SENSE AMPLIFIER DESIGN IS KEY TO 1 TRANSISTOR CELL IN 4,096-BIT RAM

A new 4,096-bit n-channel random-access memory has a unique design using a single-transistor memory cell (all others now available have three transistors per cell) that offers small cell size and chip area, high speed, and high yield at low cost. Key to implementing this simpler structure is a new on-chip sense amplifier that is capable of detecting the lower (200 millivolt) logic signals associated with one-transistor designs, thus overcoming a major hurdle in this approach to high-density, low-cost random-access memory development.