Patent · US Expired

Sourceless floating gate memory device and method of storing data

US5814853A · kind A · utility

115Cited by
11References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 22, 1996
Grant dateSep 29, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 22, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D8/812
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A floating gate diode which can be used as a sourceless memory cell, and which may be arranged into an array of memory cells is disclosed. The floating gate diode comprises: a drain region formed in a substrate; an oxide overlying and associated with the drain region; and a floating gate overlying the oxide. Upon application of a voltage to the drain, a current between the drain and substrate is induced in proportion to an amount of electrons stored on the gate. The cells may be arranged into an array which comprises a substrate having a surface; a plurality of drain regions, one of said drain regions respectively corresponding to one of the plurality of cells, formed in the substrate; an oxide region overlying the plurality of drain regions on the surface of the substrate; and a plurality of floating gates overlying the oxide and respectively associated with the plurality of drain regions.

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