Patent · US Expired

Bipolar compatible electrically alterable read-only memory

US4344222A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
10References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 22, 1980
Grant dateAug 17, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 22, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D30/69
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A bipolar compatible electrically alterable read-only memory device and process are disclosed based upon the formation of an aluminum gate structure on the surface of a thin oxide layer in an FET precursor device, wherein the aluminum gate structure serves both as an ion-implantation blocking mask for forming self-aligned source and drain regions and, in addition, a source of aluminum for the solid state reaction between the silicon dioxide layer and aluminum, forming an aluminum oxide/silicon dioxide composite charge storage region. The process is wholly compatible with existing bipolar processing technologies so that high speed bipolar support circuitry can be utilized on the same semiconductor chip with the programmable device disclosed. The programmable device disclosed has the unique advantages of having a programming voltage which can be tailored to substantially match the signal voltages on the rest of the chip by controlling the solid state reaction for the aluminum oxide formation step. Lower programming voltages permit more closely spaced device structures and the reduction in the number of power supplies for the resulting chip. Additional process and structural embodimen…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.