Patent · US Active

Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having floating gate that includes two layers

US7842992B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by
20References
40Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 20, 2007
Grant dateNov 30, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 25, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/0483
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

It is an object to provide a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device with an excellent writing property and charge-retention property. A semiconductor layer including a channel forming region between a pair of impurity regions which are formed to be apart from each other is provided. In an upper layer portion thereof, a first insulating layer, a floating gate electrode, a second insulating layer, and a control gate electrode are provided. The floating gate has at least a two-layer structure, and a first layer being in contact with the first insulating layer preferably has a band gap smaller than that of the semiconductor layer. The stability of the first layer is improved by formation of a second layer of the floating gate electrode using a metal, an alloy, or a metal compound material. Such a structure of the floating gate electrode can improve injectability of carriers in writing and a charge-retention property.

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