Digital Integrated Circuits

(83-313)

Lecture 8:
SRAM
Prof. Adam Teman
2 May 2021

Disclaimer: This course was prepared, in its entirety, by Adam Teman. Many materials were copied from sources freely available on the internet. When possible, these sources have been cited;
however, some references may have been cited incorrectly or overlooked. If you feel that a picture, graph, or code example has been copied from you and either needs to be cited or removed,
please feel free to email [email protected] and I will address this as soon as possible.
 Lecture Content

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May 2, 2021
 First Look at Memory

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Why Memory?

Source: Intel
Intel Pentium-M (2001) – 2MB L3 Cache

Source: wccftech.com

Cerebras Wafer Scale Engine 2 (2021) –

Source: Intel 16GB On-Chip Memory
Intel 10th Gen “Comet Lake” (2020) – 20MB L3 Cache © Adam Teman,
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 Memory Hierarchy of a Personal Computer

5 Source: Pavlov, Sachdev, 2008

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 Semiconductor Memory Classification
• Size:
Memory Arrays
• Bits, Bytes, Words

Random Access Memory Serial Access Memory Content Addressable Memory

• Timing Parameters:
(CAM) • Read access, write access, cycle time
Read/Write Memory Read Only Memory
Shift Registers Queues
• Function:
(RAM) (ROM)
(Volatile) (Nonvolatile) • Read Only (ROM) – non-volatile
• Read-Write (RWM) – volatile
Serial In Parallel In First In Last In
Static RAM Dynamic RAM Parallel Out Serial Out First Out First Out • NVRWM – Non-volatile Read Write
• Access Pattern:
(SRAM) (DRAM) (SIPO) (PISO) (FIFO) (LIFO)

• Random Access, FIFO, LIFO,

Electrically
Shift Register, CAM
Mask ROM Programmable Erasable Flash ROM
ROM
(PROM)
Programmable
ROM
Erasable
Programmable
• I/O Architecture:
(EPROM) ROM • Single Port, Multi-port
(EEPROM)
• Application:
• Embedded, External, Secondary
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 Random Access Chip Architecture
• Conceptual: linear array
• Each box holds some data
• But this leads to a long and skinny shape

• Let’s say we want to make a 1MB memory:

• 1MB=220 words X 8 bits=223 bits, each word in a separate row
• A decoder would reduce the number of access pins from
220 access pins to 20 address lines.
• We’d fit the pitch of the decoder to the word cells,
so we’d have Word Lines with no area overhead.
• The output lines (=bit lines) would be extremely long,
as would the delay of the huge decoder.
• The array’s height is about 128,000 times larger than its width (220/23).
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 Square Ratio
• Instead, let’s make the array square:
• 1MB=223 bits=212 rows X 211 columns.
• There are 4000 rows, so we need a
12-bit row address decoder
(to select a single row)
• There are 2000 columns,
representing 256 8-bit words.
• We need to select only one of the
256 words through a
column address decoder (or multiplexer).
• We call the row lines “Word Lines”
and the column lines “Bit Lines”.

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 Special Considerations
• The “core” of the memory array is huge.
It can sometimes take up most of the chip area.
• For this reason, we will try to make the “bitcell” as small as possible.
• A standard Flip Flop uses at least 10 transistors per bit
(usually more than 20). This is very area consuming.
• We will trade-off area for other circuit properties:
• Noise Margins
• Logic Swing
• Speed
• Design Rules
• This requires special peripheral circuitry.
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 Memory Architecture
Storage Cell
Bit Line Memory Size: W Words of C bits
=W x C bits
Address bus: A bits
ADDA-1 : ADDM

→W=2A
Row Decoder

Word Line

Number of Words in a Row: 2M

Multiplexing Factor: M

Number of Rows: 2A-M

Number of Columns: C x 2M
C×2M
Sense Amplifiers /Drivers
Row Decoder: A-M → 2A-M
ADDM-1 :
Column Decoder Column Decoder: M → 2M
ADD0
Input/Output
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 The 6T SRAM Bitcell

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 Basic Static Memory Element

Q Q

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Positive Feedback: Bi-Stability

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 Writing into a Cross-Coupled Pair
• The write operation is ratioed
• The access transistor must overcome the feedback.

