Sense amplifier for non-volatile semiconductor storage device

Claim 1

A sense amplifier for a non-volatile semiconductor storage device having a plurality of memory cells in a memory cell array, said sense amplifier comprising: a true and a complementary input terminal (TI, TII) for receiving a true and a complementary input signal (SI, SII) from said memory cells; first and second current mirror circuits (13,14) which amplify and detect said true and said complementary input signal from said memory cells, respectively; a true and a complementary input signal stabilizing circuit having input nodes connected to said true and complementary input terminals, respectively, and having output nodes connected to input nodes of said first and second current mirror circuits, respectively, for suppressing potential variations in said true and complementary input signals; true and complementary input signal potential holding means (16,17) which are connected with said true and said complementary input terminal, respectively, for holding potentials of the true and complementary input signals and having a current driving capability which is lower than the current driving capability of said memory cell in said memory cell array; and true and complementary sense signal producing circuit (IN3,IN4) for producing a true and a complementary sense signals which determine an operation or non-operation of said true and said complementary input signal potential holding means based on an output logical value of the sense amplifier.