Abstract: The invention proposes am improved twin MONOS memory device and its fabrication. The ONO layer is self-aligned to the control gate horizontally. The vertical insulator between the control gate and the word gate does not include a nitride layer. This prevents the problem of electron trapping. The device can be fabricated to pull the electrons out through either the top or the bottom oxide layer of the ONO insulator. The device also incorporates a raised memory bit diffusion between the control gates to reduce bit resistance. The twin MONOS memory array can be embedded into a standard CMOS circuit by the process of the present invention.

Abstract: The invention proposes am improved twin MONOS memory device and its fabrication. The ONO layer is self-aligned to the control gate horizontally. The vertical insulator between the control gate and the word gate does not include a nitride layer. This prevents the problem of electron trapping. The device can be fabricated to pull the electrons out through either the top or the bottom oxide layer of the ONO insulator. The device also incorporates a raised memory bit diffusion between the control gates to reduce bit resistance. The twin MONOS memory array can be embedded into a standard CMOS circuit by the process of the present invention.

Abstract: In the present invention a new method for program and program verify is described. The threshold voltage of the memory cell is shifted up and then measured with minimal charging and discharging of the bit lines and control gate lines. Bit line to control gate line capacitance is also used to reduce the number of voltage references needed. Program current is reduced by use of a load device coupled to the source diffusion. The result is increased program bandwidth with lower high voltage charge pump current consumption.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device is achieved. The device comprises a string of MONOS cells connected drain to source. Each MONOS cell comprises a wordline gate overlying a channel region in a substrate. First and second control gates each overlying a channel region in the substrate. The wordline gate channel region is laterally between first and second control gate channel regions. An ONO layer is vertically between the control gates and the substrate. The nitride layer of the ONO layer forms a charge storage site for each control gate. First and second doped regions, forming a source and a drain, are in the substrate. The wordline gate channel region and the control gate channel regions are between the first doped region and the second doped region. First and second transistors connect the topmost MONOS cell to a first bit line and the bottom most MONOS cell to a second bit line.

Abstract: A method for making a twin MONOS memory array is described where two nitride storage sites lay under the memory cell word gate. The fabrication techniques incorporate self alignment techniques to produce a small cell in which N+ diffusion the nitride storage sites are defined by sidewalls. The memory cell is used in an NAND array where the memory operations are controlled by voltages on the word lines and column selectors. Each storage site within the memory cell is separately programmed and read by application of voltages to the selected cell through the selected word line whereas the unselected word lines are used to pass drain and source voltages to the selected cell from upper and lower column voltages.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to the present invention has a control gate electrode which is formed on the upper stage of a stepped portion formed in the principal surface of a substrate with a first insulating film interposed therebetween and a floating gate electrode which is formed to cover up the stepped portion, capacitively coupled to the side surface of the control gate electrode closer to the stepped portion with a second insulating film interposed therebetween, and opposed to the lower stage of the stepped portion with a third insulating film serving as a tunnel film interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A dynamic programming method for a non-volatile storage device is described. Memory cells are provided arrayed in R rows. Sub bit lines are provided coupled to voltage supply lines through select circuits. During program operation, the select circuits are switched such that one or more of the source side sub bit line or the drain side sub bit line is floating when all other program voltages are applied to a selected cell.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor storage device array organization for wide program operations is achieved. The device comprises a memory cell array region in which a plurality of C columns and R rows of memory cells comprise one UNIT, arranged in a “diffusion bit” array organization which is comprised of R rows of word lines running in a first direction, and C columns of diffusion sub bit lines running in a second direction, and C columns of sub control gate lines running in the same second direction and a sense amplifier/page buffer area shared by several UNIT's through a bit decode circuit, wherein the diffusion sub bit lines in each of the UNIT's are connected to main bit lines which are in turn connected to the sense amplifier/page buffer area, wherein the bit decode circuit selects one diffusion sub bit line column of memory cells in every E columns.

Abstract: The invention proposes am improved twin MONOS memory device and its fabrication. The ONO layer is self-aligned to the control gate horizontally. The vertical insulator between the control gate and the word gate does not include a nitride layer. This prevents the problem of electron trapping. The device can be fabricated to pull the electrons out through either the top or the bottom oxide layer of the ONO insulator. The device also incorporates a raised memory bit diffusion between the control gates to reduce bit resistance. The twin MONOS memory array can be embedded into a standard CMOS circuit by the process of the present invention.

Abstract: The invention proposes am improved twin MONOS memory device and its fabrication. The ONO layer is self-aligned to the control gate horizontally. The vertical insulator between the control gate and the word gate does not include a nitride layer. This prevents the problem of electron trapping. The device can be fabricated to pull the electrons out through either the top or the bottom oxide layer of the ONO insulator. The device also incorporates a raised memory bit diffusion between the control gates to reduce bit resistance. The twin MONOS memory array can be embedded into a standard CMOS circuit by the process of the present invention.

