Electrically programmable memory device employing source side injection

US4794565A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Albert Wu · Taipei, TW
• Ping Keung Ko · Hercules, US
• Tung-Yi Chan · San Jose, US
• Chenming Hu · Alamo, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 15, 1986
• Grant date: Dec 27, 1988
• Expiry date: Sep 15, 2006

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D30/685

Abstract

An electrically programmable and eraseable memory element using source-side hot-electron injection. A semi-conductor substrate of a first conductivity type is provided with a source region and a drain region of opposite conductivity type and a channel region of the first conductivity type extending between the source and drain regions. A control gate overlies the channel region, and a floating gate insulated from the control gate, the source and drain regions and the channel region is located either directly underneath the control gate over the channel region, partially underneath the control gate over the channel region or spaced to the source side of the control gate. A weak gate control region is provided in the device near the source so that a relatively high channel electric field for promoting hot-electron injection is created under the weak gate control region when the device is biased for programming.