Patent ID: 9349428
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: G11C

Claim Text:
1. A sense amplifier configured to sense data stored in a selected memory cell, the sense amplifier comprising: a first comparator configured to generate a first comparison signal by comparing a first reference signal received from a first reference cell with a sensing target signal received from the selected memory cell, and to generate a second comparison signal by comparing the sensing target signal with a second reference signal received from a second reference cell written in a different state from the first reference cell; and a second comparator configured to sense the data stored in the selected memory cell by comparing the first comparison signal and the second comparison signal, wherein the second comparator comprises a first transistor and a second transistor, gate terminals of which are connected together and source terminals of which receive the second comparison signal and the first comparison signal respectively, and a third transistor and a fourth transistor, gate terminals of which are connected together, source terminals of which are connected to a power supply voltage, and drain terminals of which are connected to drain terminals of the first and second transistors respectively.