Semiconductor memory device capable of detecting repair address at high speed

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device; and, more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device which can be effectively detecting a repaired address.

In a manufacture of a semiconductor memory device, even when only one cell among normal cells is defective, a semiconductor memory device is treated as a defective product because it cannot perform a memory function. However, it is inefficient in view of yield.

Accordingly, one method of improving the yield is to replace the detective cell with the redundancy cell.

In a repair process using the redundancy cell, spare rows and spare columns are in advance provided at every predetermined cell array and the defective cell is replaced with the redundancy cell of a row/column unit.

In more detail, after a wafer process is completed, a detective cell is detected by a test and a program of replacing a corresponding address with a redundancy address is performed within an internal circuit. Accordingly, in an actual use, if the address signal corresponding to the defective cell is inputted, the defective cell is replaced with the redundancy cell.

A most widely used method is to change an address path by using a laser beam to cut off a fuse.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional semiconductor memory device.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the conventional semiconductor memory device includes unit repair circuits 10 to 13 , a redundancy address detector 20 , and a redundancy flag signal generator 30 .

The unit repair circuits 10 to 13 compare 1-bit address signals A 0 to A 8 with a repaired address signal. The redundancy address detector 20 combines unit repair signals hit 1 to hit 9 outputted from the unit repair circuits 10 to 13 and outputs a redundancy detection signal syeb 1 . The redundancy flag signal generator 30 receives the redundancy detection signals syeb 1 to syeb 4 and generates a flag signal flag.

The unit repair circuit 10 for repairing 1-bit address signal includes a fuse box 10 a for outputting a repair address signal yra 1 according to a blowing of a fuse, an address latch 10 b for latching an address inputted from an exterior, and an address comparator 10 c for comparing the repair address signal yra 1 with the latched address signal bya 1 to output the unit repair signal hit 1 .

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the fuse box shown in FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 2 , the fuse box 10 a includes a fuse f, a MOS transistor MP 1 having a gate receiving an enable signal enable and connecting a power supply voltage VDD to one terminal of the fuse f, a MOS transistor MN 1 having a gate receiving a fuse select signal fs 1 and connecting a ground voltage VSS to the other terminal of the fuse f, latch inverters I 1 and I 2 for latching a signal applied on one terminal of the fuse f, and an output inverter I 3 for outputting an inverted output of the latch inverters.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the address comparator 10 c shown in FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 3 , the address comparator 10 c outputs the unit repair signal hit 1 of a high level when the repair address signal yra 1 and the latched address signal bya 1 have the same level, and outputs the unit repair signal hit 1 of a low level when the repair address signal yra 1 and the latched address signal bya 1 have the different level from each other.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the redundancy address detector shown in FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 4 , the redundancy address detector 20 outputs the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 of a low level only when all the unit repair signals hit 1 to hit 9 from the unit repair circuits 10 to 13 are activated to a high level. Here, the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 is a signal for detecting a repair with respect to one address. Accordingly, the number of the redundancy address detectors provided as many as the number of repair addresses is determined.

The enable signal en is a signal for enabling the redundancy address detector 20 . If the enable signal en of a low level is inputted, the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 of a high level is outputted without regard to the active states of other unit repair signals.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the redundancy flag signal generator 30 shown in FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 5 , the redundancy flag signal generator 30 combines the redundancy detection signals syeb 1 to syeb 4 outputted from the redundancy address detector and generates the flag signal. When a test mode signal tm_rcall is activated to a high level, if at least one of the redundancy detection signals syeb 1 to syeb 4 is activated to a low level, the flag signal of a high level is activated and outputted.

The remaining circuit shown in FIG. 5 is a circuit showing a part of a data output path of the semiconductor memory device. In a test mode where the test mode signal tm_rcall of a high level is inputted, the redundancy flag signal flag is outputted through a data output line gio to an exterior of the semiconductor memory device. Meanwhile, in a normal state where the test mode signal tm_rcall of a low level is inputted, a data signal iost transferred from a core area is outputted through a data output line to an exterior.

Accordingly, if the flag signal of a high level is outputted to an exterior of the semiconductor memory device in the test mode, it means that a data access occurs in the repaired address.

A test process of the conventional semiconductor memory device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 .

