Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
365185330 | Flash | 66 |
20080266983 | FLASH MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF ERASING FLASH MEMORY DEVICE - A flash memory device includes a memory cell array, a bulk voltage generator and a controller. The memory cell array is formed in a bulk area and including memory cells arranged in rows and columns. The bulk voltage generator is configured to supply a bulk voltage to the bulk area. The controller is configured to control the bulk voltage generator to vary an erase time based on a time when the bulk voltage reaches a target voltage. | 10-30-2008 |
20080273401 | METHOD OF ERASING A BLOCK OF MEMORY CELLS - A memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each with a control gate NMOS transistor sharing a floating gate with a program/erase PMOS transistor which is, in turn, connected in series with an access PMOS transistor. The memory cells are formed in a common N-Well formed in a P-substrate, the NMOS transistor being formed in a p-doped pocket or base. The program/erase PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ doped regions formed in the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to a corresponding bit line. The access PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ regions formed within the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to the second P+ region of the program/erase PMOS, and the gate is electrically connected to a corresponding word line. The control gate NMOS includes source, drain, and gate, wherein the source and third drain as well as the p-doped pocket are electrically connected to a corresponding control gate line, and the gate is electrically connected to the gate of the program/erase PMOS, forming floating gate of the cell. | 11-06-2008 |
20080285355 | FLASH MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF ERASING FLASH MEMORY DEVICE - A flash memory device includes a cell array and a voltage supplying and selecting portion. The cell array includes multiple word lines, and the voltage supplying and selecting portion is configured to generate at least two different voltages to be supplied to the word lines of the cell array during an erase operation. | 11-20-2008 |
20080291744 | PORTABLE MEDICAL STORAGE DEVICE AND PROGRAM - A medical self-portable device and program on portable drive containing medical information that would be useful and pertinent for doctors and pharmacists to access and have the ability to update. This medical information is necessary for medical personnel to accurately and efficiently treat life-threatening emergency, non-life-threatening emergency, critical care, and/or routine care in doctors' offices or hospitals. | 11-27-2008 |
20080304329 | Method for erasing and changing data of floating gate flash memory - A method for erasing data stored in the memory cells of the floating gate flash memory is disclosed. The method allows a plurality of sectors to be disposed in a same P well. The method includes erasing data stored in a first set of memory cells according to a control signal, randomly reading the data stored in a second set of memory cells affected by the erasing action of the first set of memory cells, and writing data read from the second set of memory cells onto the second set of memory cells. | 12-11-2008 |
20090067257 | FLASH MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME - A flash memory device and a method of operating the same is disclosed, in which the conditions of voltage (or current) applied during the reading operation are differently adjusted according to an accumulated number of times of a programming operation, an erasing operation or a reading operation (an accumulated number of operation cycle). Even if a level of the threshold voltage is changed to a level which differs from that of the target voltage by an increase of the accumulated number of operation cycle regardless of the programming operation (or the erasing operation) being normally performed, the reliability of the reading operation can be enhanced to prevent a malfunction of the memory cell from being generated. | 03-12-2009 |
20090091983 | NON-VOLATILE MEMORY STRUCTURE AND ARRAY THEREOF - A non-volatile memory structure including a substrate, stacked patterns and stress patterns is provided. The stacked patterns are disposed on the substrate. Each of the stacked patterns includes a charge storage structure and a gate from bottom to top. Here, the charge storage structure at least includes a charge storage layer. The stress patterns are disposed on the substrate between the two adjacent stacked patterns, respectively. | 04-09-2009 |
20090091984 | MEMORY CONFIGURATION OF A COMPOSITE MEMORY DEVICE - The present invention is related to a composite flash memory device comprises a plural sector flash memory array which is divided to plural sector that is a minimum erasing unit of the flash memory device, a flash memory array storing control commands which control a total system of the composite flash memory device and/or the only composite flash memory device in and sharing I/O line of the plural sector flash memory array, the read operation of other flash memory array is enable when the plural sector flash memory array is gained access. | 04-09-2009 |
20090147589 | Selective Application Of Word Line Bias To Minimize Fringe Effects In Electromagnetic Fields During Erase Of Nonvolatile Memory - A memory device comprising an optimization component that facilitates erasing memory cells in a substantially homogeneous electromagnetic field and methods that facilitate erasing memory cells in a substantially homogeneous electromagnetic field are presented. The optimization component facilitates selecting a subset of memory cells to be erased at the same time, such that a memory cell in the subset of memory cells has two neighbor memory cells adjacent thereto that are in the subset of memory, or one neighbor memory cell adjacent thereto when the memory cell is an end-row memory cell. The optimization component facilitates performing a Fowler-Nordheim channel erase to erase the subset of memory cells, and a predetermined voltage potential associated with an erase command is applied to each cell of the subset of memory cells to facilitate reducing fringing effect associated with the electromagnetic fields applied to the cells during the erase. | 06-11-2009 |
