Patent · US Expired

Method for erasing an electrically programmable and erasable non-volatile memory cell

US5784319A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
8References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 24, 1997
Grant dateJul 21, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 24, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/14
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for erasing an electrically programmable and erasable non-volatile memory cell having a control electrode, an electrically-insulated electrode and a first electrode. The method provides for coupling the control electrode to a first voltage supply and coupling the first electrode to a second voltage supply. The first voltage supply and the second voltage supply are suitable to cause tunneling of electric charges between the electrically-insulated electrode and the first electrode. The method also provides for a constant current to flow between the second voltage supply and the first electrode of the memory cell for at least part of an erasing time of the memory cell, the constant current having a prescribed value.

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