公开(公告)号：EP1858027A1

公开(公告)日：2007-11-21

申请号：EP06114228.7

申请日：2006-05-19

Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.

Inventor： Di Vincenzo, Umberto ,  Versari, Roberto ,  Mollichelli, Massimiliano

IPC: G11C16/26 ,  G11C16/28 ,  G11C7/06 ,  G11C16/24 ,  G11C7/12

CPC classification number: G11C16/26 ,  G11C7/067 ,  G11C7/12 ,  G11C16/24 ,  G11C16/28 ,  G11C2207/063

Abstract: A sensing circuit is provided. The sensing circuit is adapted to determine when a cell current flowing trough a selected memory cell exceeds a reference current during an evaluation phase of a sensing operation. The sensing circuit is adapted to be coupled to at least one selected memory cell through a respective bit line. The sensing circuit includes: an access circuit node adapted to be coupled to the bit line; precharging means adapted to be activated in a precharge phase of the sensing operation preceding the evaluation phase, so as to bring a voltage of said access circuit node to a reference voltage; a reference circuit node coupled to the access circuit node and arranged to receive the reference current. The sensing circuit further includes an evaluation circuit node coupled to the reference circuit node through a first current to voltage converter, adapted to sink a current flowing from the reference circuit node to the evaluation circuit node and to produce a corresponding voltage difference between the reference circuit node and the evaluation circuit node, wherein said current is nearly equal to the reference current substantially at the end of the precharge phase; comparator means are provided, adapted to compare the voltage of the access circuit node with the voltage of the evaluation circuit node and to provide a corresponding comparison signal whose time pattern indicates when the cell current exceeds the reference current. The first current to voltage converter is an electronic device having essentially the behavior of a diode.

Abstract translation: 提供感测电路。 感测电路适于确定在感测操作的评估阶段期间流经所选择的存储器单元的单元电流何时超过参考电流。 感测电路适于通过相应的位线耦合到至少一个选定的存储器单元。 感测电路包括：适于耦合到位线的接入电路节点; 预充电装置，其适于在所述评估阶段之前的所述感测操作的预充电阶段中被激活，以使所述访问电路节点的电压为参考电压; 参考电路节点，其耦合到所述接入电路节点并被布置成接收所述参考电流。 感测电路还包括通过第一电流 - 电压转换器耦合到参考电路节点的评估电路节点，适用于吸收从参考电路节点流向评估电路节点的电流，并产生参考电路之间的相应电压差 节点和评估电路节点，其中所述电流几乎等于基本上在预充电阶段结束时的参考电流; 提供比较器装置，用于将访问电路节点的电压与评估电路节点的电压进行比较，并提供对应的比较信号，其时间模式指示电池电流何时超过参考电流。 第一个电流到电压转换器是具有基本上二极管行为的电子器件。