Abstract: A disclosed sense circuit for a memory circuit includes sense amplifiers that detect differences in voltage levels on complementary bitlines during read operations. Instead of the sense amplifiers having built-in footer devices that lead to significant leakage, the sense circuit incorporates a common footer device for all sense amplifiers. To ensure that this footer device has sufficient drive strength to enable voltage differential detection by each sense amplifier, the sense circuit also includes a sense signal generation and boost circuit (SSG&B circuit) that generates a sense mode control signal (SEN) to control the on/off states of the footer device and that further boosts SEN, at the appropriate time, to increase the drive current. By using the common footer device and the SSG&B circuit, leakage from the sense circuit is reduced during a pre-charge operation mode without sacrificing performance during a read operation mode. Also disclosed are associated method embodiments.

Abstract: A disclosed sense circuit for a memory circuit includes sense amplifiers that detect differences in voltage levels on complementary bitlines during read operations. Instead of the sense amplifiers having built-in footer devices that lead to significant leakage, the sense circuit incorporates a common footer device for all sense amplifiers. To ensure that this footer device has sufficient drive strength to enable voltage differential detection by each sense amplifier, the sense circuit also includes a sense signal generation and boost circuit (SSG&B circuit) that generates a sense mode control signal (SEN) to control the on/off states of the footer device and that further boosts SEN, at the appropriate time, to increase the drive current. By using the common footer device and the SSG&B circuit, leakage from the sense circuit is reduced during a pre-charge operation mode without sacrificing performance during a read operation mode. Also disclosed are associated method embodiments.

Abstract: A single-rail memory circuit includes an array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns and peripheral circuitry connected to the array for facilitating read and write operations with respect to selected memory cells. The peripheral circuitry includes, but is not limited to, boost circuits for the rows. Each boost circuit is connected to a wordline for a row and to a discrete voltage supply line for the same row. Each boost circuit for a row is configured to increase the voltage levels on the wordline and the voltage supply line for the row during a read of any selected memory cell within the row. Increasing the voltage levels on the wordline and on the voltage supply line during the read operation effectively boosts the read current. A method of operating the memory circuit reduces the probability of a read fail.