| 摘要 |
PURPOSE: To perform read-out operation at high speed by shifting current of a pair of bit line of a selected memory cell to the prescribed reference voltage, and outputting differential voltage or differential current which change symmetrically each other for the reference voltage or the reference current corresponding to this voltage. CONSTITUTION: For example, when data is read out from a memory cell 1, potentials of bit lines BO and the inverse of BO of a corresponding pair of bit lines is shifted to the reference voltage VS of an intermediate potential between a high power supply potential VDD and a ground potential GND of a low power supply potential in a level shifting circuit 2. And when a cell 1 is selected in a word line W, potentials of bit line BO and the inverse of Bo are symmetrically changed in accordance with contents stored in the cell 1 centering the voltage VS or the reference current corresponding to the voltage VS, a differential pair is formed, this is amplified by a column switch 3 and sense amplifier 4, and outputted. By using this method utilizing the differential pair of symmetrical change, large amplitude data can be obtained in a short time, and a semiconductor memory in which read-out operation is performed at high speed can be realized. |
