A 209 k-transistor ECL gate array with RAM

The authors describe a gate array with an ECL (emitter-coupled-logic) cell structure for implementing a high-density configurable RAM. A unit based on a variable size cell is modified to achieve such a RAM. Every unit has an extra transistor buried under the power bus to eliminate area penalty. One memory bit is constructed using one buried transistor plus three transistors in a unit. An n-p-n transistor and a tap resistor load cell are employed for structural matching with the logic gates. Since the read current is supplied directly from the V/sub CC/ bus instead of the word line, the transistor size of the word-line driver is minimized. The standby and read currents are 120 mu A and 800 mu A, respectively. The decoder, sense amplifiers, and word-line drivers are implemented by logic gates. RAM size can be varied by each unit row; the bit increment is 144. The process employs double-polysilicon self-aligned technology with a silicide-base electrode of TiSi/sub 2/ and triple-layer metallization. The features of the gate array are listed.<>