Patent attributes
The present invention provides a sense amplifier including a current sense circuit that outputs a detection voltage corresponding to an electric current intended for comparison, a current sense circuit that outputs a reference voltage corresponding to an electric current for reference, and a comparison circuit that compares the detection voltage and the reference voltage and outputs the result of comparison thereby. In the sense amplifier, the current sense circuit is operated in accordance with a chip control signal, and the current sense circuit is operated by a delay chip control signal obtained by delaying the chip control signal by a predetermined time by means of a delay circuit. Thus, since the current sense circuit outputs a predetermined reference voltage when the operation of the current sense circuit is started, the detection voltage rapidly converges on a predetermined level without performing such a feedback operation as to repeat its abrupt rise and fall.