Abstract: A negative charge-pump circuit for flash memory includes a well, a pass-gate transistor, a well bias circuit and a negative voltage recovery circuit. The pass-gate transistor has a source, a drain and a gate. The well bias circuit controls the well to remain one of zero biased and reverse biased. The negative voltage recovery circuit is coupled to a negative recovery voltage and coupled to the pass-gate transistor to selectively provide the negative recovery voltage to the pass-gate transistor when the charge-pump circuit is disabled.

Abstract: Non-volatile memory circuits according to the present invention provide a reference memory having multiple reference cells that are shared among a group of sense amplifiers through an interconnect conductor line. The higher number of reference cells for each reference memory generates a greater amount of electrical current for charging multiple source lines. The multiple source lines are coupled to the interconnect conductor bar for capacitance matching with a source line coupled to a memory cell in a main memory array. After a silicon wafer out, measurements to the capacitance produced by the source line in the main memory array and the capacitance produced by the source line in the reference array are taken for an optional trimming. A further calibration in capacitance matching is achieved by trimming one of the source lines that is coupled to the interconnect conductor bar and the reference memory, either by cutting a portion of the source line or adding a portion to the source line.

Abstract: A flash based device in configured for soft programming to correct for over-erase effect; however, the soft programming current is limited so as not to exceed the current that can be supplied during soft programming. Additionally, the voltage on the source node of each cell on the flash based device is maintained at a non-zero level, in order to allow for the use fo a higher word line voltage, but help prevent an over soft programming effect.

Abstract: A memory cell array, such as an EEPROM flash memory array, includes a current limiting circuit that limits a sum of leakage currents from nonselected memory cells during operation of the array, such as during a programming operation.

Abstract: Non-volatile memory circuits according to the present invention provide a reference memory having multiple reference cells that is shared among a group of sense amplifiers through an interconnect conductor line. The higher number of reference cells for each reference memory generates a greater amount of electrical current for charging multiple source lines. The multiple source lines are coupled to the interconnect conductor bar for capacitance matching with a source line coupled to a memory cell in a main memory array. After a silicon wafer out, measurements to the capacitance produced by the source line in the main memory array and the capacitance produced by the source line in the reference array are taken for an optional trimming. A further calibration in capacitance matching is achieved by trimming one of the source lines that is coupled to the interconnect conductor bar and the reference memory, either by cutting a portion of the source line or adding a portion to the source line.

Abstract: A wordline driver cell, coupled to at least one wordline, includes at least one diffusion region and at least one wordline driver semiconductor switching device formed in the at least one diffusion region. The at least one wordline driver semiconductor switching device has a channel width that is arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the at least one wordline.

Abstract: A memory device is disclosed that includes a plurality of word lines and a plurality of memory cells operating in one of a plurality of modes and coupled to at least one of the word lines. The memory device also includes a plurality of reference lines and reference cells. Each reference cell corresponds to one of the operating modes, supplies a reference current for the corresponding mode, and is coupled to at least one of the reference lines. A reference cell current from a reference cell can also be compared to a target range and, if outside the target range, the voltage level on a corresponding referece line can be adjusted accordingly such that the reference current falls within the target range (i.e., reference current trimming).