Pseudo-nonvolatile direct-tunneling floating-gate device

Details Pseudo-nonvolatile direct-tunneling floating-gate device Pseudo-nonvolatile direct-tunneling floating-gate device

2005-09-12

2011-12-13

Sandvik, Benjamin (Department: 2826)

Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode

Field effect device

Having insulated electrode

C257SE29136

Reexamination Certificate

active

08076707

ABSTRACT:
A semiconductor device is provided that uses a floating gate to store analog- and digital-valued information for periods of time measured in milliseconds to hours. Charge is added to and/or removed from the floating gate by means of direct electron tunneling through the surrounding insulator, with the insulator typically being thin enough such that appreciable tunneling occurs with an insulator voltage smaller than the difference in electron affinities between the semiconductor and the insulator and/or between the floating gate and the insulator. The stored information is refreshed or updated as needed. In many applications, the stored information can be refreshed without interrupting normal circuit operation. Adding and removing charge to or from the floating gate may be performed using separate circuit inputs, to tailor the performance and response of the floating-gate device. There is no need to use a control gate in the floating-gate structures disclosed herein.

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Tatsuya Usuki, et al., “Direct Tunneling Memory: Trade-off Between Nonvolatility and High Endurance with Low Voltage Operations”, Nonvolatile Semiconductor Workshop Symposium, Aug. 12, 2001, pp. 80-81.

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