20090201744 | Method For Erasing A Flash Memory Cell Or An Array Of Such Cells Having Improved Erase Coupling Ratio - A flash memory cell is of the type having a substrate of a first conductivity type having a first region of a second conductivity type at a first end, and a second region of the second conductivity type at a second end, spaced apart from the first end, with a channel region between the first end and the second end. The flash memory cell has a plurality of stacked pairs of floating gates and control gates with the floating gates positioned over portions of the channel region and are insulated therefrom, and each control gate over a floating gate and insulated therefrom. The flash memory cell further has a plurality of erase gates over the channel region which are insulated therefrom, with an erase gate between each pair of stacked pair of floating gate and control gate. In a method of erasing the flash memory cell, a pulse of a first positive voltage is applied to alternating erase gates (“first alternating gates”). In addition, a ground voltage is applied to erase gates other than the first alternating gates (“second alternating gates”). In a second method to erase the flash memory cell, a pulse of a first positive voltage is applied to the first alternating gates and a negative voltage is applied to the second alternating gates and to all control gates. | 08-13-2009 |
20090207667 | NAND FLASH MEMORY ARRAY WITH CUT-OFF GATE LINE AND METHODS FOR OPERATING AND FABRICATING THE SAME - A NAND flash memory array, an operating method and a fabricating method of the same are provided. The NAND flash memory array has a cut-off gate line under a control gate in order to operate two cells having vertical channels independently with one control gate (i.e., a shared word line). The memory cell area is reduced considerably compared to the conventional vertical channel structure, and is better for high integration. A shared cut-off gate turn off is made during a programming operation and prevents programming the opposite cell by a self-boosting effect. It is possible to shield electrically with a shared word line (a control gate) during a reading operation, and minimizes the effect of storage condition of the opposite cell. Also, the NAND flash memory array can be fabricated by using the conventional CMOS process. | 08-20-2009 |
20090257284 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING STORAGE PERFORMANCE USING A BACKGROUND ERASE - Disclosed are an apparatus, method, and computer readable medium configured for performing a background erase in a memory device. Included is the act of receiving at least one erase command and at least one erasable block address for the memory device. Also included is the act of asserting a background-process-busy flag after receiving the at least one erase command and the at least one erasable block address. At least one block in the memory associated with the at least one erasable block address is erased, wherein the erasing occurs at a time delay after receiving the at least one erase command if a background enable flag is asserted. Finally, the background-process-busy flag is negated after the erasing is complete. | 10-15-2009 |
20090279365 | NON-VOLATILE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY SYSTEM - A non-volatile semiconductor memory system includes a first memory block group including a plurality of memory blocks each including a plurality of erasable and programmable non-volatile semiconductor memory cells and a second memory block group including a plurality of memory blocks each including a plurality of erasable and programmable non-volatile semiconductor memory cells. Block addresses of the second memory block group and block addresses of the first memory block group are non-continuous via blank addresses. | 11-12-2009 |
20100027353 | Erase Method of Flash Device - In an erase method of a flash device, including a page buffer configured to transfer a virtual voltage in response to a discharge signal and further comprising strings each including memory cells and coupled to the page buffer via a respective bit line, applying a ground voltage to a gate of each of the memory cells and erasing the memory cells coupled to a selected bit line by supplying the virtual voltage wherein the virtual voltage is applied to the selected bit line and a unselected bit line. | 02-04-2010 |
20100046304 | NON-VOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE AND ERASE METHOD - Provided is a non-volatile memory device including first and second, vertically stacked semiconductor substrates, a plurality of non-volatile memory cell transistors formed in a row on the first and second semiconductor substrates, and a plurality of word lines connected to gates of the plurality of non-volatile memory cell transistors. The plurality of non-volatile memory cell transistors are grouped into two or more memory cell blocks, such that a first voltage is applied to the first semiconductor substrate including a first memory cell block to be erased, and either (1) a second voltage less than the first voltage and greater than 0V is applied to the second semiconductor substrate not including the first memory cell block, or (2) the second semiconductor substrate not including the first memory cell block is allowed to electrically float. | 02-25-2010 |
