Patent · US Expired

Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having electrically and collectively erasable characteristics

US6646920B2 · kind B2 · utility

20Cited by
22References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 7, 2002
Grant dateNov 11, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 7, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C2029/5004
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines. A plurality of memory cells, each formed of a MIS transistor, are disposed at intersections of the word lines and the bit lines. The threshold voltages of the MIS transistors being externally electrically controllable according to charges to be injected to floating gates thereof. The floating gates of the MIS transistors being simultaneously discharged to collectively erase the memory cells. A first row decoder applies a normal voltage to a selected word line to select memory cells connected to the selected word line, when reading data. A second row decoder applies a predetermined source voltage to sources of memory cells connected to the selected word line, and applies an unselected state establishing voltage to the sources of memory cells, including those overerased by the collective erasing, connected to unselected word lines, when reading data.

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