A sensing circuit that operates even at a low power supply voltage and
reduces stress on a memory cell in a flash memory device without lowering
a reading speed at the low power supply voltage is provided. The sensing
circuit includes a first load element, a first inverting circuit, a
second load element, a second inverting circuit, and a sense amplifier.
The first load element includes an end connected with a bit line of a
main cell array within the flash memory device. The first inverting
circuit includes an input terminal connected with the bit line of the
main cell array and an output terminal connected with another end of the
first load element. The second load element includes an end connected
with a bit line of a reference cell array within the flash memory device.
The second inverting circuit includes an input terminal connected with
the bit line of the reference cell array and an output terminal connected
with another end of the second load element. The sense amplifier compares
a voltage of the bit line of the main cell array with a voltage of the
bit line of the reference cell array and generates an output signal
according to a result of the comparison.