Memory device having a plurality of bitlines between adjacent columns of sub-wordline drivers

Claim 2

A memory device comprising: a plurality of bitlines and main wordlines formed in first and second directions, respectively, to form a matrix, and a plurality of memory cells coupled to each bitline; a first decoder for decoding first address signals and providing first decoded signals to said plurality of main wordlines; a second decoder for decoding second address signals and providing second decoded signals; n-th number of groups of drivers, each group having a plurality of sub-drivers formed in a third direction and receiving a corresponding second decoded signal, each sub-driver having a plurality of selection lines coupled to corresponding memory cells; and a plurality of sense amplifiers coupled to said plurality of bitlines, wherein more than two bitlines are formed between adjacent groups of drivers.

Claim 3

The memory device of claim 1, wherein each sub-driver of 1st and n-th groups have selection lines coupled to two memory cells.

Claim 4

The memory device of claim 1, wherein each sub-driver of 2nd to (n-1)th groups have selection lines coupled to more than two memory cells.

Claim 5

The memory device of claim 1, wherein the first and third directions are column directions, and the second direction is a row direction.

Claim 6

The memory device of claim 1, wherein four bitlines are formed between adjacent groups of drivers.

Claim 7

The memory device of claim 1, wherein said four bitlines comprise two bitline pairs.

Claim 8

The memory device of claim 2, wherein said selection lines of each sub-driver of 1st and n-th groups comprise a word strapline and first and second sub-word lines, said word strapline and first sub-word lines are coupled to said sub-driver and parallel to each other and said second sub-word line is coupled to said word strapline by a contact metallization, and said first and second sub-word lines are aligned with each other and each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 9

The memory device of claim 3, wherein said selection lines of each sub-driver of 2nd to (n-1)th groups comprises a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines formed at a first side of the sub-word driver, said first word strapline and first sub-word lines are coupled to said sub-driver and parallel to each other and said second sub-word line is coupled to said first word strapline by a first contact metallization, and said first and second sub-word lines are aligned with each other and each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell; and a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines formed at a second side of the sub-word driver, said second word strapline and third sub-word lines are coupled to said sub-driver and parallel to each other and said fourth sub-word line is coupled to said second word strapline by a second contact metallization, and said third and fourth sub-word lines are aligned with each other and each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 10

The memory device of claim 2, wherein selection lines of each odd sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 1st and n-th groups comprise a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines, said first word strapline and first sub-word lines are coupled to said sub-driver and parallel to each other and said second sub-word line is coupled to said first word strapline by a first contact metallization, and said first and second sub-word lines are aligned with each other and each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell; and selection lines of each even sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 1st and n-th groups comprise a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines, said third sub-word line is coupled said second word strapline and is laterally offset toward an adjacent odd sub-driver and said fourth sub-word line is coupled to said second word strapline by a second contact metallization, and said third and fourth sub-word lines are aligned with each other and each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 11

The memory cell of claim 3, wherein selection lines of each even sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 2nd and (n-1)th groups comprise: a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines formed at a first side of said even sub-word driver, said first word strapline and first sub-word lines are coupled to said even sub-driver and parallel to each other and said second sub-word line is coupled to said first word strapline by a first contact metallization, and said first and second sub-word lines are aligned with each other and each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell; and a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines formed at a second side of the even sub-word driver, said second word strapline and third sub-word lines are coupled to said even sub-driver and parallel to each other and said fourth sub-word line is coupled to said second word strapline by a second contact metallization, and said third and fourth sub-word lines are aligned with each other and each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 12

The memory device of claim 10, wherein said selection lines of each odd sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 2nd and (n-1)th groups comprise a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines formed at a first side of said odd sub-word driver, and a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines formed at a second side of said odd sub-word driver, said third sub-word line and said second word strapline are coupled to said odd sub-driver and are laterally offset towards an adjacent even sub-driver and said fourth sub-word line is coupled to said second word strapline by a contact metallization, and said third and fourth sub-word lines are aligned with each other and each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell, and said first word strap line and first and second sub-word lines of said odd sub-driver having the same configuration as said second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines.