First, unit cell is tested in a wafer level. At this point, a repair process is performed by selectively irradiating a laser to blow a fuse of the fuse box, which corresponds to an address of a defective unit cell.

When an address of the defective unit cell is inputted, the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 is activated and outputted. Then, the defective unit cell is replaced with the redundancy unit cell.

After the repair process of blowing the fuse in the wafer level, all the unit cells are tested. If there is no error in all the unit cells, a package process is performed.

Then, in the packaged state, a data access test is performed on all the unit cells. During that process, an error in the data access may occur. In order to know whether the error occurs in the package process or there is a problem in the repair circuit, a test must be again performed.

In a state where the test mode signal is activated and inputted, the address signals A 0 to A 8 are inputted sequentially. If the flag signal flag is outputted during the input of the address signals A 0 to A 8 , it means that the semiconductor memory device correctly detects the repaired address.

Accordingly, if a total number of the addresses are nine (A 0 to A 8 ), the addresses must be inputted 2 N times in order to output the flag signal flag. Consequently, an entire test time is increased.

FIG. 6 is a waveform showing an operation of testing the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 1 .

In FIG. 6 , when an active command ACT is inputted, a row address X(i) is inputted and a column address Y( 0 ) is sequentially increased in response to a read command RD. At this point, an address (that is, a repaired address) is found when the flag signal is outputted. As described above, the flag signal is outputted through a data output pin DQ. Therefore, in order to detect the repaired address, the read command for the nine column addresses must be inputted 512 times.

The repaired address can be recognized in the repair of the wafer level. However, hundreds of the memory devices are manufactured on one wafer and a lot of wafers are continuously manufactured. Also, a lot of the memory devices are continuously packaged. Therefore, it is very difficult to separately store the repair information and use the repair information in the test process.

Accordingly, the conventional semiconductor memory device has a problem in that the address accessing the redundancy cell cannot be easily detected in the package state.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor memory device capable of detecting a repaired address in a test mode.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor memory device including: a repair address storing unit for storing 1-bit repair address signal; and an address comparing unit for comparing an address signal with the repair address signal to output a repair signal, and for buffering the repair address signal to output the repair signal in a test mode.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor memory device including: a plurality of unit address detectors for comparing 1-bit address signal with a stored 1-bit repair address signal to output a repair signal, and for buffering the stored repair address signal and outputting the buffered repair address signal as the repair signal in a test mode; a redundancy address detector for combining the plurality of repair signals from the unit address detectors and outputting a detection signal for detecting whether a current input address is a redundancy address; and a redundancy flag signal generator for generating a redundancy flag signal in response to the detection signal and transferring the redundancy flag signal to a data output path.

The above and other objects and features of the instant invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional semiconductor memory device;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a fuse box shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of an address comparator shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a redundancy address detector shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of a redundancy flag signal generator shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 6 is a waveform showing an operation of testing the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a semiconductor memory device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of an address comparator shown in FIG. 7 ;

FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram of a redundancy address detector shown in FIG. 7 ;

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of an address generator shown in FIG. 7 ;

FIG. 11 is a waveform showing an operation of the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 9 ; and

FIG. 12 is a waveform showing an operation of the address generator shown in FIG. 10 .

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a semiconductor memory device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the semiconductor memory device includes unit address detectors 1000 to 9000 , a redundancy address detector 600 , and a redundancy flag signal generator 800 .

Each of the unit address detectors 1000 to 9000 compares 1-bit address signal (for example, A 0 ) with 1-bit repair address signal (for example, yra 1 ) and outputs a repair signal (for example, hit 1 ). Also, each of the unit address detectors 1000 to 9000 buffers the repair address signal yra 1 in response to a test mode signal tm_rcall and outputs it as the repair signal hit 1 . The redundancy address detector 600 combines the plurality of repair signals hit 1 to hit 8 outputted from the unit address detectors 1000 to 9000 and generates a redundancy detection signal syeb 1 for detecting whether a current input address is a redundancy address or not. The redundancy flag signal generator 800 generates a redundancy flag signal flag by using the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 and transfers it to a data output path. Here, in order to generate a plurality of redundancy detection signals syeb 2 to syeb 4 inputted to the redundancy flag signal generator 800 , a plurality of unit address detectors and a plurality of redundancy address comparators are provided.