20100046305 | ERASE OPERATION IN A FLASH DRIVE MEMORY - A method for erasing a non-volatile memory device performs a block erase operation. The cells are then soft programmed and erase verified to determine if the threshold voltages indicate erased cells. A target cell is programmed to a first threshold voltage and verified. Adjacent cells are programmed and verified. The parasitic capacitance between the target cells and the adjacent cells causes the threshold voltage of the target cell to increase to a new threshold voltage with the programming of the adjacent cells. A difference between the new threshold voltage and the first threshold voltage is determined. If the difference is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, the target cell is soft programmed until the difference is less than the predetermined threshold. | 02-25-2010 |
20100054044 | METHOD OF OPERATING NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE - A method of operating a nonvolatile memory device includes setting an initial cell current level, performing program and erase operations for each word line of a memory block, storing the cycling number of the program and erase operations, comparing the cycling number with a critical cycling number of the program and erase operations, lowering the initial cell current level when the cycling number are larger than the critical cycling number, and changing a program operation option based on the lowered initial cell current level | 03-04-2010 |
20100080069 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A NAND type flash memory for erasing data every block including plural memory cell transistors that are provided every block and have floating gates formed through first gate insulating film above a well formed in a semiconductor substrate and control gates formed through second gate insulating film above the floating gates, data in the memory cell transistors being rewritable by controlling charge amounts accumulated in the floating gates, and a row decoder having a plurality of MOS transistors having drains that are respectively connected to corresponding word lines connected to the control gates of the plurality of memory cell transistors, the row decoder controlling gate and source voltages of the MOS transistors. | 04-01-2010 |
20100091578 | Nonvolatile Memory Devices Having Built-in Memory Cell Recovery During Block Erase and Methods of Operating Same - Nonvolatile memory devices include support memory cell recovery during operations to erase blocks of nonvolatile (e.g., flash) memory cells. A nonvolatile memory system includes a flash memory device and a memory controller electrically coupled to the flash memory device. The memory controller is configured to control memory cell recovery operations within the flash memory device by issuing a first instruction(s) to the flash memory device that causes erased memory cells in the block of memory to become at least partially programmed memory cells and then issuing a second instruction(s) to the flash memory device that causes the at least partially programmed memory cells become fully erased. | 04-15-2010 |
20100118613 | Method of erasing data in flash memory device - A method of erasing data in a flash memory device, including erasing data in at least one flash memory cell using a first erase voltage; detecting whether the at least one flash memory cell has a threshold voltage less than a first voltage; programming the at least one flash memory cell by varying the threshold voltage of the at least one flash memory cell using a second voltage that is greater than the first voltage if the detecting step detects the threshold voltage is less than the first voltage; maintaining the threshold voltage of the at least one flash memory cell if the detecting step detects the threshold voltage is greater than the first voltage; and verifying the at least one flash memory cell using a first verification voltage. | 05-13-2010 |
20100124127 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ERASING A MEMORY - Methods of erasing a memory, methods of operating a memory, memory devices, and systems are disclosed, for example. In one such method, an erase block is erased to an intermediate erase voltage before it is erased to a final erase voltage, such as to tighten an erase distribution. Faster erasing cells have their erasing throttled using a positive bias on their access line once a particular number of cells coupled to the access line are erased to the intermediate erase voltage. | 05-20-2010 |
20100124128 | NAND FLASH MEMORY - A NAND flash memory in which data is erased in blocks, has a plurality of memory cell transistors provided in each of the blocks, the memory cell transistor having a floating gate which is formed via a first gate insulating film on a well formed on a semiconductor substrate and a control gate which is formed on the floating gate via a second gate insulating film, and being capable of rewriting data by controlling an amount of charge accumulated on the floating gate; and a row decoder having a plurality of n-type transfer MOS transistors having drains respectively connected to word lines respectively connected to the control gates of the plurality of memory cell transistors, the row decoder controlling gate voltages and source voltages of the transfer MOS transistors. | 05-20-2010 |
20100149881 | ADAPTIVE ERASE AND SOFT PROGRAMMING FOR MEMORY - An erase sequence of a non-volatile storage device includes an erase operation followed by a soft programming operation. The erase operation applies one or more erase pulses to the storage elements, e.g., via a substrate, until an erase verify level is satisfied. The number of erase pulses is tracked and recorded as an indicia of the number of programming-erase cycles which the storage device has experienced. The soft programming operation applies soft programming pulses to the storage elements until a soft programming verify level is satisfied. Based on the number of erase pulses, the soft programming operation time is shortened by skipping verify operations for a specific number of initial soft programming pulses which is a function of the number of erase pulses. Also, a characteristic of the soft programming operation can be optimized, such as starting amplitude, step size or pulse duration. | 06-17-2010 |
