Patent ID: 7173873

Claim:
A device for breaking a leakage current path existing in a defect memory cell in a memory array within a memory device, comprising: a column selection line coupled to a first circuit block and adapted to select a column of a memory cell within a memory array, wherein the first circuit block outputs a column turn-off signal when the defect memory cell is detected; a row selection line coupled to a second circuit block and adapted to select a row of the memory cell within the memory array, wherein the second circuit block outputs a row turn-off signal when the defect memory cell is detected; a sensing amplifier; and a switch device coupled to the memory cell, a power supply terminal, the sensing amplifier, the column selection line and the row selection line, wherein when the memory cell is the defect memory cell, both the column selection line receives the column turn-off signal and the row selection line receives the row turn-off signal, so that the switch device is turned off and a coupling between the power supply terminal and the defect memory cell is disconnected, thereby breaking the leakage current path existing in the defect memory cell.