Patent · US Active

Low leakage, low threshold voltage, split-gate flash cell operation

US9275748B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
1References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 25, 2014
Grant dateMar 1, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 10, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10B69/00
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of reading a memory device having rows and columns of memory cells formed on a substrate, where each memory cell includes spaced apart first and second regions with a channel region therebetween, a floating gate disposed over a first portion of the channel region, a select gate disposed over a second portion of the channel region, a control gate disposed over the floating gate, and an erase gate disposed over the first region. The method includes placing a small positive voltage on the unselected source lines, and/or a small negative voltage on the unselected word lines, during the read operation to suppress sub-threshold leakage and thereby improve read performance.

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