20100149882 | Methods of Operating Embedded Flash Memory Devices - Flash memory device structures and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. The flash memory devices are manufactured on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates. Shallow trench isolation (STI) regions and the buried oxide layer of the SOI substrate are used to isolate adjacent devices from one another. The methods of manufacture require fewer lithography masks and may be implemented in stand-alone flash memory devices, embedded flash memory devices, and system on a chip (SoC) flash memory devices. | 06-17-2010 |
20100165748 | ERASE COMPLETION RECOGNITION - Embodiments include but are not limited to apparatuses and systems including a main memory array, at least one erase status memory cell associated with the main memory array and configured to store a value indicative of an erase completion status of the main memory array, and a control module operatively coupled to the at least one erase status memory cell, the control module configured to perform operations on the main memory array based at least in part on the value stored in the at least one erase status memory cell. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. | 07-01-2010 |
20100226183 | PARTIAL BLOCK ERASE ARCHITECTURE FOR FLASH MEMORY - A method and system for increasing the lifespan of a flash memory device by selectively erasing sub-blocks of a memory block. Each physical memory block of the flash memory device is dividable into at least two logical sub-blocks, where each of the at least two logical sub-blocks is erasable. Therefore, only the data of the logical sub-block is erased and reprogrammed while unmodified data in the other logical sub-block avoids unnecessary program/erase cycles. The logical sub-blocks to be erased are dynamically configurable in size and location within the block. A wear leveling algorithm is used for distributing data throughout the physical and logical sub-blocks of the memory array to maximize the lifespan of the physical blocks during programming and data modification operations. | 09-09-2010 |
20100238739 | NOR FLASH MEMORY DEVICE AND RELATED METHODS OF OPERATION - A NOR flash memory device is programmed by selecting one of a plurality of global bit lines and sequentially selecting a plurality of local bit lines commonly connected with the selected global bit line to supply a program voltage to memory cells. | 09-23-2010 |
20100265775 | ERASING FLASH MEMORY USING ADAPTIVE DRAIN AND/OR GATE BIAS - A hot hole erase operation as described herein can be utilized for a flash memory device having an array of memory cells. The erase operation employs an adaptive erase bias voltage scheme where the drain bias voltage (and/or the gate bias voltage) is dynamically adjusted in response to an erase pulse count corresponding to a preliminary erase operation during which a relatively small portion of a sector is erased. The adjustment of the erase bias voltage in this manner enables the rest of the sector to be erased using erase bias voltages that are better suited to the current erase characteristics of the sector. | 10-21-2010 |
20100271884 | COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ERASING DATA FROM A COMMUNICATION DEVICE - A communication device and method for erasing data include setting erasing parameters and initializing the erasing parameters, erasing data in a target data block of the flash memory once, and calculate a current erasing count of the erased block, setting a first bit of the erased block as “0”. The communication device and method further determines whether other bits except the first bit of the erased block are all “1”, determines whether the current erasing count is less than the max erasing time if any bit except the first bit of the erased block is not “1”, and prompts an output if the current erasing count equals to the max erasing time. | 10-28-2010 |
20100277986 | NON-VOLATILE FIELD PROGRAMMABLE GATE ARRAY - A non-volatile memory device includes a first metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device coupled to a bit line and a word line and a second CMOS device coupled to the first CMOS device. The second CMOS device is also coupled to a complementary bit line and a complementary word line. The first and second CMOS devices are complementary to one another. An output node is coupled between the first CMOS device and the second CMOS device. A method of programming a non-volatile field programmable gate array (NV-FPGA) includes coupling an information handling system to the FPGA, performing a block erase of a plurality of memory cells in the FPGA, verifying that the block erase is successful, programming an upper page of the FPGA, verifying that the upper page programming is successful, programming a lower page of the FPGA and verifying that the lower page programming is successful. | 11-04-2010 |
20100296348 | ERASE OPERATION CONTROL SEQUENCING APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS - Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive an external erase command at a control circuit coupled to an erasable memory array located on a substrate. A global select gate voltage may thereafter be enabled for application to wordline transistors coupled to the erasable memory array after a voltage applied to the substrate has reached a preselected initiation voltage level between about zero volts and an ultimate erase voltage. | 11-25-2010 |
