2012 Fourth International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Communication Networks

Design & Analysis of 1-Kb 6T SRAM Using Different Architecture

Kumkum Verma Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal Dheeraj Jain Vijendra Maurya

ECE Deptt. ECE Deptt. ECE Deptt. ECE Deptt.
Sangam University Sangam University Sangam University GITS
Bhilwara (Raj.), India Bhilwara (Raj.), India Bhilwara (Raj.), India Udaipur (Raj.), India
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Abstract - This paper deals with the design and analysis of availability, and low cost and low static power
1Kb 6-T Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) at 180nm, consumption [5]. However, static power consumption is
focusing on optimizing power and delay. This paper worsening with the scaling of the technology due to
contains two types of architecture to design SRAM, one is significant reduction in threshold voltages. Hence it is
bank partitioning architecture and other is matrix array. In more challenging to design the low-power SRAMs in
memory bank architecture SRAM is divided into 4 blocks the technologies 0.18um and below since the SRAM
with each block having equal capacity of 256b. Memory consumes significant static power due to sub threshold
bank is selected using block selector circuit. The key of low leakage [6]. An SRAM is matrix of static volatile
power operation in the SRAM is to reduce the word line
memory cells, and it addresses decoding functions
capacitance and bit line capacitances. The power dissipation
integrated on-chip to allow access to each cell for the
is reduced to 78% in the circuit containing memory bank
because in memory bank wordline capacitance and bitline read and write functions. The basic architecture of the
capacitance are reduced as only one bank is selected at a SRAM contains one or more rectangular arrays of
time and all the other remain in standby mode at the memory cells with control circuitry to decode addresses
expense of 6.930% more transistor count. Speed is also for few basic and special operations.
improved by 23% in the architecture containing memory
bank. Here sense amplifier, bit line conditioning circuit and II. ARCHITECTURE OF 1 KB 6T SRAM
decoder are also designed and verify various results. All the
simulations are performed using IC flow tools at TSMC
The 1 Kb SRAM organizations is random-access
180nm technology. The proposed memory circuit has architecture which is an Asynchronous design. The
applications in SoC and NoC. name is derived from the fact that memory locations
(addresses) can be accessed in random order at a fixed
rate, independent of physical location, for reading or
Keywords-180 nm, low power, VLSI, enable decoder, SRAM
writing. Here two type of SRAM architecture is
designed. One is simple architecture containing 5x 32
I. INTRODUCTION bit row and column decoder (Fig1) and other is bank
Memory is an important part of computer and partitioning based architecture. In bank partitioning
microprocessor based system design. It is used to store based architecture entire SRAM is be divided into 4
data or information in terms of binary number (0 or 1). blocks as shown in Fig 2, with each block is of 8 x 32
Also data that is used in program as well as for columns, where each word is 32 bits. Block decoder of
executing the program are stored in the memory. 2 x 4 sizes is chosen to select one block at a time
Therefore memory is required for temporary as well as keeping rest of the block in ideal state. Depending on
permanent storage of data in digital system. Generally the address of 2 x 4 decoder one out of four 3 x 8
memories are of two types (1) RAM and (2) ROM. decoder becomes on and one can perform read and
ROM is also called as permanent memory as it is write operation in the bank connected to 3 x 8 decoder.
designed once, another way we can say that it is used
only for reading purpose. While RAM is used for both
read and write. RAM is again classified in two types
SRAM and DRAM. Here in this paper SRAM memory
is designed.
Since memory is an array type of structure, so cost
per bit of the memory decreases with the cell area. For
smaller memory cells, we can achieve larger storage
capacity in the given silicon area. Hence the technology
with the smallest feature size available should be used
for the memory design. The aggressive technology-
scaling trend is driven by the requirement of large
amount of inexpensive memories for most of the
computing and networking applications. CMOS is an
excellent choice due to its superior noise margin,
Fig 1: One Kb-SRAM Core
scaling capability, mature process, worldwide

978-0-7695-4850-0/12 $26.00 © 2012 IEEE 450

DOI 10.1109/CICN.2012.81
 dissipation by reducing large voltage swing. The
schematic of the differential voltage sense amplifier is
shown in the fig 4.