En

D Q Q

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 How should we write a ‘1’
Option 1: nMOS Access Transistor Option 2: pMOS Access Transistor

Passes a “weak ‘1’”, bad at pulling Passes a “weak ‘0’”, bad at pulling
up against the feedback down against the feedback

Option 3: Transmission Gate Solution: Differential nMOS Write

Writes well, but how do we read?

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Reading from a 6T SRAM Cell

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 6-transistor CMOS SRAM Cell
BL BLB

WL WL
M3 M6
M2 M5
Q QB
M1 M4

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The Computer Hall of Fame
• The machine that introduced the GUI, the mouse,
and Steve Jobs to the mainstream.

• The personal computer that “was designed Source: macworld.co.uk

so easy to use that people could actually use it”.

• Developed based on a 3-day tour of Apple
at Xerox PARC, where they saw the Xerox Alto.
• Introduced in 1984, sold for $2500 with an
8MHz Motorola 6800 processor, 128kB RAM.
• Included MacPaint and MacWrite
• Despite initial success, sales declined and
Steve Jobs was fired from Apple in 1985.
Source: macworld.co.uk
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 6T SRAM Operation

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 SRAM Operation: HOLD
BL BLB

WL WL
M3 M6
M2 M5
Q QB
M1 M4

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 SRAM Operation: READ
BL BLB

WL 0 VDD WL
M3 M6
M2 VDD M5
0 BLB
Q QB
QB M1
0 VDD
M4
WL
M5
M3
QB=ΔV
Q=VDD
Q
M4
WL M2
Left Side: Right Side:
BL “nMOS” inverter –
Nothing Changes…
QB voltage rises
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 SRAM Operation - Read

BLB
BL
BLB Cell Ratio:
WL M3 M6 WL WL
M5 W4
L4
VDD M2 M5 VDD QB=ΔV CR 
W5
Q=‘1’ M1 Q
M4 L5
CBLB

M4 QB=‘0’

CBL
 VDSat,n 
2
 V 2 
kM5 (VDD − V − VT,n )VDSat,n −  = kM4 (VDD − VT,n ) V − 
 2   2 

VDSat,n + CR (VDD − VT,n ) − V (1 + CR ) + CR (VDD − VT,n )

2 2 2
DSat,n
V =
CR
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 Cell Ratio (Read Constraint)
BLB

W4 WL
M5
L4
CR  QB=ΔV
W5
L5 M4
Q

So we need the pull

down transistor to be
much stronger than the
access transistor…

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 SRAM Operation: WRITE
BL BLB

WL VDD 0 WL
M3 M6
VDD M2 0 VDD M5 0
Q QB
BL M1 M4
VDD 0
Q
WL
M2 M6
Q=ΔV
QB=VOLmin
M1 WL M5
QB Left Side: Right Side:
BLB
Same as during read – Pseudo nMOS
designed so ΔV<VM inverter!
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 SRAM Operation - Write Pull-Up Ratio
W6

BLB
BL L6
PR 
Q W5
M6 L5
WL M3 M6 WL
M2 M5
QB=VOLmin
‘0’
Q=‘0’ M1 WL M5
M4 QB=‘1’
VDD BLB

 2
   2

( )
V
 = kM5 (VDD − VT,n )VQB − 2 
V QB
kM6  VDD − VT,p VDSat,p − DSat,p

 2   

p  2

( )
VDSat,p
(V − VT,n )
2
VQB = VDD − VT,n − − 2 PR  VDD − VT,p VDSat,p − 
DD
n  2 
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 Pull Up Ratio – Write Constraint Q
M6

QB=VOLmin

WL M5
BLB

So we need the access

transistor to be much stronger
than the pull up transistor…
W6
L6
PR 
W5
L5

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 Summary – SRAM Sizing Constraints
W1 W4
Read Constraint L1 L4 PDN
CR  = =
W2 W5 access
L2 L5

KPDN  Kaccess

KPDN  Kaccess  KPUN

Write Constraint
Kaccess  KPUN
W3 W6
L3 L6 PUN
PR  = =
W2 W5 access
L2 L5
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 4T Memory Cell
• Achieve density by removing the PMOS pull-up.
• However, this results in static power dissipation.

