Ememory Technology Inc.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Ming-Chou Ho

Shih-Jye Shen

Jian-Hsing Lee

Ching-Hsiang Hsu

Kuo-Reay Peng

Hsin-Ming Chen

Shih-Chen Wang

Juang-Ke Yeh

Juang-Ker Yeh

Chun-Hung Lu

Chih-Hsun Chu

Wen-Ting Chu

Di-Son Kuo

Wei-Zhe Wong

Chuan-Li Chang

Ching-Sung Yang

Ya-Chin King

Shao-Chang Huang

Wen-Hao Ching

Tsung-Mu Lai

Yen-Tai Lin

Kung-Hong Lee

Shih-Chan Huang

Chang-Song Lin

Chang Song Lin

A method for operating a one-time programmable read-only memory (OTP-ROM) is provided. The OTP-ROM comprises a first gate and a second gate respectively disposed on a gate dielectric layer between a first doped region and a second doped region on a substrate, wherein the first gate is adjacent to the first doped region and coupled to the first doped region, the second gate is adjacent to the second doped region, the first gate is electrically coupled grounded, and the OTP-ROM is programmed through a breakdown effect. The method comprises a step of programming the OTP-ROM under the conditions that a voltage of the second doped region is higher than a voltage of the first doped region, the voltage of the second gate is higher than a threshold voltage to pass the voltage of the second doped region, and the first doped region and the substrate are at a reference voltage.

Method for operating one-time programmable read-only memory

A non-volatile single-poly memory device is disclosed. The non-volatile single-poly memory device includes two mirror symmetric unit cells, which is capable of providing improved data correctness. Further, the non-volatile single-poly memory device is operated at low voltages and is fully compatible with logic processes.

Nonvolatile single-poly memory device

A single-poly non-volatile memory cell that is fully compatible with nano-scale semiconductor manufacturing process is provided. The single-poly non-volatile memory cell includes an ion well, a gate formed on the ion well, a gate dielectric layer between the gate and the ion well, a dielectric stack layer on sidewalls of the gate, a source doping region and a drain doping region. The dielectric stack layer includes a first oxide layer deposited on the sidewalls of the gate and extends to the ion well, and a silicon nitride layer formed on the first oxide layer. The silicon nitride layer functions as a charge-trapping layer.

Method for operating single-poly non-volatile memory device

A non-volatile memory formed on a first conductive type substrate is provided. The non-volatile memory includes a gate, a second conductive type drain region, a charge storage layer, and a second conductive type first lightly doped region. The gate is formed on the first conductive type substrate. The second conductive type drain region is formed in the first conductive type substrate at the first side of the gate. The charge storage layer is formed on the first conductive type substrate at the first side of the gate and between the second conductive type drain region and the gate. The second conductive type first lightly doped region is formed in the first conductive type substrate at the second side of the gate. The second side is opposite to the first side.

Operation method of non-volatile memory

A system on chip (SOC) contains a core circuit and an input/output (I/O) circuit embedded with an array of single-poly erasable programmable read only memory cells, each of which comprises a first PMOS transistor serially connected to a second PMOS transistor. The first and second PMOS transistors are both formed on an N-well of a P-type substrate. The first PMOS transistor includes a single-poly floating gate, a first Pdoped drain region and a first Pdoped source region, the second PMOS transistor includes a single-poly select gate and a second Pdoped source region, and the first Pdoped source region of the first PMOS transistor serves as a drain of the second PMOS transistor.

Integrated circuit embedded with single-poly non-volatile memory

A NVM device encompasses a MOS select transistor including a select gate electrically connected to a word line, a first source doping region electrically connected to a source line, and a first drain doping region. A MOS floating gate transistor is serially electrically connected to the MOS select transistor. The MOS floating gate transistor comprises a floating gate, a second source doping region electrically connected to the first drain doping region of the MOS select transistor, and a second drain doping region electrically connected to a bit line. The second source doping region and the second drain doping region define a floating gate channel. When the MOS floating gate transistor is programmed via a hot electron injection (HEI) mode, the floating gate is a Pdoped floating gate; when the MOS floating gate transistor is programmed via a hot hole injection (HHI) mode, the floating gate is an Ndoped floating gate.

Semiconductor memory device having improved data retention

An electrically erasable programmable logic device (EEPLD) contains a P-type substrate. A first N-type doped region is disposed in the P-type substrate. A first gate, which is used to store data, overlies the P-type substrate and is adjacent to the first N-type doped region. A second N-type doped region is laterally disposed in the P-type substrate. The second N-type doped region is also adjacent to the first gate. A second gate, which acts as a select gate or select gate of the EEPLD, overlies the P-type substrate and is adjacent to the second N-type doped region. A third N-type doped region is disposed in the P-type substrate. The third N-type doped region is adjacent to the second gate. By Applying a sufficient voltage on the first N-type doped region (V), and changing a select gate voltage (V) or the third N-type doped region voltage (V) applied on the second gate of the EEPLD, the operation of the EEPLD can be selectively implemented either under a channel hot hole (CHH) program mode or a channel hot electron (CHE) erase mode.

