High-speed split-emitter I²L/MTL memory cell

High-density static memories with extremely low power dissipation can be realized with the I2L/MTL technology, since it offers a very compact device structure and an almost ideal nonlinear load device with a large impedance range; typically 10 -108Ω1-4. A 16Kb chip based on the Injector-Sensed (IS) Cell (Figure la) has been described earlier4. The sense signal AVBL of the IS-cell is equal to the difference ΔVInj of the injector diode voltages, which is only about 25mV at low currents, and it decreases as read current increases. Such a small sense signal limits, the read performance and requires rather sophisticated sense and restore circuitry.