Asymmetric sense amplifier for single-ended memory arrays

Details Asymmetric sense amplifier for single-ended memory arrays Asymmetric sense amplifier for single-ended memory arrays

1997-10-31

1999-09-07

Tran, Toan

Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices, circuits, and

Specific signal discriminating without subsequent control

By amplitude

327 55, 327 56, G11C 706

Patent

active

059492562

ABSTRACT:
An asymmetric sense amplifier is disclosed for use with single-ended memory arrays. The sense amplifier has a bit input, a reference input, an enable input, and bistable output circuitry. The reference input may simply be tied to V.sub.DD. The bistable output circuitry includes first and second output nodes disposed between first and second pull-up/pull-down paths, respectively. The first pull-up and pull-down paths may include first pull-up and pull-down FET channels, respectively. The second pull-up and pull-down paths may include second pull-up and pull-down FET channels, respectively. The bistable output circuitry is operable to be stable in first and second states. In both states, the output nodes are at opposite potentials. The sense amplifier is asymmetrical in the following sense: Either the second pull-down FET channel is wider than the first pull-down FET channel, or the first pull-up FET channel is wider than the second pull-up FET channel, or both. The result of the asymmetry is that the bistable output circuitry has a bias toward stabilizing in its first state. When the voltage on the bit input is equal to the voltage on the reference input and the enable input is asserted, the bistable output circuitry stabilizes in its first state; but when the voltage on the bit input is less than the voltage on the reference input by more than a threshold amount and the enable input is asserted, the bias is overcome and the bistable output circuitry stabilizes in its second state.

REFERENCES:
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patent: 4763026 (1988-08-01), Tsen et al.
patent: 4991141 (1991-02-01), Tran
patent: 5043599 (1991-08-01), Zitta
patent: 5296753 (1994-03-01), Nakadai
patent: 5552728 (1996-09-01), Lin
patent: 5729159 (1998-03-01), Gersbach

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