20100302871 | CONCURRENT INTERSYMBOL INTERFERENCE ENCODING IN A SOLID STATE MEMORY - Methods and devices are provided for concurrent intersymbol interference encoding in a solid state memory. In an illustrative embodiment, a write data signal is received as input to a processing component. A channel-effect-corrected encoding of the write data signal is produced, where the channel-effect-corrected encoding is based on the write data signal and a channel effect factor that models concurrent intersymbol interference of the write data signal in a target data storage component in communicative connection with the processing component. An output signal based on the channel-effect-corrected encoding of the write data signal is produced from the processing component. | 12-02-2010 |
20100309730 | MEMORY ERASE METHODS AND DEVICES - Memory devices and erase methods for memories are disclosed, such as those adapted to discharge an erase voltage from a memory block while protecting low voltage string select gate transistors by maintaining the string select gate transistors in a turned on state during discharge. | 12-09-2010 |
20100322014 | ERASING METHOD FOR NONVOLATILE MEMORY - The present invention relates to an erasing method for nonvolatile memory, which uses forward bias between the source/drain region and body contact to inject majority carriers into the body, and then accelerates the majority carriers by an electric field between the body and the gate to energize the majority carriers to overcome the oxide barrier and to erase the nonvolatile memory. | 12-23-2010 |
20100322015 | Split Gate NAND Flash Memory Structure and Array, Method of Programming, Erasing and Reading Thereof, and Method of Manufacturing - A split gate NAND flash memory structure is formed on a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. The NAND structure comprises a first region of a second conductivity type in the substrate with a second region of the second conductivity type in the substrate, spaced apart from the first region. A continuous first channel region is defined between the first region and the second region. A plurality of floating gates are spaced apart from one another with each positioned over a separate portion of the channel region. A plurality of control gates are provided with each associated with and adjacent to a floating gate. Each control gate has two portions: a first portion over a portion of the channel region and a second portion over the associated floating gate and capacitively coupled thereto. | 12-23-2010 |
20110013463 | Method of Forming Memory Devices by Performing Halogen Ion Implantation and Diffusion Processes - Disclosed is a method of forming memory devices employing halogen ion implantation and diffusion processes. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes forming a plurality of word line structures above a semiconducting substrate, each of the word line structures comprising a gate insulation layer, performing an LDD ion implantation process to form LDD doped regions in the substrate between the word line structures, performing a halogen ion implantation process to implant atoms of halogen into the semiconducting substrate between the word line structures, and performing at least one anneal process to cause at least some of the atoms of halogen to diffuse into the gate insulation layers on adjacent word line structures. | 01-20-2011 |
20110032773 | POWER SUPPLIES IN FLASH MEMORY DEVICES AND SYSTEMS - Power supplies in flash memory devices are disclosed. A first section of a flash memory device includes non-volatile memory for storing data. A second section of the flash memory device includes at least first and second pumping circuits. The first pumping circuit receives a first voltage and produces, at an output of the first pumping circuit, a second voltage at a second voltage level that is higher than the first voltage level. The second pumping circuit has an input coupled to the first pumping circuit output for cooperatively employing the first pumping circuit to pump up from a voltage greater than the first voltage to produce a third voltage at a third voltage level that is higher than the second voltage level. | 02-10-2011 |
20110063924 | METHOD OF FLASH MEMORY DESIGN WITH DIFFERENTIAL CELL FOR BETTER ENDURANCE - A flash memory system includes a first flash memory cell having a first floating gate, a first source region, and a first control gate. The first control gate is connected to a word line. The first flash memory cell includes a first oxide layer separating the first control gate from the first floating gate and a first drain region connecting to a first bit line. The flash memory system also includes a second flash memory cell having a second floating gate, a second source region, and a second control gate. The second control gate is connected to the word line. The second flash memory cell includes a second oxide layer separating the second control gate from the second floating gate and a second drain region connecting to a second bit line. A comparator processes a first and second input signals received from the respective first and second bit lines. | 03-17-2011 |
20110075490 | DATA STRIPES AND ADDRESSING FOR FLASH MEMORY DEVICES - Data stripes and addressing for flash memory devices are provided. Flash memory devices illustratively have a plurality of programmable devices that are capable of simultaneously storing data. A plurality of erasure blocks are within each of the programmable devices, and each erasure block has pages of transistors. The flash memory devices are logically organized as a plurality of stripes. Each stripe has a height and a width. In an embodiment, the stripe height is greater than one page. In another embodiment, the stripe width is less than all of the programmable devices within the flash memory device. | 03-31-2011 |
