Semiconductor memory device having hierarchical row selecting lines

Claim 2

A semiconductor memory device comprising: a memory cell array formed of a plurality of memory cells arranged in matrix; wherein said memory cell array is divided in the direction of columns into a plurality of large groups of memory cells, and each of said plurality of large memory cell groups is further divided in the direction of columns into a plurality of small groups of memory cells, said semiconductor memory device further comprising: a plurality of first row-selecting lines provided in said memory cell array; a plurality of second row-selecting lines provided in each of said plurality of large memory cell groups; a plurality of word lines provided in each of said plurality of small memory cell groups and connected to said memory cells; means for supplying a first selecting signal for selecting one of said plurality of large memory cell groups; means for supplying a second selecting signal for selecting one of said plurality of small memory cell groups; first decoder means responsive to an internal address signal for selecting one of said first-row-selecting lines to activate the same; plurality of second decoder means provided in each said large memory cell group for selecting a second row-selecting line associated with said selected first row-selecting line to activate the same in the large memory cell group selected by said first selecting signal; and plurality of third decoder means provided in each said small memory cell group for selecting a word line associated with said selected second row-selecting line to activate the same in the small memory cell group selected by said second selecting signal.

Claim 3

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first decoder means is provided near the end portion of said memory cell array, which is close to a supply source of said internal address signal.

Claim 4

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said second decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said large memory cell groups.

Claim 5

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 3, wherein said second row-selecting lines separated horizontally by said second decoder means are driven independently by said second decoder means.

Claim 6

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 3, wherein said third decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said small memory cell groups.

Claim 7

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said word lines separated horizontally by said third decoder means are driven independently by said third decoded means.

Claim 8

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said third decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said small memory cell groups.

Claim 9

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 7, wherein said word lines separated horizontally by said third decoder means are driven independently by said third decoder means.

Claim 10

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first decoder means is provided at the center of said memory cell array.

Claim 11

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said first row-selecting lines separated horizontally by said first decoder means are driven independently by said first decoder means.

Claim 12

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said third decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said small memory cell groups.

Claim 13

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said word lines separated horizontally by said third decoder means are driven independently by said third decoder means.

Claim 14

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said second decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said large memory cell groups.

Claim 15

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 13, wherein said second row-selecting lines separated horizontally by said second decoder means are driven independently by said second decoder means.

Claim 16

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 13, wherein said third decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said small memory cell groups.

Claim 17

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 15, wherein said word lines separated horizontally by said third decoder means are driven independently by said third decoder means.

Claim 18

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first row-selecting lines are each formed of one of a polysilicon or silicide layer, a first metal interconnection layer and a second metal interconnection layer; said second row-selecting lines are each formed of one of the polysilicon or silicide layer, the first metal interconnection layer and the second metal interconnection layer; and said word lines are each formed of one of the polysilicon or silicide layer, the first metal interconnection layer and the second metal interconnection layer.

Claim 19

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 17, wherein said first and second row-selecting lines are formed as the same layer.

Claim 20

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 17, wherein said first and second row-selecting lines are formed as different layers.

Claim 21

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first, second and third decoder means are each constituted by a gate having an AND function.

Claim 22

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 17, wherein said first and second row-selecting lines are each formed by an aluminum layer.

Claim 23

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of memory cells includes an access transistor having its gate connected to a corresponding one of said word lines, and said gate and said corresponding word line are formed as the same layer of polysilicon or silicide.

Claim 24

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 17, wherein resistance values of said first and second row-selecting lines are each lower than that of the word line.

Claim 25

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second decoder means are each provided near the end portion of a corresponding one of said large memory cell groups, which is close to said first selecting signal supplying means.

Claim 26

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said third decoder means are each provided near the end portion of a corresponding one of said small memory cell groups, which is close to said second selecting signal supplying means.

Claim 27

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first and second row-selecting lines and said word lines are provided in parallel with each other.

Claim 28

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said word lines is shorter than said first row-selecting line.

Claim 29

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said word lines is shorter than said second row-selecting line.

Claim 30

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said second row-selecting lines is shorter than said first row-selecting line.

Claim 31

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said semiconductor memory device is a static random access memory.

Claim 32

A semiconductor memory device comprising: a memory cell array formed of a plurality of memory cells arranged in matrix; wherein said memory cell array is divided in the direction of rows into a plurality of large row groups of memory cells; each of said plurality of large memory cell row groups is further divided in the direction of columns into a plurality of large groups of memory cells; each of said plurality of large memory cell groups is further divided in the direction of rows into a plurality of small row groups of memory cells; and each of said plurality of small memory cell row groups is divided in the direction of columns into a plurality of small groups of memory cells, said semiconductor memory device further comprising: a plurality of first row-selecting lines each provided in each said large memory cell row group; a plurality of second row-selecting lines each provided in each said small memory cell row group; a plurality of word lines provided in each of said small memory cell groups and connected to said memory cells; means for supplying a first selecting signal for selecting said plurality of large memory cell groups arranged in the same column and one of the small memory cell row groups in each of said large memory cell groups; means for supplying a second selecting signal for selecting said plurality of small memory cell groups arranged in the same column and a row in each of said small memory cell groups; first decoder means responsive to an internal address signal for selecting one of said first row-selecting lines to activate the same; plurality of second decoder means provided in each said large memory cell group for selecting one of said plurality of second row-selecting lines, which corresponds to the small memory cell row group selected by said first selecting signal to activate the same, in one of the plurality of large memory cell groups selected by said first selecting signal, which is included in the large memory cell row group corresponding to said selected first row-selecting line; and a plurality of third decoder means provided in each said small memory cell group for selecting one of said plurality of word lines, which corresponds to the row selected by said second selecting signal and activating the same, in one of the plurality of small memory cell groups selected by said second selecting signal, which is included in the small memory cell row group corresponding to said selected second row-selecting line.

