Semiconductor memory

Abstract

A semiconductor memory of the present invention includes a plurality of memory cell regions each being constituted by a particular memory cell and a plurality of word lines for selecting the memory cells. A word line driver circuit activates one word line to which a memory cell designated by the address signal is connected. A bit line connected to the memory cell selected by the activated word line reads data out of the memory cell. A sense amplifier amplifies a potential difference between two adjoining bit lines forming a bit line pair. A sense amplifier precharge circuit charges a power supply line and a ground line, which feed a voltage to the sense amplifier, to a preselected voltage. A driver circuit feeds to the gates of a first and a second n-channel MOS transistors in the sense amplifier precharge circuit a control signal of a preselected high level voltage from a third n-channel MOS transistor. The first and second n-channel MOS transistors feed a precharge current output from a precharge power supply to the power supply line and ground line, respectively. The sense amplifier precharge circuit may be replaced with or combined with an I/O line precharge circuit for precharging I/O lines.