Non-volatile semiconductor memory device

• US 6,191,978 B1
• Filed: 04/20/2000
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kazuo, Uekubo, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, TRONG Q
• Application Number:
  US09/553,880
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 365/185.21, 365/185.25, 365/185.33
• US Class Current: 365/185.21
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/24 Bit-line control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/28 using differential sensing or reference cells, e.g. dummy cells
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/32 Timing circuits

Abstract

A non-volatile semiconductor memory device is provided which is capable of shortening time required for determining a reading voltage in its reading circuit and of improving a data reading speed. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device has a feedback-type bias circuit for letting currents to flow, in response to a first timing signal occurring when an address of a memory cell is selected from a load circuit to the memory cell to be connected to a bit line through a bit line decoder according to selection of the address and to be connected through a word line, causing a predetermined bias current to be supplied to the bit line and for letting a current to flow in accordance with an ON-state or OFF-state of the memory cell, causing a reading voltage to be produced at a connection point with the load circuit and a pre-charging circuit for letting currents to flow through the bit line in response to a second timing signal occurring in an early stage when the first timing signal is active and for interrupting currents flowing through the bit line in a last stage when the second timing signal is active.

Claims

1. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprising:

bias voltage supplying circuit for supplying a predetermined bias voltage to a bit line by letting a current flow from a load circuit, in response to a first timing signal produced when an address of a memory cell is selected, to said memory cell to be connected to said bit line by a bit line selecting circuit in accordance with selection of said address and for generating a reading voltage at a point of connection with said load circuit by letting the current flow in accordance with an ON-state or OFF-state of said memory cell,

a pre-charging circuit for letting a current flow to said bit line in response to a second timing signal produced in an early stage when said second timing signal is active; and

whereby said pre-charging circuit is operated to interrupt a current in a last stage when said second timing signal is active.

2. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein said load circuit is composed of a switching circuit to be turned ON in response to said first timing signal which is connected to a constant current source circuit in series.

3. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 2, wherein said switching circuit is composed of a P-channel transistor, a source of which is connected to a power source, to a gate of which said first timing signal is supplied and a drain of which is connected to said constant current source circuit and wherein said constant current source is composed of an N-channel transistor, a drain of which is connected to said drain of said P-channel transistor, a gate of which is connected to said drain of said P-channel transistor and a source of which is connected to said bias voltage supplying circuit.

4. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein said bias voltage supplying circuit is composed of a feedback-type bias circuit having a current controlling circuit operated to let a current flow from a power source through said load circuit to a bit line in response to a control signal and a feedback circuit operated to feed a signal a voltage of which is dropped when a current flows from current supplying circuit in accordance with a bias voltage occurring at said bias line, as said control signal, back to said current controlling circuit.

5. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein said current controlling circuit is composed of an N-channel transistor, a source of which is connected to said load circuit, to a gate of which said control signal is supplied, and a drain of which is connected to said bit line, and wherein said feedback circuit is composed of an N-channel transistor, a source of which is connected to a ground, to a gate of which said bias voltage is applied and a drain of which is connected to said current supplying circuit and wherein said control signal is outputted from a point of connection between said drain of said N-channel transistor and said current supplying circuit.

6. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein said current supplying circuit is composed of a first current supplying section which is turned ON in response to said first timing signal and a second current supplying section to which switching circuit to be turned ON in response to said first timing signal and a constant current source circuit are connected in series, said first current supplying section and said second current supplying section being connected, in parallel, between a power source and said feedback circuit.

7. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 6, wherein said first current supplying section is composed of a first P-channel transistor, a source of which is connected to a power source, to a gate of which said first timing signal is supplied and a drain of which is connected to said feedback circuit and wherein said second current supplying section is composed of a second P-channel transistor, a source of which is connected to a power source, to a gate of which said first timing signal is supplied and a drain of which is connected to a drain of an N-channel transistor and said N-channel transistor, the drain of which is connected to the drain of said second P-channel transistor, a gate of which is connected to the drain of said N-channel transistor and a source of which is connected to said feedback circuit.

8. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, further comprising grounding circuit, connected in parallel to said feedback circuit, used to connect a terminal of a control signal output from said feedback circuit to a ground while said first timing signal is inactive.

9. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 8, wherein said grounding circuit is composed of an N-channel transistor, a drain of which is connected to a drain of said N-channel transistor constituting said feedback circuit, to a gate of which said first timing signal is supplied and a source of which is connected to a ground.

10. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein said pre-charging circuit is composed of a first switching circuit which is turned ON in response to said second timing signal, the current controlling circuit used to control a current in response to said control signal connected between a power source and said bit line and a second switching circuit which is turned OFF in response to a reverted signal of said second timing signal connected between said power source and said bit line.

11. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 10, wherein said first switching circuit is composed of a P-channel transistor, a source of which is connected to a power source, to a gate of which said second timing signal is supplied and a drain of which is connected to said current controlling circuit and wherein said current controlling section is composed of a first N-channel transistor, a drain of which is connected to the drain of said P-channel transistor, to a gate of which said control signal is supplied and a source of which is connected to said second switching circuit, and wherein said second switching circuit is composed of a second N-channel transistor, a drain of which is connected to the drain of said first N-channel transistor, to a gate of which said second timing signal is supplied through an inverter and a source of which is connected to said bit line.

12. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein said pre-charging circuit is composed of a current controlling section used to let a current flow from a power source in response to said control signal connected between said power source and said bit line and of switching circuit which is turned OFF in response to said second timing signal connected between said power source and said bit line.

13. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 12, wherein said current controlling section is composed of an N-channel transistor, a drain of which is connected to a power source, to a gate of which said control signal is supplied and a source of which is connected to said switching circuit and wherein said switching circuit is composed of a P-channel transistor, a source of which is connected to the source of said N-channel transistor, to a gate of which said second timing signal is supplied and a drain of which is connected to said bit line.

14. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, further comprising an equalizing circuit used to establish a short-circuit between a point of connection between said load circuit and said current controlling circuit and an input side of said current controlling circuit in a last stage while said second timing signal is active.

15. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 14, wherein said equalizing circuit is composed of an N-channel transistor, a drain of which is connected to said drain of said N-channel transistor constituting said current controlling circuit, to a gate of which a third timing signal produced in a last stage while said second timing signal is active is supplied and a source of which is connected to a gate of said N-channel transistor constituting said current controlling circuit.