Abstract: The invention proposes am improved twin MONOS memory device and its fabrication. The ONO layer is self-aligned to the control gate horizontally. The vertical insulator between the control gate and the word gate does not include a nitride layer. This prevents the problem of electron trapping. The device can be fabricated to pull the electrons out through either the top or the bottom oxide layer of the ONO insulator. The device also incorporates a raised memory bit diffusion between the control gates to reduce bit resistance. The twin MONOS memory array can be embedded into a standard CMOS circuit by the process of the present invention.

Abstract: A fast low voltage ballistic program, ultra-short channel, ultra-high density, dual-bit multi-level flash memory is described with a two or three polysilicon split gate side wall process. The structure and operation of this invention is enabled by a twin MONOS cell structure having an ultra-short control gate channel of less than 40 nm, with ballistic injection which provides high electron injection efficiency and very fast program at low program voltages of 3˜5V. The cell structure is realized by (i) placing side wall control gates over a composite of Oxide-Nitride-Oxide (ONO) on both sides of the word gate, and (ii) forming the control gates and bit diffusion by self-alignment and sharing the control gates and bit diffusions between memory cells for high density.

Abstract: In the present invention a new method for program and program verify is described. The threshold voltage of the memory cell is shifted up and then measured with minimal charging and discharging of the bit lines and control gate lines. Bit line to control gate line capacitance is also used to reduce the number of voltage references needed. Program current is reduced by use of a load device coupled to the source diffusion. The result is increased program bandwidth with lower high voltage charge pump current consumption.

Abstract: The invention proposes to simplify fabrication of the twin MONOS memory array. The twin MONOS memory array can be embedded into a standard CMOS circuit by the process of the present invention by adding only three additional mask levels. Conventional floating gate devices need ten or more extra masks. In the present invention, the unique twin MONOS process steps can be inserted into the standard CMOS process flow without any parameter modifications. The present invention also achieves increased endurance by means of reducing the widths of the sidewall control gate and underlying nitride storage region.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to the present invention has a control gate electrode which is formed on the upper stage of a stepped portion formed in the principal surface of a substrate with a first insulating film interposed therebetween and a floating gate electrode which is formed to cover up the stepped portion, capacitively coupled to the side surface of the control gate electrode closer to the stepped portion with a second insulating film interposed therebetween, and opposed to the lower stage of the stepped portion with a third insulating film serving as a tunnel film interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device has a protective insulating film deposited on each of the side surfaces of a control gate electrode to protect the control gate electrode during the formation of a floating gate electrode, the floating gate electrode opposed to one of the side surfaces of the control gate electrode with the protective insulating film interposed therebetween so as to be capacitively coupled to the control gate electrode, a tunnel insulating film formed between the floating gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate, a drain region formed in a region of the semiconductor substrate containing a portion underlying the floating gate electrode, and a source region formed in a region of the semiconductor substrate opposite to the drain region relative to the control gate electrode.

Abstract: A method for making a twin MONOS memory array is described where two nitride storage sites lay under the memory cell word gate. The fabrication techniques incorporate self alignment techniques to produce a small cell in which N+ diffusion the nitride storage sites are defined by sidewalls. The memory cell is used in an NAND array where the memory operations are controlled by voltages on the word lines and column selectors. Each storage site within the memory cell is separately programmed and read by application of voltages to the selected cell through the selected word line whereas the unselected word lines are used to pass drain and source voltages to the selected cell from upper and lower column voltages.

Abstract: The invention proposes to simplify fabrication of the twin MONOS memory array. The twin MONOS memory array can be embedded into a standard CMOS circuit by the process of the present invention by adding only three additional mask levels. Conventional floating gate devices need ten or more extra masks. In the present invention, the unique twin MONOS process steps can be inserted into the standard CMOS process flow without any parameter modifications. The present invention also achieves increased endurance by means of reducing the widths of the sidewall control gate and underlying nitride storage region.

Abstract: In the present invention a new method for program and program verify is described. The threshold voltage of the memory cell is shifted up and then measured with minimal charging and discharging of the bit lines and control gate lines. Bit line to control gate line capacitance is also used to reduce the number of voltage references needed. Program current is reduced by use of a load device coupled to the source diffusion. The result is increased program bandwidth with lower high voltage charge pump current consumption.

Abstract: The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device has a floating gate electrode that is formed on the semiconductor region and stores carriers injected from the semiconductor region and a control gate electrode that controls the quantity of stored carriers by applying a predetermined voltage to the floating gate electrode. The source region is formed in the semiconductor region on one of side regions of the floating gate electrode and control gate electrode, while the drain region is formed on the other of the side regions thereof. The drain region creates an electric field from which the carriers injected into the floating gate electrode are subject to an external force having an element directed from the semiconductor region to the floating gate electrode.