GHz sense amplifier for MRAM

The performance of a novel current-steering logic sense amplifier is verified through simulations in 0.35 μm CMOS technology. Because the reading time affects destructively the MRAM cell by thermal dissipation and it also affects the consumption of power, a new sense amplifier is proposed, one that operates at high frequency, that has a reading time of the order of ns and a low power consumption. This sense amplifier uses the differential charge of the bit line capacity where the MTJ resistance determines the gain of the amplifying. The differential amplifying starts when the bit line voltage reaches a certain threshold. In this way we increase the sensitivity of the device and the two values of the MTJ resistance will be distinguished in a much shorter time. The output voltage will be stored in a latch structure as the maximum I minimum voltage level (VDD or gnd).© (2007) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.