the chip-address flag signal CAFLG when the reset signal RST input is “H”.
The CE buffer 26 receives an address flag signal CAFLG generated by the chip-address comparator 24 at the buffer input terminal INBUFen. As mentioned above, the address flag signal CAFLG is output as “H”, when the chip-address comparator 24 judges that the self-chip address INTCAi and the selected chip address EXTCAi coincide. When this address flag signal. CAFLG is “H”, the CE buffer 26 validates the chip-enable signal /CE input from the control pad 12. At the same time, the CE buffer 26 reverses the chip-enable signal /CE with the inverters (INVc, INV1, INV2), and outputs it to the WE buffer 27, the RE buffer 28, the CLE buffer 29, and the ALE buffer 30 as the chip-enable signal CE′.
This chip-enable signal CE′ is input to the buffer input terminal INBUFen of the WE buffer 27, the RE buffer 28, the CLE buffer 29, and the ALE buffer 30. When the chip-enable signal CE′ is “H”, the control signal (the write-enable signal WE, the read enable signal RE, the command latch enable signal CLE, and the address-latch-enable signal ALE) input to each of the buffers 27-30 is validated. On the other hand, when the chip-enable signal CE′ is “L”, the control signal input to each of the buffers 27-30 is invalidated.
The WE buffer 27 is connected to the I/O buffer 16, the command buffer 19, and the address buffer 17. When the chip-enable signal CE′ is “H”, the WE buffer 27 receives the write-enable signal /WE, input from the control pad 12 as an internal clock signal WE. That is, the write-enable signal WE is output to the I/O buffer 16, the command buffer 19, and the address buffer 17 from the buffer output-terminal INBUFout in the WE buffer 27.
The RE buffer 28 is connected to the I/O buffer 16. Thereby, the RE buffer 28 receives the read enable signal/RE as an internal clock signal RE. The read enable signal/RE is input from the control pad 12 when the chip-enable signal CE′ is “H”. That is, the read enable signal RE is output to the I/O buffer 16 from the buffer output-terminal INBUFout in the RE buffer 28.
The CLE buffer 29 is connected to the command buffer 19, and outputs the command latch enable signal CLE to the command buffer 19 when the chip-enable signal CE′ is “H”. The ALE buffer 30 is connected to the address buffer 17, and outputs address-latch-enable signal ALE to the address buffer 17 when the chip-enable signal CE′ is “H”.
The address comparator 32 is composed of an EXOR circuit, for example. The address comparator 32 receives and compares the self-chip address INTCAi and the selected chip address EXTCAi. When the both coincide it sets the output signal “H”, and outputs it to the latch circuit 33. The address alteration detection unit 34 monitors the address EXTCAi selected, and outputs a detection signal to the pulse generation unit 35 when the address EXTCAi selected has changed.
The pulse generation unit 35 outputs a pulse signal to the latch circuit 33 if a detection signal is input from the address alteration detection unit 34.
The latch circuit 33 receives this pulse signal as a trigger signal TRIG, reads the status “H” or “L” of the signal output from the address comparator 32, and outputs it as an address flag signal CAFLG.
Moreover, when the reset signal RST is input to the latch circuit 33, the address flag signal CAFLG is reset to “H”.
Next, an operation of the memory according to the first embodiment will be explained.
When the reset signal /RST is “H”, and the clip-enable signal /CE is input as “L” from the pads 3 of the uppermost memory chip 2 (Chip1), all the memory chips 2 (Chip 1-4) are once set to a selectable state.
Next, data I/O0-7 is input to all the memory chips 2 (Chip 1-4). This data includes the selected chip address EXTCAi indicating the address of the selected memory chip 2. The selected chip address EXTCAi is latched to the address buffer 17. When the selected chip address EXTCAi is latched, each memory chip 2 uses its chip-address comparator 24 to compare its own self-chip address INTCAi stored in the fuse 23 and the selected chip address EXTCAi to output the address flag signal CAFLG as a matching judgment signal. If the selected chip address EXTCAi specifies Chip1, the address flag signal CAFLG of the chip Chip1 will be “H”. As a result, the chip-enable signal CE′ will be set to “H”. On the other hand, as for the non-selected chips Chip 2-4, the address flag signal CAFLG is set to “L”. As a result, the chip-enable signal CE′ is set to “L.”.
As described above, when one of the memory chip 2 is selected, and the control signal and data I/O 0-7 for data reading are input from the control pad 12 and the I/O pad 11, only the chip Chip1 whose chip-enable signal CE′ is “H” operates, and data in the memory cell array 13 is read only from the chip Chip1. Since the chip-enable signal CE′ is “L”, the buffers 25-30 in the other memory chips Chip 2-4 do not operate, and therefore a read operation is not performed therein.
When a read operation in the memory chip Chip1 is completed, and the reset signal /RST as a reset status “L” is input to the control pad 12, all the memory chips 2 (Chip 1-4) is shifted to a selectable state from a selectable state or a non-selectable state. Then, when the chip address EXTCAi selecting the chip Chip4 is input to each of the memory chip 2 from the control pad 12 and the I/O pad 11, the chip-enable signal CE′ of the chip Chip4 becomes “H”, and the chip-enable signals CE′ of the chips Chip 1-3 not selected are set to “L.”
When the control signals for data reading is input from the control pad 12 and the I/O pad 11 to the chips Chip 1-4, only the chip Chip4 whose chip-enable signal CE′ is “H” operates, and a data reading operation is started therein.
Similarly, when a read operation is completed, and the reset signal /RST as a reset status “L” is input to the control pad 12, all the memory chips Chip 1-4 are shifted to a selectable state from a selectable state or a non-selectable state.
An operation of the memory chip 2 by the control signal input to the control pad 12 thereof will be explained hereinbelow.
All or any operations of the memory chip such as (1) command input, (2) address input, (3) data input, and (4) data output are performed when the chip-enable signal /CE that permits the access to the memory chip 2 is “L”.
(1) Command Com is input when the chip-enable signal /CE is “L” and the command latch enable signal CLE is “H”. Specifically, when a toggle of the write-enable signal /WE is input in this condition, the data I/O 0-7 will be stored in the command buffer 19 as a command through the I/O buffer 16, and is output to the control circuit 20.
(2) Address Add is input when the chip-enable signal. /CE is “L” and the address-latch-enable signal ALE is “H”. Specifically, when a toggle of the write-enable signal /WE is input in this condition, the data I/O 0-7 will be stored in the address buffer 17 as an address through the I/O buffer 16.
(3) Data is input when the chip-enable signal /CE is “L”, the address-latch-enable signal ALE is “L”, and the command latch enable signal CLE is “L”. Specifically, when a toggle of the write-enable signal /WE is input in this condition, the data I/O 0-7 is input as data. The data I/O 0-7 in a write mode is output to a sense amplifier 15 as an input data through the I/O buffer 16. In a parameter-set mode for changing various setting data such as a timer period in the memory chip, a voltage or the like, the data I/O 0-7 is stored in a latch circuit for the various setting data in the control circuit.
(4) A reading operation is performed by outputting the data stored in the memory cell array 13 to the I/O pad 11 through the I/O buffer 16, when the chip-enable signal /CE is “L”, and the read enable signal /RE is “L”.
Thus, each of the memory chips 2 (Chip 1-4) compares the self-chip address INTCAi with the selected chip address EXTCAi to detect the match therebetween. Then, a control of writing, reading, erasing or the like is performed only in the memory chip 2 in which the self-chip address INTCAi matches the selected chip address EXTCAi. Thereby, a multichip operation of the stacked memory chips with a through via 4 is realized. Moreover, since the pads 3 receiving the respective control signals are commonly connected in the stacked memory chips 2, the number of the pads 3 formed in the uppermost memory chip can be reduced. Accordingly, the memory may be miniaturized.
The memory according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be explained hereinbelow.
Since the overall configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment as shown in
The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the RST buffer 25A provided in the memory chip 2 generates the reset signal RST, without inputting the reset signal /RST through the pad 3. If a chip-enable signal /CE becomes “H”, this RST buffer 25A always outputs the reset signal RST to the chip-address comparator 24. As shown in
In this way, this embodiment generates the reset signal RST based on the switching of the chip-enable signal /CE. Accordingly, the number of the control pads 12 can be reduced, thereby the memory can be further miniaturized.
The memory according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be explained hereinbelow.
The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the chip-enable signals /CE1-4 selecting respective memory chips 2B (Chip 1-4) are input from the pad 3 formed in the uppermost memory chip 2, instead of using a chip-address comparator.
The uppermost memory chip 2 has four pads 3 formed thereon, that receive a chip-enable signal /CE 1-4, respectively. These pads 3 are commonly connected to all the memory chips 2B (Chip 1-4) through the through via 4.
The address decoder 36 receives at one of its input terminals the self-chip address INTCAi stored at the fuse 23, and receives the selected chip address EXTCAi at another one of its input terminals. The address decoder 36 detects a match between them, and outputs an address flag signal CAFLG. This address flag signal CAFLG is input to the gate of the P-type MOS transistor MP0 through the inverter INV0 like the first embodiment (
In this way, the four CE buffers 26B in each of the memory chips 2B serves as a judgment unit detecting a match between the self-chip address INTCAi and the selected chip address EXTCAi.
As shown in
Thus, by detecting a match between the self-chip address INTCAi and the selected chip address EXTCAi in each of the memory chips 2, multichip operation of the stacked memory chips with a through via 4 is realized. Specifically, a chip address comparator 24 in the first and second embodiments is not necessary.
The fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the pads 3 formed in the uppermost memory chip 2C are formed in the edge of the memory chip 2C. Since the electric structure of this memory is the same as that of the third embodiment, explanation thereof is omitted here. As described above, the pads 3 can be placed anywhere on the plane of the memory chip 2C. This improves the flexibility of memory layout.
Although the above embodiments has been explained using a NAND-type flash memory as an example, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The present invention can be applied to any semiconductor memory devices in which a through via commonly connects plural memory chips.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2006-256684 | Sep 2006 | JP | national |