Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Hyung-seuk Kim

Jae-kwan Kim

Described is a method and apparatus for compensating for a change in an output characteristic of a temperature sensor due to varying temperature. The temperature sensor includes a temperature sensing core, an analog-to-digital converter, a counter, and a temperature compensating circuit. The temperature sensing core generates a sense voltage corresponding to a sensed temperature. The analog-to-digital converter converts the sense voltage into a digital signal and generates a conversion signal. The temperature compensating circuit generates a counter clock signal that varies according to a temperature change. The counter counts the number of pulses of the counter clock signal according to the conversion signal.

Temperature sensor and method of compensating for change in output characteristic due to varying temperature

A semiconductor device includes a data line pair formed of a data line and a complementary data line; a first sensing amplification unit including a first sensing amplifier and a second sensing amplifier that are cross-coupled with the data line and the complementary data line; a first variable current source supplying or flowing out a first variable current to the first sensing amplifier; and a second variable current source supplying or flowing out a second variable current to the second sensing amplifier. A current amount of the first variable current is different from a current amount of the second variable current.

Semiconductor device guaranteeing stable operation

A semiconductor device includes an alternating arrangement of memory cell blocks and sense amplifier blocks, such that the sense amplifier blocks include an interior sense amplifier block and a periphery amplifier block. The peripheral amplifier block includes a first sense amplification unit having a first sense amplifier and a second sense amplifier cross-coupled between a bit line and a complementary bit line. The first sense amplifier supplies/receives current to/from the bit line, the second sense amplifier provides/receives current to/from the complementary bit line, and a current driving capability for the first sense amplifier is greater than a current driving capability of the second sense amplifier.

Semiconductor device including asymmetric sense amplifier

Delay circuits are provided. Some embodiments of delay circuits herein include a delay line including multiple delay cells connected in series and a variable voltage supplier operative to output a voltage value proportional and/or inversely proportional to a temperature. Delay circuits may include at least one loading capacitor that includes a first end that is connected to an output port of the delay cell and a second end that is connected to an output port of the variable voltage supplier, the at least one loading capacitor including a capacitance that is decreased corresponding to an increase in temperature when a positive voltage is applied across the first end and the second end of the at least one loading capacitor.

Temperature independent delay circuits

Example embodiments are directed to an apparatus and method for measuring a pulse width. A side-band signal generator may be configured to receive a given data pattern and output a side-band signal by modulating a pulse width of the received data pattern in a test mode. A phase detector may be configured to receive the side-band signal and a reference clock signal, and output a pulse signal corresponding to a phase difference between the received side-band signal and the reference clock signal. A charge pump may be configured to receive the pulse signal and output an output voltage by increasing or decreasing the output voltage based on the pulse signal. A pulse width measurer may be configured to receive the output voltage of the charge pump and determine whether pulses forming the side-band signal have appropriate widths based on whether the output voltage is included in a desired reference voltage range.

Method and apparatus for measuring pulse widths of a side-band signal

A temperature sensing circuit includes first, second and third proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) units, and first and second subtracters. The first PTAT unit generates a first output voltage based on a reference current and a current of N times the reference current, where N is an emitter current density ratio. The second PTAT unit generates a second output voltage based on a current of twice the reference current and a current of 2N times the reference current. The third PTAT unit generates a third output voltage based on the reference current and a current of N times the reference current. The first subtracter performs subtraction on the second output voltage and the third output voltage, and the second subtracter performs subtraction on an output voltage of the first subtracter and the first output voltage.

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Hwaseong-si, South Korea

Hyung-seuk Kim