US Patent No: 6,670,669

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Multiple-bit non-volatile memory utilizing non-conductive charge trapping gate

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Abstract

The invention is to provide a novel non-volatile memory capable of recording multi-bit data. The invention is a non-volatile memory which has: first and second source-drain regions SD1, SD2 at the surface of a semiconductor substrate; and a non-conductive trapping gate TG, and a conductive control gate CG, formed on a channel region there between via an insulating film. Further, the non-volatile memory has a first or second state in which, by applying a voltage between the first and second source-drain regions SD1, SD2, hot electrons produced in the vicinity of the first or second source-drain region are locally captured in a first or second trapping gate region TSD1, TSD2 in the vicinity of them; and, a third state in which, by applying a voltage between the control gate and the channel region, electrons (or charge) are (is) injected into the entire trapping gate. According to whether or not the above-mentioned third state is adopted, one-bit information can be recorded, and according to whether or not the first and second states are adopted, two-bit information can be recorded. Consequently, information totaling three bits can be recorded in a single memory cell.

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First Claim

Related Publications

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
SPANSION LLCSUNNYVALE, CA1927

International Classification(s)

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  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Kawamura, Shoichi Sunnyvale, CA 31 419

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
HALO LSI, INC. (1)
6,255,166 Nonvolatile memory cell, method of programming the same and nonvolatile memory array 219 1999
 
SAIFUN SEMICONDUCTORS LTD. (1)
6,011,725 Two bit non-volatile electrically erasable and programmable semiconductor memory cell utilizing asymmetrical charge trapping 925 1999

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
SAIFUN SEMICONDUCTORS LTD. (27)
7,136,304 Method, system and circuit for programming a non-volatile memory array 14 2003
6,992,932 Method circuit and system for read error detection in a non-volatile memory array 249 2003
7,142,464 Apparatus and methods for multi-level sensing in a memory array 4 2004
7,317,633 Protection of NROM devices from charge damage 0 2005
7,668,017 Method of erasing non-volatile memory cells 0 2005
7,221,138 Method and apparatus for measuring charge pump output current 0 2005
7,738,304 Multiple use memory chip 1 2005
7,352,627 Method, system, and circuit for operating a non-volatile memory array 6 2006
7,420,848 Method, system, and circuit for operating a non-volatile memory array 0 2006
7,468,926 Partial erase verify 0 2006
7,369,440 Method, circuit and systems for erasing one or more non-volatile memory cells 0 2006
7,512,009 Method for programming a reference cell 0 2006
7,638,850 Non-volatile memory structure and method of fabrication 2 2006
7,786,512 Dense non-volatile memory array and method of fabrication 1 2006
7,466,594 Dynamic matching of signal path and reference path for sensing 3 2006
7,405,969 Non-volatile memory cell and non-volatile memory devices 2 2006
7,760,554 NROM non-volatile memory and mode of operation 0 2006
7,692,961 Method, circuit and device for disturb-control of programming nonvolatile memory cells by hot-hole injection (HHI) and by channel hot-electron (CHE) injection 2 2006
7,532,529 Apparatus and methods for multi-level sensing in a memory array 1 2006
7,701,779 Method for programming a reference cell 1 2006
7,457,183 Operating array cells with matched reference cells 0 2006
7,675,782 Method, system and circuit for programming a non-volatile memory array 3 2006
7,605,579 Measuring and controlling current consumption and output current of charge pumps 2 2006
7,808,818 Secondary injection for NROM 5 2006
7,638,835 Double density NROM with nitride strips (DDNS) 1 2006
7,743,230 Memory array programming circuit and a method for using the circuit 0 2007
7,535,765 Non-volatile memory device and method for reading cells 3 2007
 
SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC. (7)
6,897,522 Multi-state non-volatile integrated circuit memory systems that employ dielectric storage elements 12 2001
6,925,007 Multi-state non-volatile integrated circuit memory systems that employ dielectric storage elements 113 2002
7,341,918 Multi-state non-volatile integrated circuit memory systems that employ dielectric storage elements 13 2005
7,342,279 Multi-state non-volatile integrated circuit memory systems that employ dielectric storage elements 10 2005
7,579,247 Multi-state non-volatile integrated circuit memory systems that employ dielectric storage elements 4 2008
7,479,677 Multi-state non-volatile integrated circuit memory systems that employ dielectric storage elements 2 2008
7,834,392 Multi-state non-volatile integrated circuit memory systems that employ dielectric storage elements 1 2009
 
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. (3)
7,602,010 Multi-bit multi-level non-volatile memory device and methods of operating and fabricating the same 0 2006
7,531,870 SONOS memory device having nano-sized trap elements 0 2007
7,825,459 Method of operating a SONOS memory device 0 2009
 
SPANSION ISRAEL LTD (3)
8,253,452 Circuit and method for powering up an integrated circuit and an integrated circuit utilizing same 0 2006
8,053,812 Contact in planar NROM technology 0 2006
7,964,459 Non-volatile memory structure and method of fabrication 1 2009
 
MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD. (2)
7,593,264 Method and apparatus for programming nonvolatile memory 0 2006
7,492,636 Methods for conducting double-side-biasing operations of NAND memory arrays 7 2007
 
RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION (2)
6,856,550 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device capable of uniformly inputting/outputting data 14 2002
7,173,857 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device capable of uniformly inputting/outputting data 2 2005
 
AIFUN SEMICONDUCTORS LTD. (1)
6,963,505 Method circuit and system for determining a reference voltage 75 2003
 
SPANSION LLC (1)
6,950,343 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device storing two-bit information 4 2003

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