• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.685-694
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• 2015

In this paper, a new dynamic reference scheme is proposed to improve the read voltage margin better than the previous static reference scheme. The proposed dynamic reference scheme can be helpful in compensating not only the background pattern dependence but also the cell position dependence. The proposed dynamic reference is verified by simulating the CMOS-memristor hybrid circuit using the practical CMOS SPICE and memristor Verilog-A models. In the simulation, the percentage read voltage margin is compared between the previous static reference scheme and the new dynamic reference scheme. Assuming that the critical percentage of read voltage margin is 5%, the memristor array size with the dynamic scheme can be larger by 60%, compared to the array size with the static one. In addition, for the array size of $64{\times}64$, the interconnect resistance in the array with the dynamic scheme can be increased by 30% than the static reference one. For the array size of $128{\times}128$, the interconnect resistance with the proposed scheme can be improved by 38% than the previous static one, allowing more margin on the variation of interconnect resistance.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• 제16권6호
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• pp.293-302
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• 2015

Degraded data stability, weaker write ability, and increased leakage power consumption are the primary concerns in scaled static random-access memory (SRAM) circuits. Two new SRAM cells are proposed in this paper for achieving enhanced read data stability and lower leakage power consumption in memory circuits. The bitline access transistors are asymmetrically gate-underlapped in the proposed SRAM cells. The strengths of the asymmetric bitline access transistors are weakened during read operations and enhanced during write operations, as the direction of current flow is reversed. With the proposed hybrid asymmetric SRAM cells, the read data stability is enhanced by up to 71.6% and leakage power consumption is suppressed up to 15.5%, while displaying similar write voltage margin and maintaining identical silicon area as compared to the conventional memory cells in a 15 nm FinFET technology.

• 전기전자학회논문지
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.11-18
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• 1997

회로 시뮬레이터를 이용하는 DC 셀 노드전압 분석방법을 적용하여, 고저항 SRAM 셀 구조에서 기생저항들과 트랜지스터 비대칭에 의해 야기되는 정적 읽기동작에서의 동작마진을 조사하였다. 이상적인 셀에 기생저항을 선택적으로 추가함으로써 각 기생저항들이 동작 마진에 끼치는 영향을 조사한 뒤, 기생저항이 좌우대칭 쌍으로 존재하는 경우에 대해 조사하고, 또한 셀 트랜지스터의 채널폭을 선택적으로 변화시켜 트랜지스터의 비대칭을 야기시킴으로써 트랜지스터 비대칭에 의한 동작 마진의 저하를 분석하였다. 분석 방법은 시뮬레이션된 셀 노드전압 특성에서 두 셀 노드전압이 하나의 값으로 수렴되는 전원전압의 값과 $V_{DD}=5V$에서 셀 노드전압의 차를 비교함으로써 상대적인 동작 마진을 비교하는 방법을 사용하였다. 회로 시뮬레이션에 의존한 본 분석으로부터 셀의 정적 읽기동작에 가장 심각한 영향을 끼치는 기생저항 성분과 트랜지스터의 비대칭 형태를 규명함으로써 새로운 셀 구조 설계시 참고할 수 있는 기준을 제시하였다.

• ETRI Journal
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.457-462
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• 2007

This work presents a low-voltage static random access memory (SRAM) technique based on a dual-boosted cell array. For each read/write cycle, the wordline and cell power node of selected SRAM cells are boosted into two different voltage levels. This technique enhances the read static noise margin to a sufficient level without an increase in cell size. It also improves the SRAM circuit speed due to an increase in the cell read-out current. A 0.18 ${\mu}m$ CMOS 256-kbit SRAM macro is fabricated with the proposed technique, which demonstrates 0.8 V operation with 50 MHz while consuming 65 ${\mu}W$/MHz. It also demonstrates an 87% bit error rate reduction while operating with a 43% higher clock frequency compared with that of conventional SRAM.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.31-38
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• 2016

A novel self-reference sense amplifier with parallel reading during writing operation is proposed. Read access time is improved compared to conventional self-reference scheme with fast operation speed by reducing operation steps to 1 for read operation cycle using parallel reading scheme, while large sense margin competitive to conventional destructive scheme is obtained by using self-reference scheme. The simulation was performed using standard $0.18{\mu}m$ CMOS process. The proposed self-reference sense amplifier improved not only the operation speed of less than 20 ns which is comparable to non-destructive sense amplifier, but also sense margin over 150 mV which is larger than conventional sensing schemes. The proposed scheme is expected to be very helpful for engineers for developing MRAM technology.