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 Multi-Port SRAM

Dual Port SRAM Two Port SRAM

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6T SRAM Layout
SRAM Layout - Traditional
• Share Horizontal Routing (WL).
• Share Vertical Routing (BL, BLB).
• Share Power and Ground.

BL BLB

WL WL
M3 M6
M2 M5
Q QB
M1 M4

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 SRAM Layout – Thin Cell BL BLB

• Avoid Bends in Polysilicon and Diffusion WL WL

M3 M6
• Orient all transistors in one direction.
M2 M5
• Minimize Bitline Capacitance. Q QB
M1 M4

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 65nm SRAM
• Industrial example from ST/Phillips

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 Commercial SRAMs

Intel Design Forum 2009

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And very recent SRAMs Samsung 3nm
TSMC 7nm GAA SRAM Test Chip
SRAM

Source: TSMC

Source: ISSCC 2021

TSMC 5nm SRAM Test Chip

Source: ISSCC 2020 © Adam Teman,
May 2, 2021
 SRAM Stability
“Static Noise Margin”

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 Static Noise Margin - Hold

+ +
VN - - VN

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 Static Noise Margin - Hold
M3 M6
Q QB Q QB

M1 M4

1. Plot both VTCs on the same graph

2. Find the maximum square that fits
in the VTC.
3. The SNM is defined as the side of
the maximum square.

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 Static Noise Margin - Read
• What happens during Read?
• We can’t ignore the access transistors anymore…

BLB
Vout
BL

WL M3 M6 WL
VDD M2 M5 VDD
Q M1 M4 QB
CBL

CBLB
M3 M2 M6 M5
QB Q
Q QB
M1 M4
Vin
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 Static Noise Margin - Read
QB

M3 M2

QB Q
M1

SNM

M6 M5
Q
QB
M4

Q
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 Static Noise Margin - Write Q

• What happens during Write? M3 M2

• The two sides are now different. QB Q
M1

BLB
BL

QB
WL M3 M6 WL QB

M2 M5 ‘0’
M6
Q=‘0’ M1 M4 QB=‘1’ QB
VDD Q

M4 M5

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 Static Noise Margin - Write
Q
M3 M2

QB Q
M1

If there is a stable
point here, the
wrong data is
M6 WSNM written!
QB
Q

M4 M5

QB
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 Alternative Write SNM Definition
• Write SNM depends on the cell’s separatrix,
therefore alternative definitions have been proposed.
• For example, add a DC Voltage (VBL) to the 0 bitline Q

and see how high it can be and still flip the cell.

M3 M2 M6 VBL=
V DD
QB
QB Q
Q

VB
L =0
M1 M4 M5

QB
VBL
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 Dynamic Stability

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 SNM Calculation

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 Simulating SNM
• Problem:
• How can we calculate SNM with SPICE?

• Some options:
• Insert DC sources at Q and QB
• But where exactly do we connect them?
• Draw Butterfly Curves
• But how do we find the largest squares?

• To run Monte Carlo Simulations we should have an easy way of calculation.

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 Simulating SNM
• First let’s define the graphical solution:
• The diagonals of all the squares are on lines parallel to Q=QB.
• We need to find the distance
between the points where these
intersect the butterfly plot.
• The largest of these distances
is the diagonal of the maximum
square in each lobe.
• Multiply this by cos45°
and we get the SNM.

• Easy, right?
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 Changing Coordinates
• What if we were to turn the graph?

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 Changing Coordinates
• If we were to use new axes, we could just subtract the graphs.
• This gives us the distances between the intersections with the Q=QB parallels.
• Now all we have to do is
find the maximum of the
subtraction.
• (Don’t forget to multiply by cos45)

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 Changing Coordinates
• The required transformation is: x=
1
u+
1
v
2 2
1 1
y=− u+ v
2 2
• Now let’s define some function as F1

• Substituting y=F1(x) gives:

v = u + 2y =
 1 1 
= u + 2 F1  u+ v
 2 2 

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 Changing Coordinates
• What we did is turn some function (F1) 45 degrees
counter clockwise.
• This can easily be implemented with the following circuit:

