Semiconductor storage device, method for protecting predetermined memory element and portable electronic equipment

Abstract

There is provided a semiconductor storage device and portable electronic equipment including a nonvolatile memory element that can easily be miniaturized. The semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell arrayin which a plurality of memory elementsare arranged and a write state machine. The memory elementincludes a gate electrodeformed on a semiconductor layervia a gate insulator, a channel region arranged below the gate electrode, diffusion regionsthat are located on both sides of the channel region and have a conductive type opposite to that of the channel region and memory function bodiesthat are located on both sides of the gate electrodeand have a function to retain electric charge. The write state machinecan selectively prevent program and erase of data in the memory elements within a predetermined range.