The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 07, 2004
Filed:
Dec. 02, 2002
Yi He, Fremont, CA (US);
Edward F. Runnion, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Zhizheng Liu, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Mark W. Randolph, San Jose, CA (US);
Darlene G. Hamilton, San Jose, CA (US);
Pauling Chen, Saratoga, CA (US);
Binh Le, San Jose, CA (US);
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A method of detecting a charge stored on a charge storage region of a first dual bit dielectric memory cell within an array of dual bit dielectric memory cells comprises grounding a first bit line that forms a source junction with a channel region of the first memory cell. A high voltage is applied to a gate of the first memory cell and to a second bit line that is the next bit line to the right of the first bit line and separated from the first bit line only by the channel region. A third bit line, that is the next bit line to the right of the second bit line, is isolated such that its potential is effected only by its junctions with the a second channel region and a third channel region on opposing sides of the third bit line. A high voltage is applied to a pre-charge bit line that is to the right of the third bit line and current flow is detected at the second bit line to determine the programmed status of a source bit of the memory cell.