Patent ID: 8300446

Claim:
A method of operating a ferroelectric memory to read a stored data state from a selected memory cell, the memory cell having a ferroelectric capacitor with first and second plates, and a pass transistor connected between the second plate of the capacitor and a bit line, the ferroelectric capacitor capable of being polarized into first and second data states, the method comprising the steps of: precharging the bit line associated with the selected memory cell; energizing a word line connected to the gate of the pass transistor to cause conduction between the second plate of the ferroelectric capacitor and the bit line; performing a charge transfer operation during the energizing step by applying a boost voltage to the first plate of the ferroelectric capacitor of the selected memory cell; then sensing the stored data state of the selected memory cell from the bit line occurring responsive to the step of performing the charge transfer operation; then performing a single write-back during the energizing step, responsive to the stored data state being the second data state, by applying a voltage to the bit line associated with the selected memory cell, the voltage sufficient so that a differential voltage between that bit line and the first plate of the selected memory cell exceeds a coercive voltage of the ferroelectric capacitor corresponding to the second data state; and then de-energizing the word line.