DRAM Circuit Design: Fundamentals and High-Speed Topics

A modern, comprehensive introduction to DRAM for students and practicing chip designers

Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) technology has been one of the greatestdriving forces in the advancement of solid-state technology. With its ability to produce high product volumes and low pricing, it forces solid-state memory manufacturers to work aggressively to cut costs while maintaining, if not increasing, their market share. As a result, the state of the art continues to advance owing to the tremendous pressure to get more memory chips from each silicon wafer, primarily through process scaling and clever design.

From a team of engineers working in memory circuit design, DRAM Circuit Design gives students and practicing chip designers an easy-to-follow, yet thorough, introductory treatment of the subject. Focusing on the chip designer rather than the end user, this volume offers expanded, up-to-date coverage of DRAM circuit design by presenting both standard and high-speed implementations. Additionally, it explores a range of topics: the DRAM array, peripheral circuitry, global circuitry and considerations, voltage converters, synchronization in DRAMs, data path design, and power delivery. Additionally, this up-to-date and comprehensive book features topics in high-speed design and architecture and the ever-increasing speed requirements of memory circuits.

The only book that covers the breadth and scope of the subject under one cover, DRAM Circuit Design is an invaluable introduction for students in courses on memory circuit design or advanced digital courses in VLSI or CMOS circuit design. It also serves as an essential, one-stop resource for academics, researchers, and practicing engineers.

Brent Keeth is a Fellow in DRAM Design R&D at Micron Technology, Inc. His twenty-five years of industry experience spans radar systems, avionics components, communicationsystems, professional production and post-production equipment for the broadcast television industry, and solid-state memory. He holds over 400 U.S. and foreign granted or pending patents.

R. Jacob Baker, PhD, is an engineer, educator, and inventor. He has more than twenty years of engineering experience and holds over 200 granted or pending patents in integrated circuit design. Dr. Baker is the author of several circuit design books. For a detailed biography, see http://cmosedu.com/jbaker/jbaker.htm.

Brian Johnson is a Senior Design Engineer in DRAM Design R&D at Micron Technology, Inc. His research interests include asynchronous sequential circuits, clock synchronization circuits, and high-speed logic design. He holds over 60 granted or pending patents related to DRAM design and integrated circuit design.

Feng Lin, PhD, is a Senior Design Engineer in DRAM Design R&D at Micron Technology, Inc. His research interests include high-speed I/O circuits, PLL/DLL, and mixed-signal circuit design. Dr. Lin holds over 50 granted or pending patents related to DRAM and integrated circuit design.