Patent · US Expired

Multiple bits-per-cell flash EEPROM memory cells with wide program and erase V.sub.t window

US5790456A · kind A · utility

29Cited by
4References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 9, 1997
Grant dateAug 4, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 9, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/10
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

There is provided an improved method for performing channel hot-carrier programming in an array of multiple bits-per-cell Flash EEPROM memory cells in a NOR memory architecture so as to eliminate program disturb during a programming operation. The array has a plurality of memory cells arranged in rows of word lines and columns of bit lines intersecting the rows of word lines. A programming current source is connected to the source of selected memory cells that are to be programmed in the corresponding columns of bit lines. A programming gate voltage is applied to control gates of the selected memory cells, and a programming drain voltage is applied simultaneously to the common array ground line connected to the drains of all of the memory cells. Further, a relatively low voltage is applied simultaneously to all of the control gates of non-selected memory cells in the array which are not to be programmed during the programming operation so as to eliminate the program disturb.

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