Patent ID: 7751252

Claim:
A semiconductor memory capable of storing and reading data in a memory cell for holding the data corresponding to a threshold voltage, comprising a reference current generating circuit having a reference current generating section and an amplifier section, the reference current generating section comprising: a first MOS transistor of a first conductivity type which has one end connected to a power supply and is diode-connected; a reference cell which is connected to an other end of the first MOS transistor and a ground potential, has a word line fed with a predetermined voltage, and is similarly configured as the memory cell; a second MOS transistor of the first conductivity type which has one end connected to the power supply and is fed with a current obtained by current mirroring a current passing through the first MOS transistor; and a third MOS transistor of a second conductivity type which is connected between an other end of the second MOS transistor and the ground potential and has a gate connected to the other end of the second MOS transistor, the amplifier section comprising: a fourth MOS transistor of the first conductivity type which has one end connected to the power supply and is diode-connected; a fifth MOS transistor of the second conductivity type which is connected between an other end of the fourth MOS transistor and the ground potential and has a gate connected to an output terminal; a sixth MOS transistor of the first conductivity type which has one end connected to the power supply and is fed with a current obtained by current mirroring a current passing through the fourth MOS transistor; a seventh MOS transistor of the second conductivity type which is connected between an other end of the sixth MOS transistor and the ground potential and has a gate connected to the gate of the third MOS transistor; an eighth MOS transistor of the first conductivity type which has one end connected to the power supply and is fed with a current obtained by current mirroring the current passing through the fourth MOS transistor; a ninth MOS transistor of the second conductivity type which is connected between an other end of the eighth MOS transistor and the ground potential and has a gate connected to the other end of the eighth MOS transistor; a tenth MOS transistor of the first conductivity type which has one end connected to the power supply, an other end connected to the output terminal, and a gate connected to the other end of the sixth MOS transistor; and an eleventh MOS transistor of the second conductivity type which is connected between the other end of the tenth MOS transistor and the ground potential and has a gate connected to the other end of the eighth MOS transistor, the amplifier section outputting a reference current from the output terminal to a wire in response to an output of the reference current generating section.