Patents by Inventor Ryozo Nakayama

Ryozo Nakayama has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5978265
    Abstract: An electrically erasable programmable read-only memory is disclosed which has programmable memory cells connected to parallel bit lines provided above a semiconductor substrate. The memory cells include NAND cell blocks each of which has a series array of memory cell transistors. Parallel word lines are connected to the control gates of the memory cell transistors, respectively. In a data write mode, a selection transistor in a certain NAND cell block including a selected memory cell is rendered conductive to connect the certain cell block to a corresponding bit line associated therewith. Under such a condition, electrons are tunnel-injected into a floating gate of the selected memory cell transistor, and the threshold value of the certain transistor is increased to be a positive value. A logical data is thus written in the selected memory cell transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ryouhei Kirisawa, Riichiro Shirota, Ryozo Nakayama, Seiichi Aritome, Masaki Momodomi, Yasuo Itoh, Fujio Masuoka
  • Patent number: 5824583
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memory having non-volatile memory cells capable of electrically erasing and writing data. Each memory cell has a floating gate formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate above the channel region, and a control gate. The floating gate partially covers the channel region. Each memory cell is thereby constructed of a parallel connection of a floating gate transistor and an enhancement type transistor. The floating gate transistor is displaced in one of the widthwise directions of the channel region, or partially covers only the central portion of the channel region in the widthwise direction thereof. A plurality of memory cells are connected in series to constitute a basic block. Adjacent basic blocks are separated by an enhancement type MOS transistor. In this memory, a memory cell (floating gate) and an enhancement type MOS transistor (gate) are formed in self alignment with each other using the same mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Micro-Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masamichi Asano, Hiroshi Iwahashi, Ryouhei Kirisawa, Ryozo Nakayama, Satoshi Inoue, Riichiro Shirota, Tetsuo Endoh, Fujio Masuoka
  • Patent number: 5597748
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memory having non-volatile memory cells capable of electrically erasing and writing data. Each memory cell has a floating gate formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate above the channel region, and a control gate. The floating gate partially covers the channel region. Each memory cell is thereby constructed of a parallel connection of a floating gate transistor and an enhancement type transistor. The floating gate transistor is displaced in one of the widthwise directions of the channel region, or partially covers only the central portion of the channel region in the widthwise direction thereof. A plurality of memory cells are connected in series to constitute a basic block. Adjacent basic blocks are separated by an enhancement type MOS transistor. In this memory, a memory cell (floating gate) and an enhancement type MOS transistor (gate) are formed in self alignment with each other using the same mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masamichi Asano, Hiroshi Iwahashi, Ryouhei Kirisawa, Ryozo Nakayama, Satoshi Inoue, Riichiro Shirota, Tetsuo Endoh, Fujio Masuoka
  • Patent number: 5508957
    Abstract: An erasable programmable read-only memory with NAND cell structure includes NAND cell blocks, each of which has a selection transistor connected to the corresponding bit line and a series array of memory cell transistors, and a switching transistor connected between the series array of memory cell transistors and ground. Each cell transistor has a floating gate and a control gate. Word lines are connected to the control gates of the cell transistors. In a data writing mode, a selection transistor of a certain cell block containing a selected cell is rendered conductive, so that this cell block is connected to the corresponding bit line. Under such a condition, a decoder circuit stores a desired data (a logic "one" e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masaki Momodomi, Fujio Masuoka, Yasuo Itoh, Hiroshi Iwahashi, Yoshihisa Iwata, Masahiko Chiba, Satoshi Inoue, Riichiro Shirota, Ryozo Nakayama, Kazunori Ohuchi, Shigeyoshi Watanabe, Ryouhei Kirisawa
  • Patent number: 5397723
    Abstract: A process for forming an array of FATMOS transistors serving as memory cells of a NAND cell type EEPROM. A multi-layered structure is provided on a substrate with two stacked conductive layers insulated by an intermediate insulative layer, the first or inner conductive layer being insulated by a first insulative layer from the substrate, the second or outer conductive layer being covered with a second insulative layer. The second insulative layer is etched to define a first array of etched layer portions. A photoresist layer is deposited and etched to define a second array of layer portions, each of which is positioned between two neighboring ones of the first array of layer portions. The multi-layered structure is etched with the first and second layer portions being as a mask, to thereby form an array of a plurality of pairs of insulated gate electrodes above the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Riichiro Shirota, Masaki Momodomi, Ryozo Nakayama, Seiichi Aritome, Ryouhei Kirisawa, Tetsuro Endoh, Shigeyoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5323039
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memory having non-volatile memory cells capable of electrically erasing and writing data. Each memory cell has a floating gate formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate above the channel region, and a control gate. The floating gate partially covers the channel region. Each memory cell is thereby constructed of a parallel connection of a floating gate transistor and an enhancement type transistor. The floating gate transistor is displaced in one of the widthwise directions of the channel region, or partially covers only the central portion of the channel region in the widthwise direction thereof. A plurality of memory cells are connected in series to constitute a basic block. Adjacent basic blocks are separated by an enhancement type MOS transistor. In this memory, a memory cell (floating gate) and an enhancement type MOS transistor (gate) are formed in self alignment with each other using the same mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masamichi Asano, Hiroshi Iwahashi, Ryouhei Kirisawa, Ryozo Nakayama, Satoshi Inoue, Riichiro Shirota, Tetsuo Endoh, Fujio Masuoka
  • Patent number: 5179427
    Abstract: A NAND cell type EEPROM has parallel data transmission lines formed above a substrate, and a memory cell section including a plurality of NAND type cell units containing a NAND type cell unit that is associated with a certain bit line of the bit lines. This NAND type cell unit has a series-circuit of a preselected number of data storage transistors with control gates, and a selection transistor. A substrate voltage-stabilizing layer is insulatively provided above the substrate and positioned in the field area in adjacent to the certain bit line. The conductive layer is connected to the substrate by a contact portion so that the substrate voltage can be constantly set to a preselected voltage potential of a fixed value during the NAND type cell unit is being subjected to the write and erase modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ryozo Nakayama, Riichiro Shirota, Yasuo Itoh, Ryouhei Kirisawa, Hideko Odaira, Masaki Momodomi, Yoshihisa Iwata, Tomoharu Tanaka, Seiichi Aritome, Tetsuo Endoh, Fujio Masuoka
  • Patent number: 4939690
    Abstract: An erasable programmable read-only memory with NAND cell structure is disclosed which includes NAND cell blocks each of which has a selection transistor connected to a corresponding bit line and a series array of memory cell transistors. Each cell transistor has a floating gate and a control gate. Word lines are connected to the control gates of the cell transistors. In a data erase mode all the memory cells are simultaneously erased by applying a "H" level potential to the control gates of the memory cells and a "L" level potential to the bit lines. Prior to such a simultaneous erase, charges are removed from charge accumulation layers of the memory cells so that the threshold values of the memory cells are initialized. The threshold initialization is performed on the series-arrayed memory cell transistors in the NAND cell block in sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masaki Momodomi, Riichiro Shirota, Yasuo Itoh, Satoshi Inoue, Fujio Masuoka, Ryozo Nakayama, Ryouhei Kirisawa