Floating gate inverter type memory cell and array

Abstract

A non-volatile memory (NVM) cell and array includes a control capacitor, tunneling capacitor, CMOS inverter and output circuit. The CMOS inverter includes PMOS and NMOS inverter transistors. The control capacitor, tunneling capacitor and PMOS and NMOS inverter transistors share a common floating gate, which is programmed/erased by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. The output circuit includes PMOS and NMOS select transistors. The PMOS inverter and select transistors share a common source/drain region. Similarly, the NMOS inverter and select transistors share a common source/drain region. This configuration minimizes the required layout area of the non-volatile memory cell and allows design of arrays with smaller footprints. Alternately, the tunneling capacitor may be excluded, further reducing the required layout area of the NVM cell. In this case, the NMOS inverter transistor functions as a tunneling capacitor for programming and erasing the cell, and the PMOS inverter transistor functions as a tunneling capacitor for erasing the cell.