Word line transistor stacking for leakage control
US6914848B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 12, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jul 5, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 8, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C8/08
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A memory, such as a register file or a cache, having stack pMOSFETs shared among its word line drivers, where a stack pMOSFET shared by a set of word line drivers has its drain connected to the sources of the pMOSFETs in the set or word line drivers, and were each stack pMOSFET is controlled by an enable signal so as to turn ON only if its corresponding set of word line drivers is enabled. The enable signal may be provided by a write or read enable port, or by the memory's address decoder. The stacked configuration of pMOSFETs significantly reduces sub-threshold leakage current in the word line drivers with very little penalty in performance.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.