DRAM Circuit Design: A Tutorial

"More dynamic random access memory (DRAM) circuits are manufactured than any other integrated circuit (IC) in production today, with annual sales in excess of US$25 billion. In the last two decades, most DRAM literature focused on the user rather than the chip designer. This comprehensive reference makes DRAM IC design accessible to both novice and practicing engineers, with a wealth of information available in one volume.

DRAM chips contain both analog and digital circuits, requiring a variety of skills and techniques to accomplish a superior design. This easy-to-read tutorial covers transistor-level design of DRAM building blocks, including the array and architecture, voltage regulators and pumps, and peripheral circuits. DRAM CIRCUIT DESIGN will help the IC designer prepare for the future, in which DRAM will be embedded in logic devices for complete systems on a chip.

Topics covered include:

• DRAM array
• peripheral circuitry
• global circuitry and considerations
• voltage converters
• synchronization in DRAMS.

DRAM CIRCUIT DESIGN is an invaluable introduction for students, academics, and practitioners with a background in electrical and computer engineering. Applications engineers and practicing IC designers will develop a better understanding of the important facets of DRAM device structure across the board.

Table of Contents

Preface.

Acknowledgments.

List of Figures.

An Introduction to DRAM.

The DRAM Array.

Array Architectures.

The Peripheral Circuitry.

Global Circuitry and Considerations.

Voltage Converters.

Appendix.

Glossary.

Index.

About the Authors