Sense amplifier for use in an EEPROM

• Main Authors: OHUCHI; KAZUNORI, TANAKA; YOSHIYUKI, SUMIHARA; HIDEKI, TANAKA; TOMOHARU, IWATA; YOSHIHISA, MOMODOMI; MASAKI, SAKUI; KOJI, SAITO; SHINJI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.04.1998
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: INFORMATION STORAGE; PHYSICS; STATIC STORES

A sense amplifier for signal detection for use in an electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). The sense amplifier includes a first clock signal-synchronized inverter including a first inverter and first switch for switching between activating and deactivating states of the first inverter, the first clock signal-synchronized inverter having a first input connected to a corresponding one of the bit lines and a first output. A second clock signal-synchronized inverter is arranged in parallel with the first clock signal-synchronized inverter and includes a second inverter and a second switch for switching between activating and deactivating states of the second inverter, the second clock signal-synchronized inverter having an input connected to the output of the first clock signal-synchronized inverter and an output connected to the input of the first clock signal-synchronized inverter. The switches in the first and second clock signal-synchronized inverters are activated with a delay so that a potential on the corresponding bit line is reliably sensed and latched at the output of the first clock signal-synchronized inverter.