Non-volatile memory device with current injection sensing amplifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9373407-B2
Application number	US-201314386816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 30, 2012
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

A non-volatile memory device with a current injection sensing amplifier is disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for use in a memory device, comprising:
a current injector having a plurality of injection outputs;
a plurality of clamps, each clamp connected to one of the plurality of injection outputs;
one or more reference cells, wherein each reference cell is connected to a different one of the plurality of clamps;
a selected memory cell connected to one of the plurality of clamps different from the clamps to which the one or more reference cells are connected; and
a comparator connected to the plurality of injection outputs, wherein the comparator comprises one or more comparator outputs that indicate the value stored in the selected memory cell.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the selected memory cell is a split gate non-volatile memory cell.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the selected memory cell can store one of two different values.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the selected memory cell can store one of four different values.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the one or more reference cells comprise three reference cells.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the current injector comprises four PMOS transistors.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the four PMOS transistors are identical.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the comparator compares the current emitted by one injection output minus the current drawn by a reference cell against the current emitted by another injection output minus the current drawn by the selected memory cell.

9. An apparatus for use in reading a memory cell, comprising:
a current injector having a plurality of injection outputs;
a plurality of clamps, each clamp connected to one of the plurality of injection outputs;
one or more reference cells, wherein each reference cell is connected to a different one of the plurality of clamps;
a selected memory cell connected to one of the plurality of clamps different from the clamps to which the one or more reference cells are connected;
a comparator connected to the plurality of injection outputs; and
a decoder connected to one or more outputs of the comparator, wherein the decoder comprises one or more decoder outputs that indicate the value stored in the selected memory cell.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the selected memory cell is a split gate non-volatile memory cell.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the selected memory cell can store one of two different values.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the selected memory cell can store one of four different values.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the one or more reference cells comprise three reference cells.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the current injector comprises four PMOS transistors.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the four PMOS transistors are identical.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the comparator compares the current emitted by one injection output minus the current drawn by a reference cell against the current emitted by another injection output minus the current drawn by the selected memory cell.

17. A method of reading a memory cell, comprising:
generating, by a current injector, a plurality of injection outputs;
drawing current from one or more injection outputs by one or more reference cells, wherein each reference cell is connected to a different one of the plurality of injection outputs through a clamp;
drawing current by a selected memory cell from an injection output different from the injection outputs to which the one or more reference cells are connected through a clamp;
comparing, by a comparator connected to the plurality of injection outputs, two or more currents; and
generating, by the comparator, one or more comparator outputs that indicate the value stored in the selected memory cell.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the selected memory cell is a split gate non-volatile memory cell.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the selected memory cell can store one of two different values.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the selected memory cell can store one of four different values.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the one or more reference cells comprise three reference cells.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the current injector comprises four PMOS transistors.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the four PMOS transistors are identical.

24. The method of claim 17 , wherein said current injector generates a plurality of substantially constant currents as injection outputs.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein each of said one or more reference cells draws a different amount of current than the other reference cells.

26. The method of claim 17 , wherein the two or more currents comprises:
the current emitted by one injection output minus the current drawn by a reference cell; and
the current emitted by another injection output minus the current drawn by the selected memory cell.

Assignees

• Silicon Storage Tech Inc

Inventors

• Zhou Yao
• Qian Xiaozhou
• Bai Ning

Classifications

• G11C11/5642

  Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits · CPC title

• G11C16/28 Primary

  using differential sensing or reference cells, e.g. dummy cells · CPC title

• G11C16/08

  Address circuits; Decoders; Word-line control circuits · CPC title

• G11C2207/063

  Current sense amplifiers · CPC title

• G11C7/062

  Differential amplifiers of non-latching type, e.g. comparators, long-tailed pairs · CPC title