Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor memory device having sense amplifier and method for overdriving the sense amplifier

US6925020B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by
6References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 18, 2003
Grant dateAug 2, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 18, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C2207/065
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of memory cell arrays, a plurality of sense amplifiers, a connection unit, a driver and an over-driver. The plurality of memory cell arrays comprise a plurality of memory cells. The plurality of sense amplifiers sense and amplify data stored in the plurality of memory cells. The connection unit selectively connects the plurality of sense amplifiers to the plurality of memory cell arrays. The driver drives the sense amplifier to a predetermined voltage. The over-driver applies an overdrive voltage to the driver for a predetermined time after the sense amplifier is temporarily separated from the selected memory cell array. In the semiconductor device since data in a bitline can be rapidly amplified, the restoration time of data stored in a memory cell is reduced, and the parameter tRCD. Accordingly, the operation speed of the semiconductor memory device can be improved.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.