Patent · US Expired

Self-limiting erase scheme for EEPROM

US4797856A · kind A · utility

53Cited by
4References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 16, 1987
Grant dateJan 10, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 16, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/3472
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A self-limiting scheme to prevent an over-erase condition of a one-transistor EEPROM cell. During an erase cycle, a drain voltage is fed back to a floating gate to counteract a positive erase voltage on the source of the memory cell and therein reduce the electric field across the tunnel oxide leading to the cessation of erase. In another scheme, the drain voltage is fed back to deactivate the erase voltage when a predetermined drain voltage value is exceeded.

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