Readout circuit and method for phase change memory

The invention provides a readout circuit and method for a phase change memory. The readout circuit comprises the following components: a target phase change memory cell array for storing data; an amorphous state reference phase change memory cell column; a crystalline state reference phase change memory cell column; a sense amplifier. During an initial phase, amorphous state reference phase change memory cells are set in an amorphous state, and crystalline state reference phase change memory cell column is set in a crystalline state; one target phase change memory cell, one amorphous state phase change memory cell, and one crystalline state phase change memory cell are selected, and signals of the memory cells are output to the sense amplifier; the sense simplifier employs read-out currents of the amorphous state phase change memory cell and the crystalline state phase change memory cell as reference generation reference currents, a read-out current of the target phase change memory cell and the reference currents are compared, in order to generate a read-out voltage signal of the target phase change memory cell. The readout circuit and method of the phase change memory has the advantages of short reading access time, good adaptability to process change, few misreadings, and the like, and performances of the readout circuit of the phase change memory are effectively improved.