ONE-DEVICE NON-VOLATILE RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY CELL
First Claim
1. A one-device non-volatile memory cell, comprising:
- a body region;
a first diffusion region formed in the body region;
a second diffusion region formed in the body region such that a channel region is formed in the body region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region;
a gate insulator stack formed above the channel region, the gate insulator stack including a floating plate to selectively hold a charge, the floating plate being connected to the second diffusion region;
a gate formed above the gate insulator stack such that the gate insulator stack is disposed between the gate and the channel region; and
a diode connecting the body region to the second diffusion region.
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Abstract
One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a one-device non-volatile memory cell. The memory cell includes a body region, a first diffusion region and a second diffusion region formed in the body region. A channel region is formed in the body region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region. The memory cell includes a gate insulator stack formed above the channel region, and a gate to connect to a word line. The gate insulator stack includes a floating plate to selectively hold a charge. The floating plate is connected to the second diffusion region. The memory cell includes a diode that connects the body region to the second diffusion region such that the floating plate is charged when the diode is reversed biased. Other aspects are provided herein.
60 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A one-device non-volatile memory cell, comprising:
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a body region;
a first diffusion region formed in the body region;
a second diffusion region formed in the body region such that a channel region is formed in the body region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region;
a gate insulator stack formed above the channel region, the gate insulator stack including a floating plate to selectively hold a charge, the floating plate being connected to the second diffusion region;
a gate formed above the gate insulator stack such that the gate insulator stack is disposed between the gate and the channel region; and
a diode connecting the body region to the second diffusion region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A one-device non-volatile memory cell, comprising:
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a body region;
a first diffusion region formed in the body region;
a second diffusion region formed in the body region such that a channel region is formed in the body region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region;
a gate insulator stack formed above the channel region, the gate insulator stack including a floating plate to selectively hold a charge, the floating plate being ohmically connected to the second diffusion region;
a gate formed above the gate insulator stack such that the gate insulator stack is disposed between the gate and the channel region;
a built-in lateral diode connecting the body region to the second diffusion region; and
a built-in Schottky diode connecting the body region to the floating plate. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A one-device non-volatile memory cell, comprising:
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a body region;
a first diffusion region formed in the body region to connect to a bit line;
a second diffusion region formed in the body region such that a channel region is formed in the body region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region;
a first tunnel oxide region formed above the channel region to provide a lower charge blocking layer;
a floating plate formed above the first oxide region and ohmically connected to the second diffusion region;
a second tunnel oxide region formed above the floating plate to provide an upper charge blocking layer;
a gate to connect to a word line, the gate being formed above the second tunnel oxide region; and
a diode connecting the body region to the second diffusion region. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A one-device non-volatile memory cell, comprising:
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a substrate including a body region, a first diffusion region, and a second diffusion region, wherein the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region provide a channel region in the body region;
a gate insulator stack formed over the channel, including;
a first tunnel oxide region formed above the channel region to provide a lower charge blocking layer;
a floating plate formed by a combination of a metal silicide layer and a metal oxide layer formed on the first tunnel oxide region, wherein the metal silicide layer is ohmically connected to the second diffusion region;
a second tunnel oxide region formed above the combination of the metal silicide layer and the metal oxide layer to provide an upper charge blocking layer;
a gate formed above the second tunnel oxide region; and
a diode connecting the body region to the second diffusion region. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A one-device non-volatile memory cell, comprising:
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a substrate including a body region, a first diffusion region, and a second diffusion region, wherein the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region provide a channel region in the body region;
a gate insulator stack formed over the channel, including;
a first tunnel oxide region formed above the channel region to provide a lower charge blocking layer;
a floating plate formed by a combination of a metal silicide layer and a metal oxide layer formed on the first tunnel oxide region, wherein the metal silicide layer contacts the second diffusion region;
a second tunnel oxide region formed above the combination of the metal silicide layer and the metal oxide layer to provide an upper charge blocking layer;
a gate formed above the second tunnel oxide region;
a lateral semiconductor junction diode connecting the body region to the second diffusion region such that the floating plate is charged when the junction diode is reversed biased; and
a Schottky diode formed by the contact between the metal silicide layer and the body region such that the floating plate is discharged when the Schottky diode is forward biased. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A one-device non-volatile memory cell, comprising:
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a substrate including a body region, a first diffusion region, and a second diffusion region, wherein the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region provide a channel region in the body region;
a gate;
a gate insulator stack between the substrate and the gate, and formed over the channel, including;
