Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for hot carrier injection

US5659504A · kind A · utility

45Cited by
6References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 25, 1995
Grant dateAug 19, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 25, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/3404
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The invention is directed to a memory cell with a floating gate and a method for charging the floating gate using channel-initiated secondary electron injection (CISEI). In the device of the present invention, a positive bias voltage of about 1.1 volts to about 3.3 volts is applied between the drain and the source when introducing charge onto the floating gate. A negative bias voltage of about -0.5 volts or more negative is applied to the substrate and the source. The drain substrate bias induces a sufficient amount of secondary hot electrons to be formed with a sufficient amount of energy to overcome the energy barrier between the substrate and the floating gate to charge the floating gate.

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