PMOS Pass Gate Local Bitline SRAM Architecture With Virtual $V_{\mathrm{SS}}$ for Near-Threshold Operation

Abstract

In this brief, a pMOS pass gate (PPG) local bitline static random access memory (LB SRAM) architecture is proposed to reduce the read delay and resolve the half-select issue with a small area overhead. Virtual $V_{\mathrm {SS}}$ write assist is included in the architecture to improve write ability. In 22-nm fin-shaped FET (FinFET) technology, the proposed PPG LB architecture achieves an improved read delay and reduced total operation energy by 44% and 65%, respectively, at 0.4 V, compared to the full-swing LB (FSLB) SRAM architecture.