Abstract: In one embodiment, a transistor fabricated on a semiconductor die is arranged into sections of elongated transistor segments. The sections are arranged in rows and columns substantially across the semiconductor die. Adjacent sections in a row or a column are oriented such that the length of the transistor segments in a first one of the adjacent sections extends in a first direction, and the length of the transistor segments in a second one of the adjacent sections extends in a second direction, the first direction being substantially orthogonal to the second direction. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a main vertical field-effect transistor (FET) and a sensing FET. The main vertical FET and the sense FET are both formed on a pillar of semiconductor material. Both share an extended drain region formed in the pillar above the substrate, and first and second gate members formed in a dielectric on opposite sides of the pillar. The source regions of the main vertical FET and the sensing FET are separated and electrically isolated in a first lateral direction. In operation, the sensing FET samples a small portion of a current that flows in the main vertical FET. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor fuse structure having a low power programming threshold and anti-reverse engineering characteristics. The fuse structure includes a substrate having a field oxide region. A polysilicon strip that has an increased dopant concentration region lies over the field oxide region. The fuse structure further includes a silicided metallization layer having first and second regions lying over the polysilicon strip. The first region has a first thickness, and the second region has a second thickness that is less than the first thickness and is positioned substantially over the increased dopant concentration region of the polysilicon strip. Preferably, the first region of the silicided metallization layer has a first side and a second side located on opposite sides of the second region, and the resulting fuse structure is substantially rectangular in shape. Therefore, the semiconductor fuse structure can be programmed by breaking the second region.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor fuse structure having a low power programming threshold and anti-reverse engineering characteristics. The fuse structure includes a substrate having a field oxide region. A polysilicon strip that has an increased dopant concentration region lies over the field oxide region. The fuse structure further includes a silicided metallization layer having first and second regions lying over the polysilicon strip. The first region has a first thickness, and the second region has a second thickness that is less than the first thickness and is positioned substantially over the increased dopant concentration region of the polysilicon strip. Preferably, the first region of the silicided metallization layer has a first side and a second side located on opposite sides of the second region, and the resulting fuse structure is substantially rectangular in shape. Therefore, the semiconductor fuse structure can be programmed by breaking the second region.

Abstract: An electrically-erasable, electrically programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) with multiple erase modes identifies sections of memory cells that have not received a write operation subsequent to the most recent erase operation and inhibits erasure of the memory cells in such sections. An indicator column is formed from indicator memory cells added to each section. During a write operation in which a section is first erased and then programmed, the EEPROM reads the indicator memory cell added to the section and inhibits the erase of the section if the memory cells in the section are in an erased state.

Abstract: A method of semiconductor fabrication, in which a single aperture is used to define both a thin oxide tunneling region and a drain diffusion region in a self-aligned fashion, produces a device structure suitable for use in an electrically-erasableread-only memory (EEPROM) cell. A gate oxide is grown, then a photoresist mask is formed having a slit for ion implantation into the drain diffusion region. The oxide within the slit is etched away, and ion implantation forms a drain diffusion region. After the mask is stripped away, a healing furnace cycle removes the implant damage. A thin tunnel oxide layer is grown over the drain diffusion region, and then a polysilicon floating gate is formed so that one edge of this gate intersects a portion of the area of tunnel oxidation so as to form a small region of tunnel oxide under the floating gate. The process sequence then reverts to a conventional MOS flow.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flash EPROM cell structure that has the advantages of source-side injection, but which is formed in such a way as to allow it to be utilized in a virtual-ground buried bit-line array layout. The buried bit-line array confers two advantages over the more conventional T-cell array. It allows contacts to be shared among a large number of cells, thereby reducing the layout area associated with each cell. This leads to smaller chip size. Moreover, the yield of the array is significantly increased due to the drastic reduction in the total number of contacts in the array.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated circuit fabrication method that utilizes a conductive spacer to define the gate length of the series select transistor in a split-gate memory cell. Since the length of the spacer can be controlled with great precision using existing integrated circuit process technologies, misalignment problems associated with the prior art split-gate cells are eliminated.

Abstract: A method and structure for forming in an EEPROM memory transistor a tunnel dielectric region having an extremely small surface area. A floating gate region is formed in the conventional manner above a gate dielectric layer. The drain region is exposed utilizing photolithographic techniques and the gate dielectric removed therefrom. A thin layer of tunnel dielectric is then formed on the exposed drain region. A thin layer of polycrystalline silicon is then formed and etched in order to create very narrow floating gate extensions of polycrystalline silicon along the edge of the previously formed floating gate. The floating gate extension formed in this manner which overlies the drain region is separated from the drain region by thin tunnel dielectric. A dielectric is then formed on the device in order to provide a dielectric over the drain region which has a greater thickness than the tunnel dielectric underlying the floating gate extension.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated circuit fabrication method that utilizes a conductive spacer to define the gate length of the series select transistor in a split-gate memory cell. Since the length of the spacer can be controlled with great precision using existing integrated circuit process technologies, misalignment problems associated with the prior art split-gate cells are eliminated.

Abstract: A carrier-domain magnetometer (20) incorporating compensation for changes in its domain rotation frequency/magnetic flux density characteristic due to changes in operating conditions, e.g. electric bias and/or ambient temperature conditions, and/or due to ageing, compensation being obtained by providing means (24 to 28) for monitoring the ratio (F-F.sub.o)/F.sub.o where F is the domain rotation frequency when both a magnetic field biassing the magnetometer onto the linear part of its frequency/flux characteristic and a magnetic field to be sensed are applied, and F.sub.o is the domain rotation frequency when the biassing field only is applied.

Abstract: A semiconductor device incorporates a p-n-p-n structure of circular geometry, within which there may be formed a carrier domain which will rotate around the structure when an appropriate magnetic field is applied. The four regions of this structure are all bounded by a planar surface of the semiconductor, one end region being centrally disposed and the other forming an annular intrusion into the adjacent intermediate region, which is also of annular form and has contact made to it only outwardly of the annular intrusion. The device may be utilized in various ways in magnetic field sensors.