Semiconductor memory
AssigneeFujitsu Limited
InventorsYasuharu Sato, Shinya Fujioka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor memory includes p-type MOS transistors (11) dispersed in one-to-one correspondence with sense amplifiers (4−1-4−n) to activate their corresponding sense amplifiers, and a p-type MOS transistor (12) to activate the sense amplifiers (4−1-4−n). After the p-type MOS transistors (11) are overdriven by an external voltage (VCC) higher than a memory stored voltage, the p-type MOS transistor (12) is driven by an internal step-down voltage (VII) that is the memory stored voltage. This increases the driving capability per sense amplifier in comparison with a conventional method and further increases the speed of sense operation in comparison with a simple overdriving method.
Claims17
A semiconductor memory having sense amplifiers for receiving data of memory cells corresponding to a selected word line via bit lines and amplifying the received data, said memory comprising:
- a plurality of first sense amplifier driving circuits each provided for one of said sense amplifiers for supplying a first power-supply voltage to said sense amplifiers to activate the sense amplifiers;
- and
- a second sense amplifier driving circuit shared by said sense amplifiers for supplying a second power-supply voltage to said sense amplifiers to activate the sense amplifiers and wherein said first power-supply voltage is different from said second power-supply voltage.
A semiconductor memory having sense amplifiers, which comprises a plurality of groups, for receiveing data of memory cells corresponding to a selected word line via bit lines and amplifying the received data, said memory comprising:
- a plurality of first sense amplifier driving circuits each provided for one of said groups, for supplying a first power-supply voltage to said sense amplifiers to activate the sense amplifiers;
- and
- a second sense amplifier driving circuit shared by said sense amplifiers for supplying a second power-supply voltage to said sense amplifiers to activate the sense amplifiers and wherein said first power-supply voltage is different from said second power-supply voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.