Fig 2: One Kb-SRAM Core Partitioning

III. TECHNICAL WORK PREPARATION

III (I). CELL AND CORE
SRAM cell contains two cross-coupled inverters Fig 4: Differential Voltage Sense Amplifier [1]
forming latch and the two access transistor connecting
these invertors to the complimentary bitlines to This type of sense amplifier is used to improve noise
communicate with outside the cell. The access transistor immunity and speed of the circuit. Voltage swing on the
is the NMOS transistors, As long as the access- bitlines is limited due to the large capacitances, so any
transistors are turned off, the cell keeps one of its two noise on these lines may cause an error in the reading
possible steady states. The schematic of the SRAM cell process. The differential voltage sense amplifier
is shown in fig 3. In both read and write operation attenuates common-mode noise and amplifies The main
common word line (wl) signal controls the accessibility function of the sense amplifier is to amplify a small
to the cell nodes q and qbar through two access analog signal differential voltage that developed on the
transistors. Ideally all the cells are kept at low W/L ratio bit lines blbar and bl by a read accessed cell to full
but a careful sizing is necessary to avoid accidentally swing digital output signal. When a difference is created
writing a 1 into the cell. When word line is enabled for between the bit lines, sense amplifier senses it and
reading, the series combination of two NMOS transistor amplifies it to give the output.
pulls down the BL’ line to ground. For a small sized
cell, the transistor sizing should be as minimum as III (III). 1 KB 6-T SRAM MEMORY
possible. From the plot we got cell ratio should be
greater than 1.2. The schematic of 1Kb SRAM without memory bank
and using memory bank is shown below in fig 5 & fig
6. It contains four memory banks, each of having a
capacity of 256 cells. At a time, only one memory bank

Fig 3: Six-T SRAM Cell

III (II). SENSE AMPLIFIER

The main function of the sense amplifier is to
amplify the small voltage swing (voltage difference of
bit lines) in large bit line, reduce delay, and power Fig 5: One Kb SRAM without Memory Bank

451
 to write data 1, write signal is asserted and the word line
is pulled high, the q node starts to rise to vdd while the
qbar node starts dropping down to gnd. When data is
written in SRAM cell the precharge circuit become on,
which is initially in off state and the voltages on the bit
lines blbar and bl become equalized. Read operation
starts by disabling the pre-charge circuit and enabling
the word line ‘wl’ which causes the bit line blbar to
decrease at a linear rate while the other bit line bl to
remains at high value i.e. constant that is shown in the
waveform.

IV (I).II (a). Static Noise Margin

SNM quantifies the amount of voltage noise

required at the internal nodes of a bit line to flip the
cell’s content. SNM, which affects both read margin
and write margin is related to the threshold voltages of
the NMOS and PMOS devices in SRAM cells.
Fig 6: One Kb SRAM with Memory Bank Typically, to increase the SNM, the threshold voltages
of the NMOS and PMOS devices need to be increased.
S. Component Transistor Count However, the increase in threshold voltage of PMOS
No. Without Memory With Memory and NMOS devices is limited. The reason is that SRAM
Bank Bank cells with MOS devices having too high threshold
1 Precharge Circuit 96 384 voltages are difficult to operate; as it is hard to flip the
2 Sense Amplifier 160 640 operation of MOS devices.
3 Decoder 420 668
4 1Kb SRAM 6146 6146
The noise voltage at which the nodes voltages
Total 6822 7838 change the cell logic states is known as static noise
Table 1: Transistor count in 1 Kb SRAM margin of the cell, and can be taken as the relative cell
DC noise margin. After simulation of the SRAM cell,
is selected depending upon the address of block we will get figure below.
selector. When the bank is selected, memory cell can be
accessed depending upon the address of row and
column decoder. The power consumption is decreases
why memory bank is used in SRAM. This is cause of
one bank is enabled, at that time all the other remaining
blocks are at n standby mode.
The main source of power consumption in SRAM
cell is bitlines and wordlines. In bank partitioning the
capacitance along the word lines and bit line reduces so
power dissipation also reduces.
Fig 8: butterfly curve for SNM
IV. RESULT AND DISCISSION
Practically we can’t get butterfly structure so the
PARAMETER ANALYSIS OF SRAM CELL graph is rotated according to x-y coordinates just like a
IV.I SIMULATION RESULT OF SRAM CELL figure given below to get butterfly structure .Since by
knowing the diagonals of the maximum embedded
In figure 7 simulation result of SRAM cell shown, squares we can calculate the sides. The squares have
maximum size when the lengths of their diagonal D1
and D2 are maximum the extremes of this curve
correspond to the diagonals of the maximum embedded
squares.
SNM = side of the smaller of the two maximum
squares embedded inside the loops of the SRAM cell’s
transfer characteristic.
SNM= D/ 2

IV (I) II (b). Data Retention Voltage (DRV)

Min. power supply voltage to retain high node data

in the standby mode is called Data Retention Voltage
Fig 7: Simulated Waveform of 1 k b SRAM with Sense Amplifier

452
(Vdr). There are two nodes (q and qbar) of the SRAM Write margin increases with the increases value of
cell for storing value either 0 or 1. Then decrease the the pull up ratio. So be carefully you have to design
power supply voltage until the flip the state of SRAM SRAM cell inverters before calculating the write margin
cell or content of the SRAM cell remain constant. When
Vdd scales down to DRV, the Voltage Transfer Curves
(VTC) of the internal inverters degrade to such a level

Fig 11: Waveform for Write Margin

of SRAM cell during write operation. Pull up ratio is

also fully depends on the size of the transistor.
Parameter of SRAM cell is listed below in table 2.
Parameter Value
Fig 9: Waveform for DRV Technology 180nm
Vdd 1.8
that Static Noise Margin (SNM) of the SRAM cell SNM 200mV
reduces to zero. So Data Retention Voltage is 0.58V as DRV 0.58 V
shown in the fig 9. Write Margin (WM) 0.446V
Read Margin (RM) 0.327V
IV (I) II (c). Read Margin (RM)
Table 2: Parameters of SRAM Cell

