• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.1033-1044
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• 2002

In this Paper, a new FRAM design technique utilizing grounded-plate PMOS-gate (GPPG) ferroelectric cell is proposed. A GPPG cell consists of a PMOS access transistor and a ferroelectric data storage capacitor. Its plate is grounded. The proposed architecture employs three novel methods for cell operation: 1) $V_{DD}$ -precharged bitline, 2) negative-voltage wordline technique and 3) negative-pulse restore. Because this configuration doesn't need the plate control circuitry, it can greatly increase the memory cell efficiency. In addition, differently from other reported common-plate cells, this scheme can supply a sufficient voltage of $V_{DD}$ to the ferroelectric capacitor during detecting and storing the polarization on the cell. Thus, there is no restriction on low voltage operation. Furthermore, by employing a compact column-path circuitry which activates only needed 8-bit data, this architecture can minimize the current consumption of the memory array. A 4- Mb FRAM circuit has been designed with 0.3-um, triple-well/1-polycide/2-metal technology, and the possibility of the realization of GPPG cell architecture has been confirmed.