Sense amplifiers with high voltage swing
A sense amplifier includes a reference voltage generator for generating a reference output voltage and a core output voltage generator for generating a core output voltage. The core output voltage generator includes a core front-end stage and a core back-end stage or includes a plurality of amplifier transistors each conducting a portion of a core current through a current conducting device such as core cell. The sizes and/or connections of transistors of such components result in high voltage swing and thus high sensitivity of the sense amplifier.
1. A sense amplifier comprising:
a reference voltage generator for generating a reference output voltage; and
a core output voltage generator for generating a core output voltage, the core output voltage generator including:
a plurality of amplifier transistors each conducting a portion of a core current through a current conducting device;
wherein a gate of a selected one of the amplifier transistors has the core output voltage generated thereon;
and wherein the reference voltage generator includes:
a plurality of reference transistors each conducting a portion of a reference current through a reference cell;
wherein gates of the reference transistors are coupled together with the reference output voltage generated thereon, and wherein drains of the reference transistors are coupled together at a reference bit node having a reference bit voltage generated thereon, and wherein sources of the reference transistors are coupled to a power supply.
2. The sense amplifier of claim 1 , further including:
a reference feed-back regulator coupled to the gates and the drains of the reference transistors for maintaining the reference bit voltage.
3. A sense amplifier comprising:
a reference voltage generator for generating a reference output voltage; and
a core output voltage generator for generating a core output voltage, the core output voltage generator including:
a plurality of amplifier transistors each conducting a portion of a core current through a current conducting device;
wherein a gate of a selected one of the amplifier transistors has the core output voltage generated thereon,
and wherein another one of the amplifier transistors has a gate with the reference output voltage applied thereon.
4. The sense amplifier of claim 3 , wherein the current conducting device is a core cell of a memory device.
5. The sense amplifier of claim 3 , wherein a width to length (W/L) ratio of the selected amplifier transistor is minimized.
6. The sense amplifier of claim 3 , wherein drains of the amplifier transistors are coupled together at a bit node having a core bit voltage generated thereon, and wherein sources of the amplifier transistors are coupled to a power supply.
7. The sense amplifier of claim 6 , further including:
a core feed-back regulator coupled to the gate and the drain of the selected amplifier transistor for maintaining the core bit voltage.
8. The sense amplifier of claim 3 , wherein the reference voltage generator includes:
a plurality of reference transistors each conducting a portion of a reference current through a reference cell;
wherein gates of the reference transistors are coupled together with the reference output voltage generated thereon, and wherein drains of the reference transistors are coupled together at a reference bit node having a reference bit voltage generated thereon,
and wherein sources of the reference transistors are coupled to a power supply.
9. The sense amplifier of claim 8 , further including:
a reference feed-back regulator coupled to the gates and the drains of the reference transistors for maintaining the reference bit voltage.
10. The sense amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the current conducting device is a core cell of a memory device.
11. The sense amplifier of claim 1 , wherein a width to length (W/L) ratio of the selected amplifier transistor is minimized.
12. The sense amplifier of claim 1 , wherein drains of the amplifier transistors are coupled together at a bit node having a core bit voltage generated thereon, and wherein sources of the amplifier transistors are coupled to a power supply.
13. The sense amplifier of claim 12 , further including:
a core feed-back regulator coupled to the gate and the drain of the selected amplifier transistor for maintaining the core bit voltage.
14. The sense amplifier of claim 1 , wherein another one of the amplifier transistors has the reference output voltage applied thereon.
15. The sense amplifier of claim 14 , wherein a gate of said another one of the amplifier transistors has the reference output voltage applied thereon.