Based on the VTCs, we define the read margin to S. Vd Without memory bank With memory bank
characterize the SRAM cell's read stability. We No. d Power(mW) Delay(nS) Power(m Delay(nS)
calculate the read margin based on the transistor's W)
current model. Experimental results show that the read 1 1.8 9.0475 21.981 1.0909 13.298
margin accurately captures the SRAM's read stability as 2 2.0 14.6818 17.265 2.2124 10.986
3 3.0 62.9057 12.351 4.6871 9.010
a function of the transistor's threshold voltage and the
4 4.0 143.657 10.174 9.4112 7.935
power supply voltage variations. The static read 5 5.0 258.156 8.869 16.3612 5.470
margin is preferably greater than the static write margin Table 3: Comparison of Power and Delay between containing 1Kb
SRAM memory
bank and without memory bank with varying Supply Voltage

IV (II) Sense Amplifier Parameter Analysis

Fig 10: Waveform for Read Margin

IV (I) II (d). Write Margin (WM)

Fig 12: Simulated Wave form of Sense Amplifier
Write margin is defined as the minimum bit line
Speed of sense amplifier increases when corresponding
voltage required to flip the state of an SRAM cell. The
vdd increases but power dissipation also increases.
write margin value and variation is a function of the
When we increase threshold voltage of input transistors
cell design, SRAM array size and process variation.
then corresponding delay are also increases. The main
Write margin is directly proportional to the pull up ratio
reason of power consumption during high vdd is the

453
time window of transition region are large so device [5] Sung-Mo Kang and Yusuf Leblebici, “CMOS Digital Integrated
found more time to short between Vdd and ground. It Circuits Analysis and Design”, Tata McGraw-Hill third
edition.
[6] Meng-Fan Chang, Shu-Meng Yang, Kuang-Ting Chen, Hung-Jen
Liao and Robin Lee, “Improving the Speed and Power of
Compilable SRAM using Dual-Mode Self-Timed Technique”,
IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, 2007.
[7] Ali Fazli Yeknami, “Design and Evaluation of a Low-Voltage,
Process-Variation-Tolerant SRAM Cache in 90 nm MOS
Technology”, March 2008.
[8] Behzad Razavi (2001), Design of Analog CMOS Integrated
Circuits, McGraw Hill, New York.
[9] Bharadwaj S. Amrutur and Mark A. Horowitz, “Speed and Power
Scaling of SRAM’s”, IEEE Transactions on Solid-State
Circuits, vol. 35,pp. 175-185, no. 2, February 2000.
[11] Meng-Fan Chang, Shu-Meng Yang, Kuang-Ting Chen, Hung Jen
Liao and Robin Lee, “Improving the Speed and Power of
Compliable SRAM using Dual-Mode Self-Timed Technique”,
Fig 13: Increases of Speed with increases of CMMR IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, 2007.

will be computed from the formula P= CV2F. In the

case of CMRR it value should be high for any amplifier.
Same thing is also applicable for sense amplifier. Speed
of sense amplifier increases when CMRR increases. The
reason behind that better CMRR helps to suppressed
common mode signal.

V. CONCLUSION
For SRAM cell we have calculate SNM, DRV RM
and WM. Architecture containing banks have less
power dissipation and high speed at the expense of
6.930% more transistor count as comparison to
architecture without memory bank. In memory bank
architecture power consumption is less. The reason
behind that, at a time only one memory bank is enabled
and other banks remain in standby mode Use of sense
amplifier also have good impact on power consumption.
Until recently, the 6T cell architecture was reserved
for niche markets such as military or space that needed
high immunity and low power components. However,
with commercial applications needing faster SRAMs,
the 6T cell may be implemented into more widespread
applications in the future. Much process development
has been done to reduce the size of the 6T cell.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Authors would like to thank to Dr. Arti Noor and all
CDAC Noida staff for their support during the course
of this work.

REFERENCES
[1] Sreerama Reddy G M and P Chandrasekhara Reddy,“Design and
Implementation of 8K-bits Low Power SRAM in 180nm
Technology”, Proceedings of the International Multi Conference
of Engineers and Compute Scientists 2009 Vol. II IMECS
2009, March -20, 2009, Hong Kong.
[2] Sreerama Reddy G M and Dr. P. Chandrasekhara Reddy, “Design
and VLSI Implementation of 8Mb Low Power SRAM in 90nm”,
European Journal of Scientific search, Vol. 26, No.2, Feb 2009.
[3] Andrei Pavlov and Manoj Sachdev, “CMOS SRAM Circuit
Design and Parametric Test in Nano- Scale Technologies”, 2008
Springer Science Business Media B.V.ISBN 978-1-4020-8362-4
e- ISBN 978-1-4020-8363-1.
[4] Jan M. Rabaey, Anantha Chandrakasan and Borivoje Nikolic,
“Digital Integrated Circuit”,Pearson Education Electronics and
VLSI series, second edition.

454