Abstract:
A method of forming a semiconductor device starts with a substrate of silicon, a first insulation layer on the silicon, and a silicon layer on the first insulation layer. The silicon layer and the insulation layer are removed just from a second substrate area. A second insulation layer is formed over the silicon layer in the substrate first area and over the silicon in the second substrate area. A first plurality of trenches is formed in the first substrate area that each extends through all the layers and into the silicon. A second plurality of trenches is formed in the second substrate area that each extends through the second insulation layer and into the silicon. An insulation material is formed in the first and second trenches. Logic devices are formed in the first substrate area, and memory cells are formed in the second substrate area.
Abstract:
A method of forming active areas and isolation regions in a semiconductor substrate using a double patterning process. The method include forming a first material on the substrate surface, forming a second material on the first material, forming a plurality of first trenches into the second material wherein the plurality of first trenches are parallel to each other, forming a second trench into the second material wherein the second trench is perpendicular to and crosses the plurality of first trenches in a central region of the substrate, filling the first and second trenches with a third material, removing the second material to form third trenches in the third material that are parallel to each other and do not extend through the central region of the substrate, and extending the third trenches through the first material and into the substrate.
Abstract:
A memory device, and method of making the same, in which a trench is formed into a substrate of semiconductor material. The source region is formed under the trench, and the channel region between the source and drain regions includes a first portion that extends substantially along a sidewall of the trench and a second portion that extends substantially along the surface of the substrate. The floating gate is disposed in the trench, and is insulated from the channel region first portion for controlling its conductivity. A control gate is disposed over and insulated from the channel region second portion, for controlling its conductivity. An erase gate is disposed at least partially over and insulated from the floating gate. An electrically conductive coupling gate is disposed in the trench, adjacent to and insulated from the floating gate, and over and insulated from the source region.
Abstract:
A bitline regulator for use in a high speed flash memory system is disclosed. The bitline regulator is responsive to a set of trim bits that are generated by comparing the bias voltage of a bitline to a reference voltage.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
A non-volatile memory device has a charge pump for providing a programming current and an array of non-volatile memory cells. Each memory cell of the array is programmed by the programming current from the charge pump. The array of non-volatile memory cells is partitioned into a plurality of units, with each unit comprising a plurality of memory cells. An indicator memory cell is associated with each unit of non-volatile memory cells. A programming circuit programs the memory cells of each unit using the programming current, when fifty percent or less of the memory cells of each unit is to be programmed, and programs the inverse of the memory cells of each unit and the indicator memory cell associated with each unit, using the programming current, when more than fifty percent of the memory cells of each unit is to be programmed.