Patent · US Expired

Method of fabricating a self-aligned non-volatile memory cell

US6624029B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
14References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 6, 2002
Grant dateSep 23, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 6, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D64/035
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed is a self-aligned non-volatile memory cell comprising a small sidewall spacer electrically coupled and being located next to a main floating gate region. Both the small sidewall spacer and the main floating gate region are formed on a substrate and both form the floating gate of the non-volatile memory cell. Both are isolated electrically from the substrate by an oxide layer which is thinner between the small sidewall spacer and the substrate; and is thicker between the main floating gate region and the substrate. The small sidewall spacer can be made small; therefore, the thin oxide layer area can also be made small to create a small pathway for electrons to tunnel into the floating gate.

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