Patent ID: 11024364

Abstract:
There are provided a sense amplifier for sensing a multilevel cell and a memory device including the same. The sense amplifier is configured to sense the most significant bit (MSB) and the least significant bit (LSB) of 2-bit data a cell voltage stored in a memory cell as the most significant bit (MSB) and the least significant bit (LSB) of 2-bit data. The sense amplifier senses the MSB of the 2-bit data in a state in which a bit line is electrically disconnected from a holding bit line of the sense amplifier and senses the LSB of the 2-bit data in a state in which the cell bit line is electrically connected to the holding bit line. The sense amplifier is configured to equalize a pair of bit lines of the sense amplifier before sensing the MSB and the LSB of the 2-bit data. The sense amplifier is configured to restore to the memory cell the cell voltage corresponding to the sensed MSB and LSB of the 2-bit data.