A Sensing Noise Compensation Bit Line Sense Amplifier for Low Voltage Applications

A new bit-line sense amplifier for improving performance in the presence of data-pattern-dependent sensing noise is analyzed. The proposed scheme utilizes the power drop phenomenon in the sense amplifier driving line, resulting in an 81.5% reduction in the amplitude of data-pattern-dependent sensing noise. It is very important to accurately model power drop in compensating data-pattern-dependent sensing noise. Simulation and measurement of the proposed sensing scheme show improvement of sensing noise over a conventional bit-line sense amplifier. Moreover, the type of sense amplifier driver circuit significantly affects the magnitude of the improvement. The impact of the sense amplifier driver layout is analyzed in order to better utilize the proposed scheme. Finally, an optimum data pattern noise insensitive sense amplifier and driver are proposed.