Patent attributes
A first precharge circuit couples a bit line pair to a precharge voltage line in a standby period, and separates at least an access side of the bit line pair from the precharge voltage line in accordance with operation start of a word line driving circuit. A sense amplifier amplifies a voltage difference of a node pair after the operation start of the word line driving circuit. A switch circuit is provided between the bit line pair and the node pair. The switch circuit has coupled the access side of the bit line pair to an access side of the node pair at an instant of the operation start of the word line driving circuit, and has separated a non-access side of the bit line pair from a non-access side of the node pair at an instant of operation start of the sense amplifier.