In addition, the semiconductor memory device further includes an address generator 500 . The address generator 500 generates an address for inputting an address of a high level to only one selected unit address detector and inputting an address of a low level to the remaining unit address detectors. For example, the address generator 500 outputs a signal B 1 of a high level to the unit address detector 1000 and outputs a signal B 2 of a low level to the remaining unit address detectors 2000 to 9000 .

While the test mode signal tm_rcall is activated in the test mode and inputted, if the address signal A 0 is a low level, the address comparator 100 of the unit address detector 1000 outputs the repair signal hit 1 of a high level. On the contrary, if the address signal A 0 is a low level, the address comparator 100 buffers the stored repair address signal yra 1 and outputs it as the repair signal hit 1 .

In addition, the unit address detector 1000 includes a repair address storing unit 200 for storing the repair address signal yra 1 , an address latch 300 for latching the inputted address A 0 , an address selecting unit 400 for selectively transferring the latched address signal bya 1 and the signal B 1 inputted from the address generator 500 in response to a test address select signal tm_auto, and an address comparing unit 100 for comparing the output signal of the address selecting unit 400 with the address signal yra 1 stored in the address storing unit 200 , buffering the stored address signal yra 1 while the test mode signal is inputted in an activated state, and outputting the repair signal hit 1 .

The address selecting unit 400 includes a first transmission gate T 2 and a second transmission gate T 3 . The first transmission gate T 2 is turned on in response to the inactive test address select signal tm_auto and transfers the output signal of the address latch 300 to the address comparator 100 . The second transmission gate T 3 is turned on in response to the test address select signal tm_auto and transfers the output signal B 1 of the address generator 500 to the address comparator 100 .

The repair address storing unit 200 includes a fuse and outputs the repair address signal yra 1 corresponding to the blowing of the fuse. If the fuse is blown, the repair address signal yra 1 of a high level is outputted. If the fuse is not blown, the repair address signal yra 1 of a low level is outputted.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of the address comparator 100 shown in FIG. 7 .

Referring to FIG. 8 , the address comparator 100 includes a logic combination unit 110 , a signal transferring unit 120 , and a comparator circuit 130 .

The logic combination unit 110 combines the test signal tm_rcall activated in the test mode and the address signal of a high level and outputs an internal control signal Cin. The signal transferring unit 120 transfers the driving voltage VDD to an output terminal in response to the internal control signal Cin so as to activate the repair signal hit 1 . In case where the internal control signal Cin is in an inactive state, if the address signal bya 1 and the repair address signal yra 1 have the same level, the comparator circuit 130 activates the repair signal hit 1 to a high level. In case where the internal control signal Cin is in an active state, the comparator circuit 130 buffers the repair address signal yra 1 to output the repair signal hit 1 .

The logic combination unit 110 includes an inverter I 15 for inverting the latched address signal bya 1 , and a NAND gate ND 8 for receiving an output signal of the inverter I 15 and the test signal tm_rcall to output the internal control signal Cin.

The signal transferring unit 130 includes a PMOS transistor MP 6 serving as a driver. The PMOS transistor has a gate receiving the internal control signal Cin and transfers the power supply voltage VDD to the output terminal.

The comparator circuit 130 includes: a NAND gate ND 9 receiving the internal control signal Cin and the repair address signal yra 1 ; an inverter I 14 for inverting an output signal of the NAND gate ND 9 ; a transmission gate T 4 turned on in response to the output signal of the NAND gate ND 9 and the output signal of the inverter I 14 to transfer the latched address signal bya 1 to the output terminal; a PMOS transistor MP 4 having a gate receiving an address signal and one terminal connected to the power supply voltage VDD; a PMOS transistor MP 5 having a gate receiving the output signal of the NAND gate ND 9 and one terminal connected to the other terminal of the PMOS transistor MP 4 ; an NMOS transistor MN 4 having a gate receiving the output signal of the inverter I 14 and one terminal connected to the other terminal of the PMOS transistor MP 5 ; and an NMOS transistor MN 5 having a gate receiving the latched address signal bya 1 , one terminal connected to the other terminal of the NMOS transistor MN 4 , and the other terminal connected to the ground voltage VSS. A common node of the PMOS transistor MP 5 and the NMOS transistor MN 4 is connected to the output terminal and the repair signal hit 1 is outputted through the output terminal.

FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram of the redundancy address detector 600 shown in FIG. 7 .

Referring to FIG. 9 , the redundancy address detector 600 includes: NAND gates ND 9 to ND 11 for receiving the enable signal en and the repair signals hit 1 to hit 9 outputted from the unit address detectors 1000 to 9000 ; a NOR gate NOR 3 for receiving output signals of the NAND gate ND 9 to ND 11 ; a NAND gate ND 12 for receiving the test mode signal rm_rcall and a select signal fbox_sel; a NAND gate ND 13 for receiving an output signal of the NAND gate ND 12 and an output signal of the NOR gate NOR 3 to output the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 ; and an inverter for inverting an output signal of the NOR gate NOR 3 to output the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 _ 0 .

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention further includes a plurality of redundancy address detectors (not shown) for generating a plurality of redundancy detection signals syeb 2 to syeb 4 , which are outputted to the redundancy flag signal generator 800 . The select signal fbox_sel is used to select one of the redundancy address detectors.

In this embodiment, the repaired addresses can be separately determined bit by bit. One of the redundancy address detectors is selected and activated using the select signal fbox_sel.

Also, the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 _ 0 is a signal for detecting the repaired address and replacing the defective cell with the redundancy cell. The redundancy detection signal syeb 1 is a signal used to determine the address repaired in the test.

The redundancy flag signal generator 800 receives the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 to output the flag signal flag. The flag signal flag is transferred through the data output path to the exterior. In the test mode, the flag signal flag is outputted through the data output path.

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of the address generator 500 shown in FIG. 7 .

Referring to FIG. 10 , the address generator 500 inputs a high level signal to one of the unit address detectors 1000 to 9000 and a low level signal to the remaining unit address detectors. A plurality of reference signal generators 510 and 520 generate pulses int 0 and int 1 having various widths, and a signal combining unit 530 combines the pulses to output signals B 1 and B 2 to the unit address detectors 1000 to 9000 .

FIGS. 11 and 12 are waveforms showing an operation of the semiconductor memory device in accordance with the present invention. An operation of the semiconductor memory device will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 12 .

The semiconductor memory device includes the fuses and the detective cell is replaced with the redundancy cell. For this purpose, the fuse is selectively blown according to the address of the defective cell and the repaired address is stored. If the input address is equal to the repaired address, the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 is outputted to notify that the address is the repaired address. Then, the defective cell is replaced with the redundancy cell in response to the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 .

The unit address comparator 100 stores 1-bit repaired address and activates the repair signal hit 1 when the input address A 0 is equal to the repaired address.

The repair address storing unit 200 stores the 1-bit repair address by the blowing of the fuse.

If the inactive test mode signal tm_rcall of a low level is inputted to the address comparator 100 , the address comparator 100 compares the stored repaired address with the address bya 1 latched by the address latch. If the repaired address and the latched address are equal to each other, the address comparator 100 activates the repair signal hit 1 to a high level.

If the test mode signal tm_rcall of a high level is inputted to the address comparator 100 , the repair signal hit 1 is outputted in a different state according to the latched address signal bya 1 .

If the latched address signal bya 1 is a high level, the PMOS transistor MP 6 of the address comparator 100 is turned on, so that the repair signal hit 1 is activated to a high level.

In case where the test mode signal tm_rcall of a high level is inputted to the address comparator 100 , if the latched address signal bya 1 is a low level, the signal yra 1 stored in the repair address storing unit 200 is buffered and outputted as the repair signal. That is, if the fuse (f, refer to FIG. 2 ) is blown and the signal yra 1 stored in the repair address storing unit 200 is a high level, the repair signal hit 1 is activated to a high level. On the contrary, if the fuse is not blown and thus the signal stored in the repair address storing unit 200 is a low level, the repair signal hit 1 is deactivated to a low level.

In the test mode, the test mode signal of a high level is inputted and the address signal A 0 of a high level is inputted to only one of the nine unit address detectors, while the address signals A 1 to A 8 of a low level are inputted to the remaining eight unit address detectors.

Accordingly, the repair signals hit 2 to hit 9 outputted from the unit address detector receiving the address signal of low level are fixed to a high level, and the unit address detectors receiving the address signal of low level output the stored signal of the repair address storing unit 200 as the repair signal.

