Patent ID: 7061793

Claim:
A method for small signal sensing during a read operation of a static random access memory (SRAM) cell, the method comprising: coupling a pair of complementary sense amplifier data lines to a corresponding pair of complementary bit lines associated with the SRAM cell; setting a sense amplifier so as to amplify a signal developed on said sense amplifier data lines, wherein said bit line pair remains coupled to said sense amplifier data lines at the time said sense amplifier is set; and configuring the SRAM cell with PFET access transistors so as to clamp one of said pair of complementary sense amplifier data lines to a logic high voltage upon activation of a word line associated with the SRAM cell; wherein said clamping is implemented through one of a pair of pull up transistors within the SRAM cell, and wherein said pair of pull up transistors within the SRAM cell has larger a pull up strength relative to a pull down strength of a pair of pull down transistors within the SRAM cell.