Current-Mode Sense Amplifier and Reference Current Circuitry

摘要

An electronic circuit is provided with a current sense amplifier. The amplifier comprises a reference current input terminal, a sense current input terminal, and a first output terminal. The electronic circuit includes a reference current source. The reference current source includes two reference n-FET stacks connected in series, and the reference current input terminal is coupled to a ground terminal via the two reference n-FET stacks. The electronic circuit includes a plurality of memory cells each coupled in parallel via a respective sense n-FET stack to the sense current input terminal. The amplifier is configured to generate a first logical value at the first output terminal of the amplifier in response to a sense current of the sense current input terminal being lower than a reference current of the reference current input terminal. The amplifier is further configured to generate a second logical value at the first output terminal of the amplifier in response to the sense current being higher than the reference current.

主权项

1. An electronic circuit comprising:
a current sense amplifier, wherein the amplifier comprises a reference current input terminal, a sense current input terminal, and a first output terminal; a reference current source, wherein the reference current source comprises two reference n-FET stacks connected in series, and wherein the reference current input terminal is coupled to a ground terminal via the two reference n-FET stacks; a reference current generator to generate one or more reference currents, wherein the reference current generator is a voltage generator and coupled to a gate terminal of a transistor of each n-FET stack; the voltage generator configured to set a current flowing though the further two reference n-FET stacks being bigger than a maximum of a sum of the leakage currents of all first n-FET stacks and lower than a lowest of grounding currents with respect to the first n-FET stacks, wherein the grounding current of an individual first n-FET stack is given by the current that is flowing through the first n-FET stack when all of its transistors are open, and wherein the leakage current of an individual first n-FET stack is given by the current that is flowing through the first n-FET stack when at least one of its transistors is closed; a plurality of memory cells, wherein each memory cell is coupled in parallel via a respective sense n-FET stack to the sense current input terminal; wherein the amplifier is configured to:
generate a first logical value at the first output terminal of the amplifier, in response to a sense current of the sense current input terminal being lower than a reference current of the reference current input terminal; andgenerate a second logical value at the first output terminal of the amplifier, in response to the sense current being higher than the reference current.