charge storage means for holding a charge to change a threshold voltage of the cell; and
charge blocking means for preventing significant charge leakage from the charge storage means to the gate and from the charge storage means to the substrate;
means for providing an ohmic connection between the charge storage means and the second diffusion layer; and
means for charging and discharging the charge storage means through the ohmic connection. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A memory array, comprising:
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a number of memory cell transistors;
each of the memory cell transistors including a body region, a first diffusion region, a second diffusion region, a gate, a floating plate and at least one diode;
the floating plate being disposed between the body region and the gate to store a charge that changes a threshold voltage of the memory cell transistor;
the second diffusion region being ohmically connected to the floating plate; and
the at least one diode being connected to the source region and to the body region such that a reverse bias charges the floating plate and a forward bias discharges the floating plate. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A memory array, comprising:
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a number of memory cell transistors;
each of the memory cell transistors including a body region, a first diffusion region, a second diffusion region, a gate insulator stack formed above the channel region, and a gate formed above the gate insulator stack;
the gate insulator stack including a floating plate to selectively hold a charge;
the floating plate being ohmically connected to the second diffusion region;
a built-in lateral diode connecting the body region to the second diffusion region such that the floating plate is charged when the diode is reversed biased; and
a built-in Schottky diode connecting the body region to the floating plate such that the floating plate is discharged when the built-in Schottky diode is forward biased. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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43. A memory device, comprising:
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a memory array including a number of memory cell transistors arranged into a number of rows and a number of columns, wherein;
each of the memory cell transistors includes a body region, a first diffusion region, a second diffusion region, a gate, a floating plate and at least one diode;
the floating plate is disposed between the body region and the gate to store a charge that changes a threshold voltage of the memory cell transistor;
the second diffusion region is ohmically connected to the floating plate and functions as a storage node;
the at least one diode is connected to the source region and to the body region such that a reverse bias charges the floating plate and a forward bias discharges the floating plate;
the first diffusion region of each of the memory cell transistors in a first column is connected to a first bit line; and
the gate of each of the memory cell transistors in a first row is connected to a first word line; and
read/write control circuitry operably connected to the memory array, including;
word line circuitry to provide a logic potential on a selected word line in the memory array;
bit line circuitry to provide a logic potential on a selected bit line in the memory array;
body circuitry to provide a logic potential on a body region of the memory array; and
sensing circuitry for reading the storage node of the memory cell. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
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47. An electronic system, comprising:
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a processor; and
a memory device to communicate with the processor, wherein the memory device includes an array of memory cells, wherein each memory cell comprises;
a body region;
a first diffusion region formed in the body region;
a second diffusion region formed in the body region such that a channel region is formed in the body region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region;
a gate insulator stack formed above the channel region, the gate insulator stack including a floating plate to selectively hold a charge, the floating plate being electrically connected to the second diffusion region;
a gate formed above the gate insulator stack such that the gate insulator stack is disposed between the gate and the channel region; and
a diode connecting the body region to the second diffusion region such that the floating plate in the gate insulator stack is charged when the diode is reversed biased. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of operating a one device non-volatile memory cell that includes a transistor having a body region, a first diffusion region in the body region to connect with a bit line, a second diffusion region in the body region functioning as a storage node, a gate to connect with a word line, a floating plate disposed within a gate insulator stack between the gate and the body region and ohmically connected to the second diffusion region, and at least one diode connecting the second diffusion region and the body region, the method comprising:
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writing a logic high value to the cell by providing a logic high bit line potential, a logic high word line potential, and a logic low substrate potential to reverse bias the at least one diode to charge the floating plate;
writing a logic low value to the cell by providing a logic low bit line potential, a logic low word line potential, and a logic high substrate potential to forward bias the at least one diode to discharge the floating plate; and
reading a logic value of the storage node by providing a logic high word line potential and a logic low substrate potential, and by sensing a resulting bit line potential to determine if the logic high word line potential turned on the transistor. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method of fabricating a one device non-volatile memory cell, comprising:
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providing a substrate;
depositing a first tunnel oxide layer on the substrate;
removing a portion of the first tunnel oxide layer over a desired second diffusion region;
depositing a metal silicide layer on the gate oxide layer such that the metal silicide layer contacts the body layer at the desired second diffusion region and does not extend over a desired first diffusion region;
depositing a metal oxide layer on the metal silicide layer;
depositing a second tunnel oxide layer on the metal oxide layer;
depositing a polysilicon layer on the second gate oxide layer;
defining a gate by selectively removing portions of the polysilicon layer; and
implanting ions to define the desired first diffusion region, the desired second diffusion region, and a body region. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification