Periphery body biasing for memory applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10586790-B2
Application number	US-201815942132-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2018
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

Various implementations described herein are directed to an integrated circuit having a core array region with an array of memory devices. The integrated circuit may include a periphery region having periphery logic devices that interface with the array of memory devices. The integrated circuit may include a boundary region having one or more buffer devices coupled to body terminals of the periphery logic devices to drive the body terminals of the periphery logic devices using a body biasing signal provided by the one or more buffer devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
a core array region having an array of memory devices;
a periphery region having periphery logic devices that interface with the array of memory devices; and
a boundary region having one or more buffer devices coupled to body terminals of the periphery logic devices to drive the body terminals of the periphery logic devices using a body biasing signal provided by the one or more buffer devices from the boundary region to the periphery region,
wherein the periphery region is disposed between the core array region and the boundary region.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the core array region comprises memory circuitry, and wherein the array of memory devices comprises an array of bitcell devices.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more buffer devices comprise one or more inverters with digital inputs.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the core array region, the periphery region, and the boundary region operate at low voltage.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein the low voltage is applied as an operating voltage to each memory device in the core array region and each periphery logic device in the periphery region.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 5 , wherein the low voltage is less than a diode forward voltage depending on fabrication process technology.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the body biasing signal comprises a forward body biasing signal provided by the one or more buffer devices.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the body biasing signal comprises a digital body biasing signal provided by the one or more buffer devices.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more buffer devices in the boundary region drive the body terminal of each periphery logic device in the periphery region without affecting the body terminals of the memory devices in the core array region.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 9 , wherein affecting the body terminals of the memory devices in the core array region refers to affecting a body potential applied to the body terminals of the memory devices in the core array region.

11. A memory circuit, comprising:
a core array having an array of bitcells;
a periphery having first logic that interfaces with the array of bitcells; and
a boundary having second logic coupled to body terminals of the first logic to drive the body terminals of the first logic with a body biasing signal provided by the second logic from the boundary to the periphery,
wherein the periphery is disposed between the core array and the boundary.

12. The memory circuit of claim 11 , wherein the memory circuit comprises a random access memory (RAM) circuit.

13. The memory circuit of claim 11 , wherein the second logic receive digital inputs and are activated based on a logic zero (0) or a logic one (1).

14. The memory circuit of claim 11 , wherein the periphery and the boundary operate at low voltage.

15. The memory circuit of claim 14 , wherein the low voltage is applied as an operating voltage to each bitcell in the core array and each first logic in the periphery.

16. The memory circuit of claim 15 , wherein the low voltage is less than a diode forward voltage depending on fabrication process technology.

17. The memory circuit of claim 11 , wherein the body biasing signal comprises a digital forward body biasing signal provided by the second logic in the boundary.

18. The memory circuit of claim 11 , wherein the second logic in the boundary drive the body terminal of each first logic in the periphery without affecting the body terminals of the bitcells in the core array.

19. The memory circuit of claim 18 , wherein affecting the body terminals of the bitcells in the core array refers to affecting a body potential applied to the body terminals of the bitcells in the core array.

20. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit, comprising:
fabricating a core array region with an array of memory devices;
fabricating a periphery region with periphery logic devices that interface with the array of memory devices; and
fabricating a boundary region with one or more buffer devices coupled to body terminals of the periphery logic devices to drive the body terminals of the periphery logic devices using a body biasing signal provided by the one or more buffer devices from the boundary region to the periphery region,
wherein the periphery region is disposed between the core array region and the boundary region.

Assignees

• Advanced Risc Mach Ltd

Inventors

• Prabhat Pranay
• Myers James Edward

Classifications

• G11C11/417 Primary

  for memory cells of the field-effect type · CPC title

• G11C11/412

  using field-effect transistors only · CPC title

• G11C5/146

  Substrate bias generators (G11C5/141 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01L27/0207 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L27/1116

  Electricity · mapped topic