An amplifier circuit, a voltage sensing apparatus, and an amplification method are disclosed. The amplifier circuit comprises (1) an input stage comprising a first set of transistors to which an input signal to be amplified is applied, the transistors of the first set comprising a semiconductor body, and (2) a processing stage comprising a second set of transistors for processing the signal from the input stage and generating an output signal. The transistors of the first set have a thicker gate oxide than the transistors of the second set, and are therefore suitable for higher voltage operation. The first and second sets of transistors are supplied by the same voltage supply of the amplifier circuit. The semiconductor body of the first set of transistors is connected to a reference potential to lower the threshold voltage.

A device for generating a reference voltage includes a first non-volatile memory cell provided with a control-gate transistor and a reading transistor. The control-gate transistor includes a gate terminal, a body, a first conduction terminal and a second conduction terminal. The first conduction terminal and the second conduction terminal are connected together to form a control-gate terminal. The reading transistor includes a gate terminal that is connected to the gate terminal of the control-gate transistor to form a floating-gate terminal, a body, a third conduction terminal and a fourth conduction terminal. The device also includes a second, equivalent, memory cell. The source terminal of the first non-volatile memory cell and the source terminal of the second equivalent memory cell are connected together.