• What is F1?
• It could be the VTC of
Vin=Q, Vout=QB…

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 Changing Coordinates
• But what about the “mirrored” VTC?
• This needs to first be mirrored with respect to the v axis and then transformed
to the (u,v) system.
• If we call the second VTC F2 with x=F2(y) then the operation we need is:

v = −u + 2 x
 v u 
= −u + 2 F2  − 
 2 2

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 Final SNM Calculation
VDD GND VDD
• Now we need to:
BL WL BLB
• Make a schematic of our SRAM
cell with two pins: Q and QB. 6T Cell
Q2 Q QB QB2

• Create a coordinate changing circuit VDD GND VDD

for each of the transformations. DC Sweep u v1 v1

BL WL BLB
Transformation 1
Q1 F1(in)
6T CellF1(out) QB1
Q2 Q QB QB2

DC Sweep u v2 v2
Transformation 2
QB2 F2(in) F2(out) Q2

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 Final SNM Calculation
• Now, connect F1 to Q→QB, and F2 to QB→Q. VDD GND VDD

DC Sweep u v1 v1 BL WL BLB

Transformation 1 6T Cell
Q1 F1(in) F1(out) QB1 Q1 Q QB QB1

VDD GND VDD

DC Sweep u v2 v2
BL WL BLB
Transformation 2
QB2 F2(in) F2(out) Q2 6T Cell
Q2 Q QB QB2

• Run a DC Sweep on u from –VDD/√2 to VDD/√2

• This will present the butterfly curves
turned 45 degrees.
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 Final SNM Calculation
• Now just:
• Subtract the bottom graph from the top one.
• Find the local maxima for each lobe.
• The smaller of the local maxima
is the diagonal of the largest square.
• Multiply this by cos45° for the SNM

 min max ( v1 − v2 ) , max ( v1 − v2 )

1 
SNM =
2  − 2 u  0 0 u  2

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 Read/Write SNM
• How about Read SNM:
• Use the exact same setup.
• Connect BL and BLB to VDD.
• Connect WL to VDD.
• Run the same calculation.

• And Write SNM.

• Now connect one BL to GND.
• This is trickier, so you’ll have to play around with the calculation.
• There are other options for WM calculation.

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 Testbench Setup – Read/Write
Read Testbench: Write Testbench:

DC Sweep u v1 v1 DC Sweep u v1 v1
Transformation 1 Transformation 1
Q1 F1(in) F1(out) QB1 Q1 F1(in) F1(out) QB1

DC Sweep u v2 v2
DC Sweep u v2 v2 Transformation 2
Transformation 2 QB2 F2(in) F2(out) Q2
QB2 F2(in) F2(out) Q2
GND VDD VDD
VDD VDD VDD
BL WL BLB
BL WL BLB
6T Cell
6T Cell Q1 Q QB QB1
Q1 Q QB QB1
GND VDD VDD
VDD VDD VDD

BL WL BLB
BL WL BLB

6T Cell 6T Cell
Q2 Q QB QB2 Q2 Q QB QB2

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 SRAM Stability under process variations

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Metastability Convergence in Spectre
• Node Sets
• What solution does Virtuoso find with a standard OP?

• To fix this, make sure you use the “Node Set” option.

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 Node Sets vs. Initial Conditions
• SPICE supports two types of conversion aids :
• Node Sets:
• Help SPICE converge by providing it
with an initial guess.
• Used only for DC convergence!
Disregarded for Transient Analysis.

• Initial Conditions:
• Enforce a node voltage at time t=0.
• Used only for Transient analysis!
Disregarded for DC convergence.

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 Additional simulation tips
• Work with Design Hierarchy
• Create transformation functions
and DUTs as symbols.
• Create multiple tests in
single ADE-XL view.
• Use variables/parameters to
define initial conditions/node sets.
• Create supply voltages in
separate symbol.
• Use buffers to smooth transitions
and reduce cross cap.
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 Further Reading
• Rabaey, et al. “Digital Integrated Circuits” (2nd Edition)
• Elad Alon, Berkeley ee141 (online)
• Weste, Harris, “CMOS VLSI Design (4th Edition)”
• Seevinck, List, Lostroh, “Static Noise Margin Analysis of SRAM Cells”
IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits, 1987
• Teman and Visotsky. "A fast modular method for true variation-aware separatrix
tracing in nanoscaled SRAMs." IEEE TVLSI, 2014.

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