Abstract: A memory cell having an asymmetric source and drain connection to virtual ground bit-lines providing an abrupt junction suitable for band-to-band hot electron generation and a gradual junction suitable for Fowler-Nordheim tunneling on each side of the cells. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising row and column arrangement of the cells in which adjacent columns of cells share a single virtual ground bit line.

Abstract: A memory cell having an asymmetric source and drain connection to virtual ground bit-lines. A main diffusion, adjacent the drain and displaced from the source, allows Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling erasure on the drain side of the floating gate. A pocket diffusion, between the main diffusion and the source, concentrates the electric field and thereby enhances the efficiency of programming by electron injection on the source side of the floating gate. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising row and column arrangement of the cells, in which adjacent columns of cells share a single virtual ground bit line.

Abstract: A method for soft programming memory cells and floating gate memory device. During soft programming, a gate voltage is supplied to the control gate, a drain voltage it supplied to the drain, a well voltage is supplied to the well, and an active current limiter is coupled to the source. A circuit for soft programming supplies a gate voltage to the control gate, couples a constant current source to the drain, supplies a well voltage to the well, and supplies a source voltage to the source. The gate voltage may be approximately 2 V, the drain voltage may be approximately 4 V, and the well voltage may be approximately -2 V. According to another embodiment of the invention, the gate voltage is approximately 2 V lower than the drain voltage, and the well voltage is approximately 4 V lower than the gate voltage.

Abstract: A method for soft programming memory cells and floating gate memory device. During soft programming, a gate voltage is supplied to the control gate, a drain voltage it supplied to the drain, a well voltage is supplied to the well, and an active current limiter is coupled to the source. A circuit for soft programming supplies a gate voltage to the control gate, couples a constant current source to the drain, supplies a well voltage to the well, and supplies a source voltage to the source. The gate voltage may be approximately 2 V, the drain voltage may be approximately 4 V, and the well voltage may be approximately -2 V. According to another embodiment of the invention, the gate voltage is approximately 2 V lower than the drain voltage, and the well voltage is approximately 4 V lower than the gate voltage.

Abstract: Method for writing data to a NOR-type flash memory array including loading page data to a bit-latch buffer, programming cells to low threshold voltage V.sub.t, and programming cells to high V.sub.t. Programming cells to high V.sub.t by either: Channel Hot Electron Injection (CHEI) or Source Side Injection (SSI). CHEI releases the band-to-band induced hot hole damage while SSI further reduces the sector size to be the same as page size for NOR-type flash EEPROM memory.

Abstract: A memory cell having an asymmetric source and drain connection to virtual ground bit-lines. A main diffusion, adjacent the drain and displaced from the source, allows Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling erasure on the drain side of the floating gate. A pocket diffusion, between the main diffusion and the source, concentrates the electric field and thereby enhances the efficiency of programming by electron injection on the source side of the floating gate. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising row and column arrangement of the cells, in which adjacent columns of cells share a single virtual ground bit line.

Abstract: A memory cell having an asymmetric source and drain connection to virtual ground bit-lines providing an abrupt junction suitable for band-to-band hot electron generation and a gradual junction suitable for Fowler-Nordheim tunneling on each side of the cells. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising row and column arrangement of the cells in which adjacent columns of cells share a single virtual ground bit line.

Abstract: A floating gate memory device which includes control circuits to generate a repair pulse to repair over-erased cells so they may be repaired block-by-block. This invention includes repairing the cells by applying a repair pulse to the cell's bit line while maintaining the word line voltage above ground. In a different embodiment, the word line voltage is maintained at two different voltage levels above ground. In the first stage, the word line voltage is maintained between approximately 0.1 volts and 0.2 volts for approximately 100 ms while the repair pulse is applied. In the second stage, the word line voltage is maintained between approximately 0.4 volts and 0.5 volts for approximately 100 ms while the repair pulse is applied.