Claim 33

A semiconductor memory device comprising: a memory cell array formed of a plurality of memory cells arranged in matrix; wherein said memory cell array is divided in the direction of rows into a plurality of large row groups of memory cells; each of said plurality of large memory cell row groups is further divided in the direction of columns into a plurality of large groups of memory cells; each of said plurality of large memory cell groups is further divided in the direction of rows into a plurality of small row groups of memory cells; and each of said plurality of small memory cell row groups is divided in the direction of columns into a plurality of small groups of memory cells, said semiconductor memory device further comprising: a plurality of first row-selecting lines each provided in each said large memory cell row group; a plurality of second row-selecting lines each provided in each said small memory cell row group; a plurality of word lines provided in each of said small memory cell groups and connected to said memory cells; means for supplying a first selecting signal for selecting said plurality of large memory cell groups arranged in the same column and one of the small memory cell row groups in each of said large memory cell groups; means for supplying a second selecting signal for selecting said plurality of small memory cell groups arranged in the same column and a row in each of said small memory cell groups; first decoder means responsive to an internal address signal for selecting one of said first row-selecting lines to activate the same; plurality of second decoder means provided in each said large memory cell group for selecting one of said plurality of second row-selecting lines, which corresponds to the small memory cell row group selected by said first selecting signal to activate the same, in one of the plurality of large memory cell groups selected by said first selecting signal, which is included in the large memory cell row group corresponding to said selected first row-selecting line; and a plurality of third decoder means provided in each said small memory cell group for selecting one of said plurality of word lines, which corresponds to the row selected by said second selecting signal and activating the same, in one of the plurality of small memory cell groups selected by said second selecting signal, which is included in the small memory cell row group corresponding to said selected second row-selecting line.

Claim 34

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 31, wherein said first decoder means is provided near the end portion of said memory cell array, which is close to a supply source of said internal address signal.

Claim 35

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 32, wherein said third decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said small memory cell groups.

Claim 36

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 33, wherein said word lines separated horizontally by said third decoder means are driven independently by said third decoder means.

Claim 37

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 32, wherein said second decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said large memory cell groups.

Claim 38

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 35, wherein said second row-selecting lines separated horizontally by said second decoder means are driven independently by said second decoder means.

Claim 39

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 35, wherein said third decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said small memory cell groups.

Claim 40

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 37, wherein said word lines separated horizontally by said third decoder means are driven independently by said third decoder means.

Claim 41

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 31, wherein said first decoder means is provided at the center of said memory cell array.

Claim 42

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 39, wherein said first row selecting lines separated horizontally by said first decoder means are driven independently by said first decoder means.

Claim 43

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 39, wherein said third decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said small memory cell groups.

Claim 44

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 41, wherein said word lines separated horizontally by said third decoder means are driven independently by said third decoder means.

Claim 45

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 39, wherein said second decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said large memory cell groups.

Claim 46

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 43, wherein said second row-selecting lines separated horizontally by said second decoder means are driven independently by said second decoder means.

Claim 47

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 43, wherein said third decoder means are each provided at the center of a corresponding one of said small memory cell groups.

Claim 48

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 45, wherein said word lines separated horizontally by said third decoder means are driven independently by said third decoder means.

Claim 49

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 31, wherein said first row-selecting lines are each formed of one of a polysilicon or silicide layer, a first metal interconnection layer and a second metal interconnection layer; said second row-selecting lines are each formed of one of the polysilicon or silicide layer, the first metal interconnection layer and the second metal interconnection layer; and said word lines are each formed of one of the polysilicon or silicide layer, the first metal interconnection layer and the second metal interconnection layer.

Claim 50

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 47, wherein said first and second row-selecting lines are formed as the same layer.

Claim 51

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 47, wherein said first and second row-selecting lines are formed as different layers.

Claim 52

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 31, wherein said first, second and third decoder means are each constituted by a gate having an AND function.

Claim 53

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 47, wherein said first and second row-selecting lines are each formed of an aluminum layer.

Claim 54

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 47, wherein each of said plurality of memory cells includes an access transistor having its gate connected to a corresponding one of said word lines, and said gate and said corresponding word line are formed as the same layer of polysilicon or silicide.

Claim 55

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 47, wherein resistance values of said first and second row-selecting lines are each lower than that of the word line.

Claim 56

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 31, wherein said second decoder means are each provided near the end portion of a corresponding one of said memory cell groups, which is close to said first selecting signal supplying means.

Claim 57

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 31, wherein said third decoder means are each provided near the end portion of a corresponding one of said small memory cell groups, which is close to said second selecting signal supplying means.

Claim 58

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 31, wherein said first and second row-selecting lines and said word lines are provided in parallel with each other.

Claim 59

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 31, wherein each of said word lines is shorter than said first row-selecting line.

Claim 60

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 31, wherein each of said word lines is shorter than said second row-selecting line.

Claim 61

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 31, wherein each of said second row-selecting lines is shorter than said first row-selecting line.

Claim 62

A semiconductor memory device in accordance with claim 31, wherein said semiconductor memory device is a static random access memory.