Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Atmel Corporation

Davide Manfre'

Marco Pasotti

Lorenzo Bedarida

Maurizio Francesco Perroni

Fabio Enrico Carlo Disegni

Marcella Carissimi

Cesare Torti

Laura Capecchi

Chantal Auricchio

Donato Ferrario

Emanuela Calvetti

Maria Mostola

Stefano Zanchi

A memory device includes programmable memory cells and a programming circuit for programming a selected memory cell to a target logic state by applying one or more programming current pulses. A temperature sensor operates to sense a temperature of the memory device. A reading circuit reads a current logic state of the selected memory cell after a predetermined programming current pulse of the programming current pulses. The reading circuit includes a sensing circuit that senses a current logic state of the selected memory cell according to a comparison between a reading electric current depending on the current logic state of the selected memory cell and a reference current. An adjusting circuit adjusts one or the other of the reading electric current and the reference electric current to be provided to the sensing circuit according to the temperature of the memory device.

Memory device

A sensing circuit. In one embodiment, the sensing circuit includes a memory circuit including a first bitline that sinks a first leakage current, a compensation device coupled to the memory circuit, and a compensation circuit coupled to the compensation device. The compensation circuit includes a second bitline that sinks a second leakage current that matches the first leakage current. The compensation device is operative to compensate the first leakage current through a current based on the second leakage current. According to the system and method disclosed herein, the compensation device and compensation circuit prevents errors when determining the state of the memory cell.

Column leakage compensation in a sensing circuit

Growing community of inventors

Pandino, Italy

Davide Manfre'