Claim 13

The memory device of claim 2, wherein said selection lines of each sub-driver of 1st and n-th groups comprise a word strapline and first and second sub-word lines, said word strapline and first sub-word lines are coupled to said sub-driver and parallel to each other, and said first and second sub-word lines are coupled to said word strapline by a contact metallization, said first and second sub-word lines being aligned with each other and each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 14

The memory device of claim 3, wherein said selection lines of each sub-driver of 2nd to (n-1)th groups comprises: a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines formed at a first side of the sub-word driver, said first word strapline and first sub-word lines are coupled to said sub-driver and are parallel to each other, and said first and second sub-word lines are coupled to said first word strapline by a first contact metallization, said first and second sub-word lines being aligned with each other and each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell; and a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines formed at a second side of the sub-word driver, said second word strapline and third sub-word lines are coupled to said sub-driver and are parallel to each other and said third and fourth sub-word lines are coupled to said second word strapline by a second contact metallization, each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 15

The memory device of claim 3, wherein selection lines of each odd sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 1st and n-th groups comprise a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines, said first word strapline and first sub-word lines are coupled to said sub-driver and are parallel to each other, and said first and second sub-word line are coupled to said first word strapline by a first contact metallization, said first and second sub-word lines being aligned with each other and each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell; and selection lines of each even sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 1st and n-th groups comprise a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines, said third sub-word line is coupled to said second word strapline and is laterally offset towards an adjacent odd sub-driver, and said third and fourth sub-word line are coupled to said second word strapline by a second contact metallization, and said third and fourth sub-word lines being aligned with each other and each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 16

The memory cell of claim 3, wherein selection lines of each even sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 2nd and (n-1)th groups comprise: a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines formed at a first side of said even sub-word driver, said first word strapline and first sub-word lines are coupled to said even sub-driver and are parallel to each other, and said first and second sub-word line is coupled to said first word strapline by a first contact metallization, said first and second sub-word lines being aligned with each other, and each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell; and a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines formed at a second side of the even sub-word driver, said second word strapline and third sub-word lines are coupled to said even sub-driver and are parallel to each other and said fourth sub-word line is coupled to said second word strapline by a second contact metallization, said third and fourth sub-word lines being aligned with each other and each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 17

The memory device of claim 14, wherein said selection lines of each odd sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 2nd and (n-1)th groups comprise a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines formed at a first side of said odd sub-word driver, and a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines formed at a second side of said odd sub-word driver, said third sub-word line and said second word strapline are coupled to said odd sub-driver and are laterally offset toward an adjacent even sub-driver and said third and fourth sub-word lines are coupled to said second word strapline by a second contact metallization, said third and fourth sub-word lines being aligned with each other and each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell, and said first word strap line and first and second sub-word lines of said odd sub-driver having the same configuration as said second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines.

Claim 18

The memory device of claim 2, wherein said selection lines of each sub-driver of 1st and n-th groups comprise a word strapline and first and second sub-word lines, said word strapline is coupled to said sub-driver, and said first and second sub-word lines are coupled to said word strapline by a contact metallization, said first and second sub-word lines being aligned with each other and each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 19

The memory device of claim 3, wherein said selection lines of each sub-driver of 2nd to (n-1)th groups comprises: a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines formed at a first side of the sub-word driver, said first word strapline is coupled to said sub-driver, and said first and second sub-word lines are coupled to said first word strapline by a first contact metallization, each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell; and a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines formed at a second side of the sub-word driver, said second word strapline is coupled to said sub-driver and said third and fourth sub-word line are coupled to said second word strapline by a second contact metallization, each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 20

The memory device of claim 2, wherein selection lines of each odd sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 1st and n-th groups comprise a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines, said first word strapline line is coupled to said sub-driver and said first and second sub-word line are coupled to said first word strapline by a first contact metallization, each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell; and selection lines of each even sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 1st and n-th groups comprise a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines, said third and fourth sub-word line sub-word lines are coupled to said second word strapline by a second contact metallization and are laterally offset toward an adjacent odd sub-driver, each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 21

The memory cell of claim 3, wherein selection lines of each even sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 2nd and (n-1)th groups comprise: a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines formed at a first side of said even sub-word driver, said first word strapline is coupled to said even sub-driver, and said first and second sub-word lines are coupled to said first word strapline by a first contact metallization, said first and second sub-word lines being aligned with each other, and each of said first and second sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell; and a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines formed at a second side of the even sub-word driver, said second word strapline is coupled to said even sub-driver, and said fourth sub-word line is coupled to said second word strapline by a second contact metallization, said third and fourth sub-word lines being aligned with each other, and each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell.

Claim 22

The memory device of claim 19, wherein said selection lines of each odd sub-driver of said plurality of sub-drivers in 2nd and (n-1)th groups comprise: a first word strapline and first and second sub-word lines formed at a first side of said odd sub-word driver, and a second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines formed at a second side of said odd sub-word driver, said third sub-word line is coupled to said odd sub-driver, and said third and fourth sub-word lines are laterally offset toward an adjacent even sub-driver, and are coupled to said second word strapline by a second contact metallization, each of said third and fourth sub-word lines being coupled to a memory cell, and said first word strap line and first and second sub-word lines of said odd sub-driver having the same configuration as said second word strapline and third and fourth sub-word lines.