Sense amplifier of semiconductor memory device
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsSoung-woo Jo, Hyeun-su Kim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sense amplifier of a semiconductor memory device has increased driving capability and can reduce the size of a memory device. The sense amplifier includes a pull-up sense amplifier and a pull-down sense amplifier which are connected between a bit line and a complementary bit line to sense data stored in a memory cell, and a pull-up sense driver and a pull-down sense driver each of includes an NMOS transistor. The sense amplifier can reduce the sensing time between the pull-up and pull-down sense drivers starting to operate and a column select line being enabled. The sense amplifier also reduces the time necessary for restoring or refreshing the data or charge in the capacitor of a memory cell after the sensing operation.
Claims12
A sense amplifier of a semiconductor memory device, the sense amplifier comprising:
- a pull-up sense amplifier and a pull-down sense amplifier coupled between a bit line and a complementary bit line;
- a pull-up sense driver comprising a first NMOS transistor that supplies electric charge to the pull-up sense amplifier;
- and
- a pull-down sense driver comprising a second NMOS transistor that absorbs electric charge from the pull-down sense amplifier.
A sense amplifier of a semiconductor memory device, the sense amplifier comprising:
- a pull-up sense amplifier and a pull-down sense amplifier coupled between a bit line and a complementary bit line;
- a pull-up sense driver comprising a first NMOS transistor that supplies electric charge to the pull-up sense amplifier;
- and
- a pull-down sense driver comprising a second NMOS transistor that absorbs electric charge from the pull-down sense amplifier,
- wherein an electric potential of a first activation signal when activating the pull-up sense driver is higher than that of a second activation signal when activating the pull-down sense driver.
A sense amplifier of a semiconductor memory device, the sense amplifier comprising:
- a pull-up sense amplifier and a pull-down sense amplifier coupled between a bit line and a complementary bit line;
- a pull-up sense driver comprising a first NMOS transistor that supplies electric charge to the pull-up sense amplifier;
- a pull-down sense driver comprising a second NMOS transistor that absorbs electric charge from the pull-down sense amplifier;
- and
- a control unit that generates a first signal to activate the pull-up sense amplifier and a second signal to activate the pull-down sense amplifier, wherein an electric potential of the first signal when activating the pull-up sense amplifier is higher than an electric potential of the second signal when activating the pull-down sense amplifier.
A sense amplifier of a semiconductor memory device, the sense amplifier comprising:
- a pull-up sense amplifier and a pull-down sense amplifier coupled between a bit line and a complementary bit line;
- a pull-up sense driver comprising a first NMOS transistor that supplies electric charge to the pull-up sense amplifier;
- and
- a pull-down sense driver comprising a second NMOS transistor that absorbs electric charge from the pull-down sense amplifier,
- wherein the sense amplifier has a triple well structure.
A sense amplifier of a semiconductor memory device, the sense amplifier comprising:
- a pull-up sense amplifier and a pull-down sense amplifier coupled between a bit line and a complementary bit line;
- a pull-up sense driver comprising a first NMOS transistor that supplies electric charge to the pull-up sense amplifier;
- and
- a pull-down sense driver comprising a second NMOS transistor that absorbs electric charge from the pull-down sense amplifier, wherein
- the pull-up sense amplifier comprises:
- a first PMOS transistor connected between the bit line and a node;
- and
- a second PMOS transistor connected between the node and the complementary bit line;
- and
- the first NMOS transistor is coupled between the node and a first voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.