High performance CMOS sense amplifier
First Claim
1. A sense amplifier that compensates for the effects of electrical parameter non-uniformities occurring therein, said sense amplifier comprising:
- first and second sources of supply voltage,first and second inverter-amplifier stages, each of said inverter-amplifier stages comprising a pair of transistor devices having respective conduction path electrodes and control electrodes,the conduction path electrodes of each of said first inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected in electrical series with one another, and the control electrodes of each of said first inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected to one another and to said second inverter-amplifier stage,the conduction path electrodes of each of said second inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected in electrical series with one another, and the control electrodes of each of said second inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected to one another and to said first inverter-amplifier stage,a plurality of compensating devices including;
first compensating devices respectively connected in electrical series with each of said first transistor devices that form said first and second inverter-amplifier stages, andsecond compensating devices respectively connected in electrical series with each of the second transistor devices that form said first and second inverter-amplifier stages,coupling means to selectively connect said first and second inverter-amplifier stages to a supply of information signals, andfirst and second additional transistor devices, each of said additional transistor devices having a respective control electrode and conduction path electrodes,said first additional transistor device connected between said first source of supply voltage and a first transistor device of each of the pairs of transistor devices that form said first and second inverter-amplifier stages,said second additional transistor device connected between said second source of supply voltage and the second transistor device of each of the pairs of transistor devices that form said first and second inverter-amplifier stages,the respective control electrodes of said first and second additional transistor devices connected to receive enabling signals to control the conductivities thereof.
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Abstract
A high performance sense amplifier that is preferably fabricated from complementary metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (CMOSFETs) and is especially suited for applications in a radiation hardened environment. The sense amplifier of the present invention is characterized by high sensitivity, high gain, good noise immunity, low power dissipation, fast operation, relatively small geometrical size, and good stabilization for temperature and supply effects while providing self-compensation for non-uniformities of electrical parameters which may occur as the result of MOS device processing or exposure to a nuclear radiation event.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A sense amplifier that compensates for the effects of electrical parameter non-uniformities occurring therein, said sense amplifier comprising:
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first and second sources of supply voltage, first and second inverter-amplifier stages, each of said inverter-amplifier stages comprising a pair of transistor devices having respective conduction path electrodes and control electrodes, the conduction path electrodes of each of said first inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected in electrical series with one another, and the control electrodes of each of said first inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected to one another and to said second inverter-amplifier stage, the conduction path electrodes of each of said second inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected in electrical series with one another, and the control electrodes of each of said second inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected to one another and to said first inverter-amplifier stage, a plurality of compensating devices including; first compensating devices respectively connected in electrical series with each of said first transistor devices that form said first and second inverter-amplifier stages, and second compensating devices respectively connected in electrical series with each of the second transistor devices that form said first and second inverter-amplifier stages, coupling means to selectively connect said first and second inverter-amplifier stages to a supply of information signals, and first and second additional transistor devices, each of said additional transistor devices having a respective control electrode and conduction path electrodes, said first additional transistor device connected between said first source of supply voltage and a first transistor device of each of the pairs of transistor devices that form said first and second inverter-amplifier stages, said second additional transistor device connected between said second source of supply voltage and the second transistor device of each of the pairs of transistor devices that form said first and second inverter-amplifier stages, the respective control electrodes of said first and second additional transistor devices connected to receive enabling signals to control the conductivities thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A sense amplifier that compensates for the effects of electrical parameter non-uniformities occurring therein, said sense amplifier comprising:
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first and second sources of supply voltage, first and second inverter-amplifier stages, each of said inverter-amplifier stages comprising a pair of transistor devices having respective conduction path electrodes and control electrodes, the conduction path electrodes of each of said first inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected in electrical series with one another and the control electrodes of each of said first inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected to one another and to said second inverter-amplifier stage, the conduction path electrodes of each of said second inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected in electrical series with one another and the control electrodes of each of said second inverter-amplifier stage pair of transistor devices connected to one another and to said first inverter-amplifier stage, a plurality of compensating devices connected therein, including; first compensating devices respectively connected in electrical parallel with each of said first transistor devices that form said first and second inverter-amplifier stages, and second compensating devices respectively connected in electrical parallel with each of said second transistor devices that form said first and second inverter-amplifier stages. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A sense amplifier that automatically compensates for the effects of electrical parameter non-uniformities occurring therein, said sense amplifier comprising:
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first and second sources of supply voltage, first and second inverter-amplifier stages, each of said inverter-amplifier stages comprising first and second transistor devices having a respective control electrode and a pair of conduction path electrodes, the conduction path electrodes of said first inverter-amplifier stage transistor devices connected in electrical series with one another and the conduction path electrodes of said second inverter-amplifier stage transistor devices connected in electrical series with one another, coupling means to connect said first and second inverter-amplifier stages to a supply of information signals, first and second pairs of compensating transistor devices, each of said compensating transistor devices having a respective control electrode and a pair of conduction path electrodes, the conduction path electrodes of a first compensating transistor device of each of said first and second pairs thereof respectively connected in electrical series with the conduction path electrodes of the first transistor device of each of said first and second inverter-amplifier stages, the conduction path electrodes of the second compensating transistor device of each of the first and second pairs thereof respectively connected in electrical series with the conduction path electrodes of the second transistor device of each of said first and second inverter-amplifier stages, and first and second additional transistor devices, each of said additional transistor devices having a respective control electrode and a pair of conduction path electrodes, the conduction path electrodes of said first additional transistor device connected between said first source of supply voltage and one conduction path electrode of each of the first compensating transistor devices, the conduction path electrodes of said second additional transistor device connected between said second source of supply voltage and one conduction path electrode of each of the second compensating transistor devices, the control electrodes of said first and second additional transistor devices connected to receive respective clock control signals to control the conductivities thereof. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A sense amplifier that automatically compensates for the effects of electrical parameter non-uniformities occurring therein, said sense amplifier comprising:
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first and second sources of supply voltage, first and second amplifier stages, each of said amplifier stages comprising first and second transistor devices having a respective control electrode and a pair of conduction path electrodes, the conduction path electrodes of said first amplifier stage transistor devices connected in electrical series with one another and the conduction path electrodes of said second amplifier stage transistor devices connected in electrical series with one another, coupling means to connect said first and second amplifier stages to a supply of information signals, first and second pairs of compensating transistor devices, each of said compensating transistor devices having a respective control electrode and a pair of conduction path electrodes, the conduction path electrodes of a first compensating transistor device of each of the first and second pairs thereof respectively connected in electrical series with the conduction path electrodes of the first transistor device of each of said first and second amplifier stages, the conduction path electrodes of the second compensating transistor device of each of the first and second pairs thereof connected in electrical series with the conduction path electrodes of the second transistor device of each of said first and second amplifier stages, the control electrodes of each of the transistor devices that form said first and second amplifier stages connected together and to a first of said sources of supply voltage, the control electrode and one conduction path electrode of said first compensating transistor device that is connected in series with the first transistor device of said first amplifier stage respectively cross-connected to one conduction path electrode and the control electrode of said first compensating transistor device that is connected in series with the first transistor device of said second amplifier stage, and the control electrode and one conduction path electrode of said second compensating transistor device that is connected in series with the second transistor device of said first amplifier stage respectively cross-connected to one conduction path electrode and the control electrode of said second compensating transistor device that is connected in series with the second transistor device of said second amplifier stage. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification