Balanced differential capacitively decoupled charge sensor

A balanced differential capacitively decoupled charge sensor for detecting small amounts of charge, comprising:

• balanced differential sensing means adapted to receive charge representing data and charge representing a reference value, said differential sensing means comparing said data charge and said reference charge to determine the logic state represented by said charge representing data;
• a pair of capacitance decoupling transistors, the respective drains of each of said pair of capacitance decoupling transistors being electrically coupled to the respective inputs of said differential sensing means;
• a matched pair of charge output nodes electrically coupled to the respective sources of said capacitance decoupling transistors and adapted to receive, respectively, data charge and reference charge;
• and
• charging means for biasing and resetting both of said charge output nodes so that said capacitance decoupling transistors are functioning in a high transconductance mode when data charge and reference charge are received.