Contoured nonvolatile memory cell

US6362504B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Philips Electronics North America Corporation · US

Inventor

• Mark Simpson · Houston, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 22, 1995
• Grant date: Mar 26, 2002
• Expiry date: Aug 23, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D30/681

Abstract

A nonvolatile memory cell of the type having a single lateral transistor includes source and drain regions separated by a channel region. A floating gate is provided over at least the channel region and is separated therefrom by a gate oxide, with a control gate over the floating gate and insulated therefrom. By having the floating gate extend over substantially its entire length at a substantially constant distance from the surface of the device, and providing the floating gate and the surface with similarly-contoured corners adjacent ends of the source and drain regions alongside the channel region, the nonvolatile memory cell can be programmed and erased using lower voltages than those required by priorart devices.