Method for operating N-channel electrically erasable programmable logic device

A CMOS-compatible read only memory (ROM) includes a first single-poly PMOS transistor that is serially electrically connected to a second single-poly PMOS transistor for recording digital data &ldquo;1&rdquo; or digital data &ldquo;0&rdquo;. The first and second single-poly PMOS transistors are both formed on an N-well of a P-type substrate. The first single-poly PMOS transistor includes a select gate electrically connected to a word line, a first P&plus; source doping region electrically connected to a source line, and a first P&plus; drain doping region. The second single-poly PMOS transistor includes a floating gate, a second P&plus; source doping region electrically connected to the first P&plus; drain doping region, and a second P&plus; drain doping region electrically connected to a bit line. The second P&plus; source doping region and the second P&plus; drain doping region define a floating gate channel region under the floating gate. A fast FPLD-to-ROM conversion method is also disclosed. After the final software code is fixed and the addresses where the memory units to be coded are determined, the FPLD are transformed into a ROM by either changing the layout of a photo mask that is used to define polysilicon gates to cancel the pre-selected floating gates according to the fixed software code, or by ion implanting the pre-selected floating gate channel regions underneath those floating gates where the memory units are to be coded.

Cmos-compatible read only memory and method for fabricating the same

A fabrication method for a non-volatile memory includes providing a first metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor having a control gate and a second MOS transistor having a source, a drain, and a floating gate. The first MOS transistor and the second MOS transistor are formed on a well. The method further includes biasing the first MOS with a first biasing voltage to actuate the first MOS transistor, biasing the second MOS transistor with a second biasing voltage to enable the second MOS transistor to generate a gate current, and adjusting capacitances between the floating gate of the second MOS transistor and the drain, the source, the control gate, and the well according to voltage difference between the floating gate of the second MOS transistor and the source of the second MOS transistor.

Fabrication method for non-volatile memory

A method for forming an electrically programmable read-only memory(EPROM) includes forming a first p doped region, a second p doped region, and a third p doped region on an N-well, forming a control gate between the first p doped region and the second p doped region, and forming a p floating gate between the second p doped region and the third p doped region.

Method for forming EPROM with low leakage

An electrically erasable programmable logic device (EEPLD) includes a P type semiconductor substrate. An N type well is formed on the P type semiconductor substrate. A first PMOS transistor is formed on the N well. The first PMOS transistor comprises a floating gate, a first P doped region serving as a drain of the first PMOS transistor, and a P doped region encompassing an N doped region for erasing the first PMOS transistor. A second PMOS transistor is also formed on the N well and serially connected to the first PMOS transistor. The first P doped region functions as a source of the second PMOS transistor, and the second PMOS transistor further comprises a select gate and a second P doped region serving as a drain of the second PMOS transistor.

Electrically erasable programmable logic device

A modified nitride spacer and making of the same are disclosed. The modified nitride spacer is formed adjacent a high-temperature oxide (HTO) layer which in turn is formed adjacent the sidewalls of a gate electrode. It is shown that the placement of an intervening oxide layer between the sidewalls of the gate electrode and the nitride spacer, in that order only, provides a significant improvement in charge retention in floating gate memory cells. Also, forming of the spacer from pure, undoped oxide only yields the same favorable results.

Modified nitride spacer for solving charge retention issue in floating gate memory cell

The present invention provides method to fabricate a snap-back flash EEPROMS device. The method begins by forming a gate structure 22 24 28 26 on a substrate. The gate structure comprises: a tunnel oxide layer 22, a floating gate 24, integrate dielectric layer 28, and a control gate 26. A drain 14 is formed adjacent to the gate structure by an masking 51 and ion implant process. Next, a source side doped region 18 is formed adjacent to and under a portion of the gate structure 22 24 28 26 by an masking and ion implant process. Spacers 32 are now formed on the sidewalls of the gate structure. A source 20 is formed overlapping portion of the side source doped region 18 and adjacent to the spacers 32. The side source doped region has a lower dopant concentration than the source 20. This method forms a snap-back memory cell wherein the side source doped region 18 is used to apply a high voltage to operate the EEPROM cell in a snap-back erase mode.

Process for a snap-back flash EEPROM cell

A method for fabricating a single polysilicon, non-volatile memory device, has been developed. The method features the use of a metal structure, comprised to contact an underlying control gate region, located in the semiconductor structure, in addition to providing the upper electrode, for a capacitor structure. The capacitor structure, in addition to the metal structure used as the upper electrode, is also comprised of an underlying capacitor dielectric layer, and an underlying polysilicon floating gate structure, used as the lower electrode of the capacitor structure. The creation of the capacitor structure results in performance increases realized via the additional control gate coupling capacitance, obtained via the novel configuration described in this invention.

Use of a metal contact structure to increase control gate coupling

A method to erase data from a flash EEPROM while electrical charges trapped in the tunneling oxide of a flash EEPROM are eliminated to maintain proper separation of the programmed threshold voltage and the erased threshold voltage after extended programming and erasing cycles, while preventing damage due to high field stress in the tunneling oxide. The method to erase a flash EEPROM cell begins by applying a relatively high positive voltage pulse to the source of the EEPROM cell. Simultaneously a ground reference voltage is applied to the drain and to the semiconductor substrate. At the same time a relatively large negative voltage pulse is applied to the control gate. This will cause a parasitic bipolar transistor to conduct and go into a snap back condition reducing the voltage field in the tunneling oxide.

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Hsin-Chu, Taiwan

Ming-Chou Ho