Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Stmicroelectronics S.a.

Frank Lhermet

Marco Pasotti

Roberto Antonio Canegallo

Pier Luigi Rolandi

Giovanni Guaitini

Pierre Rizzo

Francis Dell'Ova

Pierluigi Rolandi

Ernestina Chioffi

Bertrand Gomez

Stephane Rayon

Dominique Poirot

Nicole Lessoile

A method is provided for manufacturing an integrated electronic component arranged on a substrate wafer. According to the method, at least one metallization step is performed, and a value of an electrical parameter of the integrated electronic component is determined after the at least one metallization step. A subsequent metallization step is performed after determining the value of the electrical parameter. The subsequent metallization step is performed using an adjustment mask chosen from n predefined masks based on a desired value of the electrical parameter, so as to obtain the desired value of the electrical parameter of the integrated electronic component after manufacturing. In one preferred embodiment, a series of electrical tests is performed on the wafer using test equipment, and the value of the electrical parameter is determined using the same test equipment as is used to perform the series of electrical tests.

Method for adjusting an electrical parameter on an integrated electronic component

A programming method comprises the steps of applying a ramp voltage having a first slope to the gate terminal of a selected memory cell to rapidly bring the threshold voltage of the selected cell to an intermediate value; then applying a ramp voltage having a second slope lower than the first, to end programming to the desired final threshold value with high precision. Thereby, when a high threshold value is to be programmed, programming time is reduced; on the other hand, if a low threshold value is to be programmed, the slower ramp voltage is applied right from the start, to prevent possible overprogramming of the cell.

Method for high precision programming nonvolatile memory cells, with optimized programming speed

A method for restoring the charge lost from memory cells, such as to restore the original voltage levels, within a time equivalent to the retention time. The condition of the memory cell is determined, for example, when the memory is switched on, or based on the time elapsed since the previous programming/restoration, or based on the difference between the present threshold voltage of the reference cells and the original threshold voltage of the (suitably stored) reference cells, or when predetermined operating conditions occur. This makes it possible to prolong the life of nonvolatile memories, in particular of multilevel type, wherein the retention time decreases as the number of levels (bits/cell) is increased.

Method for maintaining the memory content of non-volatile memory cells

The controlled erase method includes supplying at least one erase pulse to cells of a memory array; comparing the threshold voltage of the erased cells with a low threshold value; selectively soft-programming the erased cells which have a threshold voltage lower than the low threshold value; and verifying whether the erased cells have a threshold voltage lower than a high threshold value, which is higher than the low threshold value. If at least one predetermined number of erased cells has a threshold voltage which is higher than the high threshold value, an erase pulse is applied to all the cells and the steps of comparing, selectively soft-programming and verifying are repeated.

Method for controlled erasing memory devices, in particular analog and

Growing community of inventors

La Ciotat, France

Frank Lhermet