Patent ID: 8659964
Filing Date: 2014-02-25
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A sense amplifier, comprising: a first bipolar transistor including a base, an emitter, and a collector; a second bipolar transistor including a base, an emitter, and a collector, the emitter of the first bipolar transistor and the emitter of the second bipolar transistor are coupled together; a first input coupled to a first bit line; a second input coupled to a second bit line, the second bit line is complementary to the first bit line; a first isolation switch for selectively coupling and decoupling the base of the first bipolar transistor to the first input, wherein the base of the first bipolar transistor is decoupled from the first input during a portion of a read cycle of the sense amplifier; a second isolation switch for selectively coupling and decoupling the base of the second bipolar transistor to the second input, wherein the base of the second bipolar transistor is decoupled from the second input during a portion of a read cycle of the sense amplifier; and a feedback circuit, the feedback circuit is arranged such that the base of the first bipolar transistor is coupled to the collector of the second bipolar transistor and the base of the second bipolar transistor is coupled to the collector of the first bipolar transistor during at least portion of a read cycle of the sense amplifier, and the feedback circuit decouples the base of the first bipolar transistor from the collector of the second bipolar transistor and decouples the base of the second bipolar from the collector of the first bipolar transistor during at least part of a read cycle of the sense amplifier.