20110080792 | PARALLEL BITLINE NONVOLATILE MEMORY EMPLOYING CHANNEL-BASED PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY - Providing for a new combination of non-volatile memory architecture and memory processing technology is described herein. By way of example, disclosed is a parallel bitline semiconductor architecture coupled with a channel-based processing technology. The channel based processing technology provides fast program/erase times, relatively high density and good scalability. Furthermore, the parallel bitline architecture enables very fast read times comparable with drain-based tunneling processes, achieving a combination of fast program, erase and read times far better than conventional non-volatile memories. | 04-07-2011 |
20110158003 | METHOD OF ERASING MEMORY CELL - An embodiment of a method of erasing a target memory cell includes grounding a selected word line commonly coupled to portions of a row of memory cells respectively formed on first well regions of a plurality of first well regions of a first conductivity type formed in a second well region of a second conductivity type, the at least one target memory cell coupled to the selected word line and formed on one of the first well regions, the first well regions electrically isolated from each other; applying a first voltage to the first well region on which the at least one target memory cell is formed; and applying a second voltage to unselected word lines, each unselected word line commonly coupled to portions of a row of memory cells not targeted for erasing and respectively formed on the first well regions. | 06-30-2011 |
20110182125 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, AND METHOD OF DATA ERASE IN THE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A semiconductor memory device in accordance with an embodiment comprises a memory cell array and an erase voltage generating circuit. The memory cell array is configured as an arrangement of nonvolatile memory cells. The erase voltage generating circuit is configured to generate an erase voltage for performing data erase of the memory cell array. The erase voltage generating circuit is configured to set, in a data erase mode where the erase voltage is applied to a selected region of the memory cell array in a plurality of erase cycles, a rise waveform of the erase voltage in an initial stage of the plurality of erase cycles to be less steep than a rise waveform of the erase voltage in subsequent cycles. | 07-28-2011 |
20110182126 | FLASH MEMORY ARRAY OF FLOATING GATE-BASED NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELLS - A flash memory array comprises a plurality of memory cells organized in a matrix of rows and columns. Each of the memory cells includes a floating gate memory transistor having a source region and a drain region, and a coupling capacitor electrically connected to the memory transistor. A plurality of word lines are each electrically connected to the capacitor in each of the memory cells in a respective row. A first set of bit lines are each electrically connected to the drain region of the memory transistor in each of the memory cells in a respective column. A plurality of high voltage access transistors are each electrically connected to a bit line in the first set of bit lines. A second set of bit lines are each electrically connected to the source region of the memory transistor in each of the memory cells in a respective column. Various combinations of voltages can be applied to the word lines and the first and second sets of bit lines in operations to erase, program, inhibit, or read the logic state stored by the memory transistor in one or more of the memory cells. | 07-28-2011 |
20110205810 | NONVOLATILE SEMICONDUCTOR STORAGE DEVICE - According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device includes a first well region of a first conductivity type, a second well region of the first conductivity type, a third well region of a second conductivity type, a bit line and a column decoder. A first cell array including a plurality of memory cells is formed in the first well region. A second cell array including a plurality of memory cells is formed in the second well region. The third well region includes the first and second well regions. The bit line is connected to the memory cells included in the first cell array and the memory cells included in the second cell array. The column decoder is connected to the bit line. | 08-25-2011 |
20110267897 | Non-Volatile Memory Cells Formed in Back-End-of-Line Processes - A method for forming and operating an integrated circuit, including providing a substrate; forming a bottom electrode over the substrate, wherein the bottom electrode is in or over a lowest metallization layer over the substrate; forming a blocking layer over the substrate; forming a charge-trapping layer over the blocking layer; forming an insulation layer over the charge-trapping layer; forming a control gate over the insulation layer; forming a tunneling layer over the control gate; and forming a top electrode over the tunneling layer. | 11-03-2011 |
20110273936 | ERASE PROCESS FOR USE IN SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A method of erasing memory cells of a memory device includes programming memory cells if the erasing procedure is suspended. The erasing procedure can include pre-programming, erasing, and soft-programming of memory cells in a selected memory unit. If a suspend command is received, for example to allow for a read operation of memory cells of another unit of memory, the erasing procedure stops the pre-programming, erasing, or soft-programming, and proceeds with programming one or more memory cells of the memory unit that was being erased. | 11-10-2011 |
