Page buffer and semiconductor memory device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9792966-B2
Application number	US-201615068394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2016
Priority date	Oct 27, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A semiconductor memory device may include a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, and a plurality of page buffers respectively coupled to a plurality of bit lines of the memory cell array, the page buffers being supplied with internal voltages to precharge the plurality of bit lines or to sense an amount of current flowing through the plurality of bit lines, during a sensing operation, wherein each of the page buffers converts the internal voltages into supply voltages having constant potential levels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor memory device, comprising:
a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells; and
a plurality of page buffers respectively coupled to a plurality of bit lines of the memory cell array, the page buffers being supplied with internal voltages to precharge the plurality of bit lines or to sense an amount of current flowing through the plurality of bit lines, during a sensing operation,
wherein each of the page buffers comprises a current determination circuit,
the current determination circuit suitable for regulating a down converting voltage of the internal voltages to an internal down converting voltage having a constant potential level and performs an operation for sensing the amount of current by using an regulated internal down converting voltage during the sensing operation.

2. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the page buffers comprises:
a clamp circuit suitable for precharging a corresponding bit line of the plurality of bit lines and a sensing node using a core voltage among the internal voltages, and for adjusting a potential level of the sensing node depending on an amount of current of the corresponding bit line; and
the current determination circuit suitable for adjusting an amount of output current in response to the potential level of the sensing node in the clamp circuit.

3. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2 , wherein the clamp circuit comprises:
a first regulator suitable for regulating the core voltage to an internal core voltage having a first constant potential level in response to a first regulating signal;
a first switching unit suitable for precharging the bit line using the internal core voltage;
a second switching unit suitable for precharging the sensing node using the internal core voltage; and
a third switching unit suitable for coupling the bit line to the sensing node.

4. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 3 , wherein the first regulating signal has a first potential level that is equal to or less than a sum of a minimum value of the core voltage and a set value for the first regulator.

5. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2 , wherein the current determination circuit comprises:
a second regulator suitable for regulating the down-converted voltage to the internal down-converted voltage having a second constant potential level in response to a second regulating signal; and
a fourth switching unit suitable for adjusting and outputting an amount of current of the internal down-converted voltage in response to the potential level of the sensing node.

6. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 5 , wherein the second regulating signal has a second potential level that is equal to or less than a sum of a minimum value of the down-converted voltage and a set value for the second regulator.

7. A page buffer, comprising:
a bit line coupling unit coupled between a bit line to which a plurality of memory cells coupled and a control node, the bit line coupling unit being suitable for electrically coupling the bit line to the control node in response to a bit line coupling signal;
a clamp circuit supplied with a first internal voltage to precharge the bit line and a sensing node, the clamp circuit being suitable for adjusting a potential level of the sensing node depending on an amount of current of the bit line;
a current determination circuit suitable for generating a supply voltage by regulating a second internal voltage to a constant level and adjusting an amount of current output by using an regulated supply voltage in response to the sensing node potential level in the clamp circuit during a sensing operation; and
a latch circuit suitable for storing data corresponding to the amount of current adjusted by the current determination circuit.

8. The page buffer according to claim 7 , wherein the clamp circuit comprises:
a first switching unit suitable for precharging the bit line using the first internal voltage;
a second switching unit suitable for precharging the sensing node using the first internal voltage; and
a third switching unit suitable for coupling the bit line to the sensing node.

9. The page buffer according to claim 7 , wherein the current determination circuit comprises:
a first regulator suitable for regulating the second internal voltage to the supply voltage having the constant potential level in response to a first regulating signal; and
a fourth switching unit suitable for adjusting and outputting an amount of current of the supply voltage in response to the potential level of the sensing node.

10. The page buffer according to claim 9 , wherein the first regulating signal has a potential level that is equal to or less than a sum of a minimum value of the second internal voltage and a set value for the first regulator.

Assignees

• Sk Hynix Inc

Inventors

• Lee Yeonghun

Classifications

• G11C7/10

  Input/output [I/O] data interface arrangements, e.g. I/O data control circuits, I/O data buffers · CPC title

• G11C7/12 Primary

  Bit line control circuits, e.g. drivers, boosters, pull-up circuits, pull-down circuits, precharging circuits, equalising circuits, for bit lines · CPC title

• G11C16/24

  Bit-line control circuits · CPC title

• G11C16/30

  Power supply circuits · CPC title

• G11C7/106

  Data output latches · CPC title