If the address signal of low level is inputted to only one unit address detector sequentially selected, the repaired address signal stored in the repair address storing unit can be determined.

In a state that the select signal fbox_sel and the test mode signal tm_rcall is all a high level, if the repair signals hit 1 to hit 9 are activated to a high level, the redundancy address detector 600 activates the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 to a low level.

Here, the test mode signal tm_rcall is a signal activated in the test mode, and the select signal fbox_sel is a signal for selecting one of the redundancy address detectors. In this embodiment, the repair can be determined by comparing the repair address bit by bit. Therefore, it must be separately determined which bit signal of the repair address the current outputted repaired address signal is. For this, the select signal fbox_sel is inputted and one of the redundancy address detectors is selected.

Meanwhile, the redundancy address detector 600 outputs the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 _ 0 without regard to the select signal fbox_sel and the test mode signal tm_rcall. Using this signal, the data access controller of the semiconductor memory device determines that the corresponding address is the repaired address. Accordingly, the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 is a signal for an external output in the test mode, and the redundancy detection signal syeb 1 _ 0 is a signal for determining that the corresponding address is the repaired address.

The redundancy flag signal generator 800 receives the redundancy detection signals syeb 1 to syeb 4 to output the flag signal flag. The flag signal flag is outputted through the data path to the exterior of the memory device (refer to FIG. 5 ).

It can be known that the input address signal is the repaired address signal by the flag signal outputted through the data output pin in the test.

FIG. 11 is a waveform showing an operation of the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 9 .

Referring to FIG. 11 , if the read command RD and the column addresses Y( 1 ) to Y( 246 ) are inputted in the active state by the active command ACT, the flag signal is outputted when the address is repaired.

According to the prior art, in case where the number of the column addresses are nine, the read command RD and the column address are inputted 512 times. However, according to the present invention, the state of the repaired address can be checked by nine times read operations. Also, it can be seen that the signal is correctly repaired or not. The reason is that the memory device in accordance with the present invention can know the bit-by-bit repair, that is, whether the fuse is blown or not. Accordingly, the repair address can be easily checked in the test.

In addition, if the repair address is inputted in the test, it can be checked whether the correctly repaired signal is outputted or not. Thus, an error can be easily traced.

FIG. 12 is a waveform showing an operation of the address generator 500 shown in FIG. 10 .

The address generator 500 automatically generates the test addresses A 0 to A 8 in the test and inputs them to the respective unit address detectors 1000 to 9000 . In the test, the address signal of a high level must be inputted to only one selected unit address detector and the address signal of a low level must be inputted to the remaining unit address detectors.

For this purpose, the plurality of reference signal generators 510 and 520 of the address generator 500 generate the pulses having the different periods.

The signal combining unit 530 combines the pulses and outputs the combined signal to the unit address detectors.

The output signal of the address generator 500 is transferred to the address comparator 100 through the transmission gate T 3 turned on in response to the test address select signal tm_auto.

In FIG. 12 , there are shown the pulses int 0 , int 1 and int 2 and three output signals B 1 , B 2 and B 3 .

Meanwhile, the semiconductor memory device in accordance with the present invention further includes a redundancy fuse part 900 having redundancy fuses. If the fuse of the redundancy fuse part 900 is blown, the buffered redundancy detection signal syeb_b is always outputted in an inactive state.

In this case, the redundancy detection signal syeb_b cannot be used internally in the semiconductor memory device. At this point, it is used to store a chip ID.

The ID may include a position of a chip on the wafer, a wafer number, a lot number and so on. In case where the semiconductor memory device stores this information, the information can be used to easily trace the manufacturing procedures in the defect analysis. This is possible because the repair circuit of the semiconductor memory device can check the repaired address.

According to the present invention, the repair-related test time can be reduced to thereby shorten the development period of the semiconductor memory device.

Further, the redundancy fuse can be used to store the chip position, the wafer number and the lot number, such that the manufacturing procedure can be easily traced when the semiconductor memory device is defective.

The present application contains subject matter related to Korean patent application No. 2004-01582, filed in the Korean Patent Office on Jan. 9, 2004, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference.

While the present invention has been described with respect to the particular embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.