20120020168 | POWER SUPPLIES IN FLASH MEMORY DEVICES AND SYSTEMS - Power supplies in flash memory devices are disclosed. A first section of a flash memory device includes non-volatile memory for storing data. A second section of the flash memory device includes at least first and second pumping circuits. The first pumping circuit receives a first voltage and produces, at an output of the first pumping circuit, a second voltage at a second voltage level that is higher than the first voltage level. The second pumping circuit has an input coupled to the first pumping circuit output for cooperatively employing the first pumping circuit to pump up from a voltage greater than the first voltage to produce a third voltage at a third voltage level that is higher than the second voltage level. | 01-26-2012 |
20120033503 | CHARGE TRAP FLASH MEMORY DEVICE AND AN ERASING METHOD THEREOF - An erase method of a charge trap flash memory device, the method including receiving a temperature detection result, and performing an erase operation based on the temperature detection result, wherein the erase operation includes an erase execution interval, an erase verify interval and a delay time between the erase execution interval and the erase verify interval, wherein the erase operation changes a level of a word line voltage applied to word lines during the erase execution interval, a length of the delay time, or a level of the word line voltage applied to the word lines during the delay time. | 02-09-2012 |
20120033504 | ERASE VOLTAGE REDUCTION IN A NON-VOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE - In erasing a memory block of memory cells, a semiconductor tub that contains a memory block to be erased can be biased with a high, positive voltage. The control gates of the memory cells that make up the memory block can be biased with a negative voltage. An erase verification can then be performed to determine if the memory block has been successfully erased. If the memory block has not been erased, the erase operation of biasing the tub with the positive voltage and the control gates with the negative voltage can be repeated until the erase verification is successful. | 02-09-2012 |
20120134215 | MEMORY DEVICES HAVING SELECT GATES WITH P TYPE BODIES, MEMORY STRINGS HAVING SEPARATE SOURCE LINES AND METHODS - Memory devices and methods of operating memory devices are shown. Configurations described include a memory cell string having an elongated n type body region and having select gates with p type bodies. Configurations and methods shown can provide a reliable bias to a body region for memory operations such as erasing. | 05-31-2012 |
20120155187 | Adaptive Programming for Flash Memories - A method to adjust the programming voltage in flash memory when the programming time exceeds specification. A method to adjust the programming voltage of flash memory after a predetermined number of erase/write cycles. | 06-21-2012 |
20120300554 | Sanitizing a Non-Volatile Memory Through Charge Accumulation - Method and apparatus for sanitizing a non-volatile memory, such as a flash memory array. In accordance with various embodiments, a memory cell is sanitized by using a write circuit to accumulate charge on a floating gate of the cell to a level such that application of a maximum available read sensing voltage to a control gate of the cell is insufficient to place the cell in a conductive state. | 11-29-2012 |
20120327721 | METHOD FOR ERASING MEMORY ARRAY - A method for erasing a memory array is provided. The memory array comprises a plurality of memory cell strings, and each of the memory cell strings comprises a plurality of memory cells connected to a plurality of word lines. The method for erasing the memory array includes the following steps. A first voltage is applied to a substrate of the memory array. A second voltage is applied to a word line of a selected memory cell, and a plurality of passing voltages are applied to other word lines. And, a third voltage and a fourth voltage are respectively applied to a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region of the selected memory cell, so that a band to band (BTB) hot hole injecting method is induced to erase the specific memory cell, wherein the third voltage is not equal to the fourth voltage. | 12-27-2012 |
20130064017 | CONCURRENT OPERATION OF PLURAL FLASH MEMORIES - A device comprises an address storage device. A first circuit includes a first flash memory, configured to sequentially receive first and second addresses and store the first address in the address storage device. The first circuit has a first set of control inputs for causing the first circuit to perform a first operation from the group consisting of read, program and erase on a cell of the first flash memory corresponding to a selected one of the first and second addresses. A second circuit includes a second flash memory, configured to receive the second address. The second circuit has a second set of control inputs for causing the second circuit to read data from a cell of the second flash memory corresponding to the second address while the first operation is being performed. | 03-14-2013 |
20130107635 | COMMON DOPED REGION WITH SEPARATE GATE CONTROL FOR A LOGIC COMPATIBLE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELL | 05-02-2013 |
20130294173 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE ERASE SUSPEND OPERATION - Various aspects of a nonvolatile memory have an improved erase suspend procedure. A bias arrangement is applied to word lines of an erase sector undergoing an erase procedure interrupted by an erase suspend procedure. As a result, another operation performed during erase suspend, such as a read operation or program operation, has more accurate results due to decreased leakage current from any over-erased nonvolatile memory cells of the erase sector. | 11-07-2013 |
