| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090296464 | METHOD FOR ELECTRICALLY TRIMMING AN NVM REFERENCE CELL - An integrated circuit memory has a plurality of non-volatile memory cells and a reference cell. The reference cell provides a reference current for reading a selected memory cell of the plurality of non-volatile memory cells. A method comprises trimming the reference cell to a predetermined threshold voltage, wherein trimming the reference cell comprises biasing a control gate, a source terminal, a drain terminal, and a substrate terminal of the reference cell with a predetermined set of bias conditions, wherein in response to the predetermined set of bias conditions, the reference cell will gain or lose charge toward an asymptotic state of charge that no longer changes significantly after a predetermined operating time under the predetermined set of bias conditions. In addition, the integrated circuit memory is also configured to adjust the reference cell gate voltage to output a desired target current reference. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20100078703 | SPLIT-GATE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELL AND METHOD - A method is disclosed for making a non-volatile memory cell on a semiconductor substrate. A select gate structure is formed over the substrate. The control gate structure has a sidewall. An epitaxial layer is formed on the substrate in a region adjacent to the sidewall. A charge storage layer is formed over the epitaxial layer. A control gate is formed over the charge storage layer. This allows for in-situ doping of the epitaxial layer under the select gate without requiring counterdoping. It is beneficial to avoid counterdoping because counterdoping reduces charge mobility and increases the difficulty in controlling threshold voltage. Additionally there may be formed a recess in the substrate and the epitaxial layer is formed in the recess, and a halo implant can be performed, prior to forming the epitaxial layer, through the recess into the substrate in the area under the select gate. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100159651 | METHOD OF FORMING NANOCRYSTALS - Nanocrystals are formed over an insulating layer by depositing a semiconductor layer over the insulating layer. The semiconductor layer is annealed to form a plurality of globules from the semiconductor layer. The globules are annealed using oxygen. Semiconductor material is deposited on the plurality of globules to add semiconductor material to the globules. After depositing the semiconductor material, the globules are annealed to form the nanocrystals. The nanocrystals can then be used in a storage layer of a non-volatile memory cell, especially a split-gate non-volatile memory cell having a select gate over the nanocrystals and a control gate adjacent to the select gate. | 06-24-2010 |