Memory cell sensing circuit

• US 20020080648A1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, Min-Kyu
• Granted Patent: US 6,693,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/185.2
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/28 using differential sensing or reference cells, e.g. dummy cells

Abstract

There is provided a circuit for sensing a memory cell. The circuit includes a main cell, a reference cell, a first loading unit for providing a preset voltage to a sensing node of the main cell, a second loading unit for supplying a prescribed voltage to a sensing node of the reference cell, a first switching unit for adjusting the potential of the main cell sensing node, a second switching unit for controlling the potential of the reference cell sensing node, a first voltage controlling unit for adjusting the potential of a bit line of the main cell, a second voltage controlling unit for adjusting the potential of a bit line of the reference cell, and a sense amplifier for sensing a state of the main cell by comparing the potential of the main cell sensing node and that of the reference cell sensing node.

Claims

1. A memory cell sensing circuit comprising:

a main cell and a reference cell;

a first loading unit for providing a preset voltage to a sensing node of the main cell;

a second loading unit for supplying a prescribed voltage to a sensing node of the reference cell;

a first switching unit for adjusting the potential of the sensing node of the main cell;

a second switching unit for controlling the potential of the sensing node of the reference cell;

a main cell bit line voltage controlling unit for adjusting the potential of a bit line of the main cell;

a reference cell bit line voltage controlling unit for adjusting the potential of a bit line of the reference cell; and

a sense amplifier for sensing a state of the main cell by comparing the potential of the sensing node of the main cell and that of the sensing node of the reference cell.

2. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 1, wherein the first loading unit includes a resistance connected between a supply voltage node and the sensing node of the main cell.

3. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 1, wherein the second loading unit includes a resistance attached between a supply voltage node and the sensing node of the reference cell.

4. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 1, wherein the first switching unit includes a PMOS transistor connected between a supply voltage node and the sensing node of the main cell, and operating in response to an address transit signal.

5. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 4, wherein the second switching unit includes a PMOS transistor connected between the supply voltage node and the sensing node of the reference cell, and operating in response to the address transit signal.

6. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 1, wherein the main cell bit line voltage controlling unit includes:

an inverting unit for inverting the potential of the bit line of the main cell; and

an NMOS transistor connected between the sensing node of the main cell and the bit line of the main cell, and operating in response to an output signal of said inverting unit.

7. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 1, wherein the reference cell bit line voltage controlling unit includes:

an inverting unit for inverting the potential of the bit line of the reference cell; and

an NMOS transistor connected between the sensing node of the reference cell and the bit line of the reference cell and operating in response to an output signal of said inverting unit.

8. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 1, wherein the first switching unit employs an NMOS transistor attached between the sensing node of the main cell and a ground node, and operating in response to a control signal.

9. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 8, wherein the second switching unit employs an NMOS transistor connected between the sensing node of the reference cell and the ground node, and operating in response to the control signal.

10. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 1, wherein the first switching unit includes:

a PMOS transistor connected between a supply voltage node and the sensing node of the main cell and operating in response to an address transit signal; and

an NMOS transistor attached between the sensing node of the main cell and a ground node and operating in response to a control signal.

11. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 10, wherein the second switching unit includes:

a PMOS transistor connected between the supply voltage node and the sensing node of the reference cell, and operating in response to the address transit signal; and

an NMOS transistor attached between the sensing node of the reference cell and the ground node, and operating in response to the control signal.

12. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 1, wherein the first switching unit employs a resistance and an NMOS transistor connected in series between the sensing node of the main cell and a ground node, the NMOS transistor being controlled by a control signal.

13. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 12, wherein the second switching unit employs a resistance and an NMOS transistor connected in series between the sensing node of the reference cell and the ground node, the NMOS transistor operating in response to the control signal.

14. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 1, wherein the first switching unit includes:

a PMOS transistor connected between a supply voltage node and the sensing node of the main cell; and

a resistance and an NMOS transistor connected in series between the sensing node of the main cell and a ground node, wherein the NMOS transistor operates in response to a control signal.

15. The memory cell sensing circuit of claim 14, wherein the second switching unit includes:

a PMOS transistor connected between the supply voltage node and the sensing node of the reference cell; and

a resistance and an NMOS transistor connected in series between the sensing node of the reference cell and the ground node, wherein the NMOS transistor operates in response to the control signal.