20140022849 | Solid State Drive Memory Device Comprising Secure Erase Function - A memory device such as a solid state memory device have a dual-hardware, secure erase feature. A memory controller operating in a memory controller domain provides general memory management and interface operons. Upon receipt of a trigger signal which may be received from a secure supervisor circuit, a separate processor element that is configured to directly access the raw memory cells in the device bypasses the memory controller domain and executes a separately provided secure erase operating system whereby the raw cell data may be erased and rewritten with a predetermined data pattern and whereby the erase operation at the raw cell level may be verified and reported to the user by the processor. | 01-23-2014 |
20140043917 | NON-VOLATILE SEMICONDUCTOR STORAGE DEVICE - According to one embodiment, there is provided a non-volatile semiconductor storage device including a memory cell and a control unit. The memory cell has a gate electrode including a control gate and a charge storage region on a semiconductor substrate and has a channel region under the gate electrode in the semiconductor substrate. The control unit, during an erase operation where electric charges written in the charge storage region are extracted to the channel region, periodically varies a voltage which is to be applied between the control gate and the channel region. | 02-13-2014 |
20140126299 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A semiconductor device has a semiconductor layer, a floating gate electrode provided over the semiconductor layer via a first insulation film, and an erase gate electrode to which an erase voltage is applied. The floating gate electrode has an opposing region that opposes via a second insulation film to the erase gate electrode. The opposing region has such a shape that multiple electric field concentrating portions are formed when the erase voltage is applied to the erase gate electrode. | 05-08-2014 |
20140133245 | Twin MONOS Array for High Speed Application - A stitch area configuration for word gates and control gates of a twin MONOS metal bit array comprises control gates on sidewalls of the word gates wherein the word gates and control gates run in parallel. Control gate poly contacts contact each of the control gates aligned in a row at the stitch area perpendicular to the control gates. Two word gate poly contacts at the stitch area contact alternating word gates. Also provided are bit lines, word line and control gate decoders and drivers, a bit line decoder, a bit line control circuit, and a chip controller to control the memory array. The invention also provides twin MONOS metal bit array operations comprising several control gates driven by one control gate driver circuit and one word gate driven by one word gate driver circuit, as well as erase inhibit and block erase. | 05-15-2014 |
20140198583 | Method and System for Reducing the Size of Nonvolatile Memories - Embodiments relate to system and methods including a plurality of nonvolatile memory elements wherein sets of least two nonvolatile memory elements each share one select element for selecting one of the nonvolatile memory elements of a particular one of the sets of nonvolatile memory elements for a read operation or a program operation. | 07-17-2014 |
20140293709 | SINGLE-LAYER GATE EEPROM CELL, CELL ARRAY INCLUDING THE SAME, AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE CELL ARRAY - A cell array portion of a single-layer gate EEPROM device includes a plurality of unit cells formed over a substrate to share a first well region in the substrate. Each of the plurality of unit cells includes a floating gate having a first part disposed over the first well region and a second part extending from the first part to have a strip shape, a selection gate spaced apart from the floating gate and disposed to be parallel with the second part of the floating gate, and an active region disposed in the substrate to intersect the floating gate and the selection gate. | 10-02-2014 |
20150036437 | FLASH MEMORY CELL WITH CAPACITIVE COUPLING BETWEEN A METAL FLOATING GATE AND A METAL CONTROL GATE - An apparatus includes a storage transistor. The storage transistor includes a floating gate configured to store electrical charge and a control gate. The floating gate is coupled to the control gate via capacitive coupling. The floating gate and the control gate are metal. The apparatus also includes an access transistor coupled to the storage transistor. A gate of the access transistor is coupled to a word line. The storage transistor and the access transistor are serially coupled between a bit line and a source line. | 02-05-2015 |
20150055419 | CONTROLLER, MEMORY SYSTEM, AND METHOD - According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a memory chip and a controller. The controller is configured to count a first elapsed time from a start of an Erase process when causing the memory chip to execute the Erase process. The controller is configured to cause the memory chip to interrupt the Erase process after the first elapsed time exceeds a threshold value. | 02-26-2015 |
20160027517 | System And Method To Inhibit Erasing Of Portion Of Sector Of Split Gate Flash Memory Cells - A system and method to inhibit the erasing of a portion of a sector of split gate flash memory cells while allowing the remainder of the sector to be erased is disclosed. The inhibiting is controlled by control logic that applies one or more bias voltages to the portion of the sector whose erasure is to be inhibited. | 01-28-2016 |
20160071593 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY - A semiconductor memory includes a first selection transistor and a second selection transistor on one end of a memory string. The first selection transistor includes a channel region in a semiconductor substrate, a channel region in a semiconductor pillar, and a gate electrode connected to a first line. The second selection transistor includes a channel region in the semiconductor pillar and a gate electrode connected to a second line. The first line is connected to a first voltage circuit, and the second line is connected to a second voltage circuit. | 03-10-2016 |