Sense amplifiers
AssigneeNantero, Inc.
InventorTakao Akaogi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure generally relates to circuit architectures for programming and accessing resistive change elements. The circuit architectures can program and access resistive change elements using neutral voltage conditions. The present disclosure also relates to methods for programming and accessing resistive change elements using neutral voltage conditions. The present disclosure additionally relates to sense amplifiers configurable into initializing configurations for initializing the sense amplifiers and comparing configurations for comparing voltages received by the sense amplifiers. The sense amplifiers can be included in the circuit architectures of the present disclosure.
Claims30
A sense amplifier comprising:
- a first load device comprising a first plurality of field effect transistors;
- a second load device comprising a second plurality of field effect transistors, wherein said second load device is in electrical communication with said first load device;
- a current source in electrical communication with said first load device and said second load device;
- a latch device;
- a power control device in electrical communication with said first load device, said second load device, and said latch device;
- and
- said sense amplifier being configurable in an initializing configuration and a comparing configuration, wherein said first load device is configurable to generate a first bias voltage in said initializing configuration and to set an operating point of a field effect transistor of said first plurality of field effect transistors based on said first bias voltage in said comparing configuration, and wherein said second load device is configurable to generate a second bias voltage in said initializing configuration and to set an operating point of a field effect transistor of said second plurality of field effect transistors based on said second bias voltage in said comparing configuration.
A sense amplifier comprising:
- a first load device comprising a first plurality of field effect transistors;
- a second load device comprising a second plurality of field effect transistors, wherein said second load device is in electrical communication with said first load device;
- a current source in electrical communication with said first load device and said second load device;
- a latch device;
- a power control device in electrical communication with said first load device, said second load device, and said latch device;
- and
- said sense amplifier being configurable in an initializing configuration and a comparing configuration, wherein said first load device is configurable to create a current path through said first load device in said initializing configuration and to create a current path through said first load device in said comparing configuration, wherein a first field effect transistor of said first plurality of field effect transistors is in said current path through said first load device in said initializing configuration and is in said current path through said first load device in said comparing configuration, wherein said first field effect transistor of said first plurality of field effect transistors is configured to function as a diode in said initializing configuration and is configured to function as a resistor in said comparing configuration, wherein said second load device is configurable to create a current path through said second load device in said initializing configuration and to create a current path through said second load device in said comparing configuration, wherein a first field effect transistor of said second plurality of field effect transistors is in said current path through said second load device in said initializing configuration and is in said current path through said second load device in said comparing configuration, and wherein said first field effect transistor of said second plurality of field effect transistors is configured to function as a diode in said initializing configuration and is configured to function as a resistor in said comparing configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.