Memory device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9230648-B2
Application number	US-201213443959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2012
Priority date	Apr 15, 2011
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A memory device includes a memory cell storing data as stored data, an output signal line, and a wiring to which a voltage is applied. The memory cell includes a comparison circuit performing a comparison operation between the stored data and search data and taking a conduction state or a non-conduction state in accordance with the operation result, and a field-effect transistor controlling writing and holding of the stored data. A voltage of the output signal line is equal to the voltage of the wiring when the comparison circuit is in the conduction state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor device comprising:
a memory cell comprising:
a first transistor;
a second transistor;
a third transistor;
a fourth transistor; and
a fifth transistor,

wherein a gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to a word line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a data line,
wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to an output signal line,
wherein a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to the data line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor,
wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the fourth transistor,
wherein a gate of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to the data line,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor,
wherein one of a source and a drain of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor, and
wherein the other of the source and the drain of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the fifth transistor.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a voltage is applied to the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor through a wiring.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a conductivity type of the second transistor is different from a conductivity type of the third transistor.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a conductivity type of the fourth transistor is different from a conductivity type of the fifth transistor.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first transistor comprises a channel formation region comprising a oxide semiconductor.

6. A semiconductor device comprising:
memory cells of N stages (N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2) each storing 1-bit data as stored data;
a first output signal line;
a second output signal line;
first to (N−1)th connection wirings; and
a wiring to which a voltage is applied,
wherein each of the memory cells of N stages comprises:
a first comparison circuit configured to perform a first comparison operation between the 1-bit stored data and 1-bit search data;
a second comparison circuit configured to perform a second comparison operation between the 1-bit stored data and the 1-bit search data; and
a field-effect transistor configured to control writing and holding of the 1-bit stored data,

wherein the first comparison circuit of a memory cell in a first stage is configured to control electrical connection between the wiring and the first output signal line in accordance with the first comparison operation,
wherein the second comparison circuit of the memory cell in the first stage is configured to control electrical connection between the wiring and a first connection wiring in accordance with the second comparison operation,
wherein the first comparison circuit of a memory cell in a K-th stage (K is a natural number greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N−1) is configured to control electrical connection between a (K−1)th connection wiring and the first output signal line in accordance with the first comparison operation,
wherein the second comparison circuit of the memory cell in the K-th stage is configured to control electrical connection between the (K−1)th connection wiring and a K-th connection wiring in accordance with the second comparison operation,
wherein the first comparison circuit of a memory cell in an N-th stage is configured to control electrical connection between an (N−1)th connection wiring and the first output signal line in accordance with the first comparison operation, and
wherein the second comparison circuit of the memory cell in the N-th stage is configured to control electrical connection between the (N−1)th connection wiring and the second output signal line in accordance with the second comparison operation.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first comparison circuit is configured to take a conduction state when the 1-bit stored data is smaller than the 1-bit search data and a non-conduction state when the 1-bit stored data matches or is larger than the 1-bit search data, and
wherein the second comparison circuit is configured to take a conduction state when the 1-bit stored data matches or is smaller than the 1-bit search data and a non-conduction state when the 1-bit stored data is larger than the 1-bit search data.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 :
wherein the first comparison circuit is configured to take a conduction state when the 1-bit stored data is larger than the 1-bit search data and a non-conduction state when the 1-bit stored data matches or is smaller than the 1-bit search data, and
wherein the second comparison circuit is configured to take a conduction state when the 1-bit stored data matches or is larger than the 1-bit search data and a non-conduction state when the 1-bit stored data is smaller than the 1-bit search data.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the field-effect transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor layer comprising a channel formation region, the oxide semiconductor layer having a band gap energy of 2.0 eV or more, and
wherein the oxide semiconductor layer comprises a phase which has a triangular, hexagonal, regular triangular, or regular hexagonal atomic arrangement when seen from a direction perpendicular to an a-b plane and in which metal atoms are arranged in a layered manner when seen from a direction perpendicular to a c-axis direction or metal atoms and oxygen atoms are arranged in a layered manner when seen from the direction perpendicular to the c-axis direction.

Assignees

• Matsubayashi Daisuke
• Semiconductor Energy Lab

Inventors

• Matsubayashi Daisuke

Classifications

• G11C15/04 Primary

  using semiconductor elements · CPC title

• G11C15/046

  using non-volatile storage elements · CPC title

• G11C15/00

  Digital stores in which information comprising one or more characteristic parts is written into the store and in which information is read-out by searching for one or more of these characteristic parts, i.e. associative or content-addressed stores · CPC title

• Y02D10/00

  Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management · CPC title