Sense Amplifier Offset Cancellation via Controlled Power Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
The shrinking line width of semiconductor memory cells leads to decreased capacitance and increased noise, affecting the sensing resolution of sense amplifiers, and the introduction of offset cancellation sense amplifiers often results in incorrect data reading by external circuits due to voltage offset issues.
Innovation Solution
A sense amplifier with an amplification module and a controlled power module that determines a drive parameter to adjust the compensation voltage between the bit line and the reference bit line within a rated compensation voltage range, ensuring accurate data reading by canceling voltage offsets caused by manufacturing differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the line width of semiconductor memory is shrunk, then the integration density is improved, but the capacitance of memory cell decreases and noise increases, affecting sensing resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing offset cancellation before the main read operation. The sense amplifier first cancels the offset voltage generated by manufacturing differences during an initialization phase, then proceeds with accurate data sensing. This preliminary offset removal enables high-precision measurement despite the reduced capacitance and increased noise from scaled-down dimensions.
2Measurement precision
If offset cancellation sense amplifier is introduced, then sensing resolution is improved, but external read circuit incorrectly reads data due to voltage offset
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the operation into distinct phases: offset cancellation phase and data sensing phase. During offset cancellation, the sense amplifier removes voltage offsets from manufacturing variations. Then during the data sensing phase, the canceled offset does not interfere with accurate data reading. This temporal segmentation resolves the contradiction between achieving high sensing resolution through offset cancellation and maintaining reliable data reading.
3Manufacturing precision
If offset cancellation is performed, then manufacturing variations are compensated, but voltage offset affects external read circuit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful voltage offset generated by manufacturing variations into a beneficial cancellation process. The sense amplifier deliberately generates an equal and opposite voltage to cancel the offset, transforming the problematic offset voltage into a useful calibration mechanism. This allows manufacturing variations to be compensated while preventing the offset from interfering with external read circuits.
Data Source
AI summary
The present application provides a sense amplifier, a memory, and a control method. The sense amplifier includes: an amplification module, configured to amplify a voltage difference between a bit line and a reference bit line when the sense amplifier is at an amplification stage; and a controlled power module, connected to the amplification module, and configured to: determine a drive parameter according to a rated compensation voltage range between the bit line and the reference bit line, and supply power to the amplification module according to the drive parameter, so as to control the amplification module to pull a compensation voltage between the bit line and the reference bit line to be a rated compensation voltage at an offset cancellation stage, where the rated compensation voltage is within the rated compensation voltage range.