| US 7,539,068 B2 | ||
| Memory and multi-state sense amplifier thereof | ||
| Min-Chuan Wang, Taichung (Taiwan); Ching-Sheng Lin, Tainan County (Taiwan); Chia-Pao Chang, Taipei County (Taiwan); and Keng-Li Su, Hsinchu (Taiwan) | ||
| Assigned to Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu (Taiwan) | ||
| Filed on May 07, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/797,725. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 95126508 A (TW), filed on Jul. 20, 2006. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2008/0019192 A1, Jan. 24, 2008 | ||
| Int. Cl. G11C 7/10 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 365—189.06 [365/158; 365/189.07; 365/189.09; 365/205; 365/210] | 30 Claims |
| 1. A multi-state sense amplifier, coupled to at least one memory cell and a plurality of reference cells, comprising:
a source follower, coupled between a first node and the output terminal of the memory cell, clamping the voltage drop across
the memory cell to generate a memory cell current flowing through the first node;
a source follower circuit, coupled between a plurality of second nodes and the output terminals of the reference cells, clamping
the voltage drops across the reference cells to generate a plurality of reference currents respectively flowing through the
second nodes; and
a current mirror circuit, coupled to the first node and the second nodes, duplicating the memory cell current of the first
node to affect the reference currents on the second nodes, thereby generating a memory cell voltage on the first node and
a plurality of reference voltages on the second nodes.
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