Eon Silicon Devices, Inc.

Chao-Ven Kao

Chien-Sheng Su

James C Yu

Chih-Liang Chen

I-Chuin Peter Chan

The invention is a novel erase method for erasing flash EEPROM memory devices. A memory cell of such a memory device has a first semiconductor region of one conductivity type formed in a second region of the opposite conductivity type, source and drain regions of the opposite conductivity type formed in the first semiconductor region, and a gate. The second region is formed within a substrate of the one conductivity type. The gate includes a control gate and a floating gate, which retains charge and overlies the first semiconductor region. The erase method of the invention includes the steps of: applying a first voltage of one polarity to the source region and the first and second semiconductor regions; and simultaneously applying a second voltage of the opposite polarity to the gate, whereby any charge on the floating gate tunnels through the floating gate dielectric into both the first region and the source region, thereby removing any charge retained by the floating gate.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Chao-Ven Kao