• 한국정보통신학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국해양정보통신학회 2011년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.687-691
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• 2011

본 논문에서는 아날로그 트리밍용으로 사용되는 $0.18{\mu}m$ generic 공정 기반의 EM(Electro-Migration)과 eFuse의 저항 변동을 고려한 8bit eFuse OTP (One-Time Programmable) 메모리를 설계하였다. eFuse OTP 메모리는 eFuse에 인가되는 program power를 증가시키기 위해 external program voltage를 사용하였으며, 프로그램되지 않은 cell에 흐르는 read current를 낮추기 위해 RWL (Read Word-Line) activation 이전에 BL을 VSS로 precharging하는 방식과 read NMOS transistor를 최적화 설계하였다. 그리고 프로그램된 eFuse 저항의 변동을 고려한 variable pull-up load를 갖는 sensing margin test 회로를 설계하였다. 한편 eFuse link의 length를 split하여 eFuse OTP의 프로그램 수율 (program yield)을 높였다.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.363-369
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• 2017

Phase-change random access memory (PRAM) has been emerged as a potential memory due to its excellent scalability, non-volatility, and random accessibility. But, as the cell current is reducing due to cell size scaling, the read-sensing window margin is also decreasing due to increased variation of cell performance distribution, resulting in a substantial loss of yield. To cope with this problem, a novel adaptive read-sensing reference current generation scheme is proposed, whose trimming range and resolution are adaptively controlled depending on process conditions. Performance evaluation in a 58-nm CMOS process indicated that the proposed read-sensing reference current scheme allowed the integral nonlinearity (INL) to be improved from 10.3 LSB to 2.14 LSB (79% reduction), and the differential nonlinearity (DNL) from 2.29 LSB to 0.94 LSB (59% reduction).

• 대한전자공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한전자공학회 2005년도 추계종합학술대회
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• pp.647-650
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• 2005

In this paper, a low voltage SRAM using double boosting scheme is described. A low supply voltage deteriorates the static noise margin (SNM) and the cell read-out current. For read/write operation, a selected word line and cell VDD bias are boosted in a different level using double boosting scheme. This increases not only the static noise margin but also the cell readout current at a low supply voltage. A low voltage SRAM with 32K ${\times}$ 8bit implemented in a 0.18um CMOS technology shows an access time of 26.1ns at 0.8V supply voltage.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.347-353
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• 2017

We present a STT-MRAM read-circuit which mitigates the performance degradation caused by offsets from device mismatches. In the circuit, a single current source supplies read-current to both the data and the reference cells sequentially eliminating potential mismatches. Furthermore, an offset-free pre-amplification using a capacitor storing the mismatch information is employed to lessen the effect of the comparator offset. The proposed circuit was implemented using a 130-nm CMOS technology and Monte Carlo simulations of the circuit demonstrate its effectiveness in suppressing the effect of device mismatch.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.88-94
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• 2011

In this paper, we design a 1-kb OTP (Onetime programmable) memory IP in consideration of BCD process based EM (Electro-migration) and resistance variations of eFuse. We propose a method of precharging BL to VSS before activation of RWL (Read word-line) and an optimized design of read NMOS transistor to reduce read current through a non-programmed cell. Also, we propose a sensing margin test circuit with a variable pull-up load out of consideration for resistance variations of programmed eFuse. Peak current through the non-programmed eFuse is reduced from 728 ${\mu}A$ to 61 ${\mu}A$ when a simulation is done in the read mode. Furthermore, BL (Bit-line) sensing is possible even if sensed resistance of eFuse has fallen by about 9 $k{\Omega}$ in a wafer read test through a variable pull-up load resistance of BL S/A (Sense amplifier).