Sense amplifier with improved sensitivity

A sense amp for supplying a current to a bit line connected to a first potential through a memory cell transistor and detecting a potential of the bit line, which varies according to a conductive state of the memory cell transistor, comprising:

• a load element and a first transistor connected in series between the second potential and the bit line;
• a second transistor connected between a second power supply and the bit line;
• a first inverter that has an input terminal connected to the bit line and an output terminal connected to the gate of said first transistor;
• a second inverter having an input terminal connected to the bit line and an output terminal connected to the gate of said second transistor, wherein said second inverter has a lower threshold than said first inverter;
• and
• a differential amp having a first input terminal connected to a node between said load element and said first transistor, a second input terminal connected to a reference potential, and an output terminal that outputs a signal indicating the potential detection result of the bit line.

A sense amp for supplying a current to a bit line connected to a first potential through a memory cell transistor and detecting a potential of the bit line, which varies according to a conductive state of the memory cell transistor, comprising:

• a load element and a first transistor connected in series between a second potential and the bit line;
• a second transistor connected between the second potential and the bit line;
• a switching transistor connected between the second potential and said second transistor;
• an inverter having an input terminal connected to the bit line and an output terminal connected to the gates of said first and second transistors;
• and
• a differential amp having a first input terminal connected to a node between said load element and said first transistor, a second input terminal connected to a reference potential, and an output terminal that outputs a signal indicating the potential detection result of the bit line.

A sense amp for supplying current to a bit line connected to a memory cell transistor and detecting a potential of the bit line, which varies according to a conductive state of the memory cell transistor, the sense amp comprising:

• a load element;
• a first transistor, wherein said load element and said first transistor are connected in series between a first potential and the bit line;
• a second transistor connected between the first potential and the bit line, wherein said second transistor turns on when a current is supplied to the bit line;
• a first inverter having an input terminal connected to the bit line and an output terminal connected to a gate of said first transistor;
• and
• a differential amp having a first input terminal connected to a reference potential, a second input terminal connected to a node between said load element and said first transistor, and an output terminal that outputs a signal indicating a difference between the reference potential and the bit line potential.