EEPROM with improved circuit performance and reduced cell size
First Claim
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1. A nonvolatile memory cell, comprising:
- a high-voltage capacitor;
a high-voltage write path coupled to the high-voltage capacitor; and
a low-voltage read path coupled to both the high-voltage capacitor and the high-voltage write path;
wherein the high-voltage write path is situated between the low-voltage read path and the high-voltage capacitor.
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Abstract
An EEPROM cell with reduced cell size and improved circuit performance includes a high-voltage (HV) capacitor, a low-voltage (LV) read path, and an HV write path, wherein either the HV capacitor is placed between the LV read path and the HV write path or the HV write path is placed between the LV read path and the HV capacitor. The EEPROM cell also includes a native floating-gate (FG) transistor in the LV read path. Using a native FG transistor in the LV read path results in further reduction in the cell size and improved circuit performance of the EEPROM cell.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A nonvolatile memory cell, comprising:
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a high-voltage capacitor; a high-voltage write path coupled to the high-voltage capacitor; and a low-voltage read path coupled to both the high-voltage capacitor and the high-voltage write path; wherein the high-voltage write path is situated between the low-voltage read path and the high-voltage capacitor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A nonvolatile memory cell, comprising:
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a high-voltage capacitor; a high-voltage write path coupled to the high-voltage capacitor; and a low-voltage read path coupled to both the high-voltage capacitor and the high-voltage write path; wherein either the high-voltage write path is situated between the low-voltage read path and the high-voltage capacitor or the high-voltage capacitor is situated between the low-voltage read path and the high-voltage write path; wherein the low-voltage read path comprises a floating gate transistor; and wherein the high-voltage capacitor comprises a conductive plate and a first diffusion region, wherein the conductive plate is separated from the first diffusion region by an oxide layer and is electrically connected to a floating gate of the floating gate transistor. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A nonvolatile memory cell, comprising:
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a high-voltage capacitor; a high-voltage write path coupled to the high-voltage capacitor; and a low-voltage read path coupled to both the high-voltage capacitor and the high-voltage write path; wherein either the high-voltage write path is situated between the low-voltage read path and the high-voltage capacitor or the high-voltage capacitor is situated between the low-voltage read path and the high-voltage write path; wherein the low-voltage read path comprises a floating gate transistor and a read transistor serially connected to the floating gate transistor; and wherein a diffusion region of the read transistor is electrically connected to a diffusion region of the floating gate transistor.
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9. A nonvolatile memory cell comprising:
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a high-voltage capacitor; a high-voltage write path coupled to the high-voltage capacitor; and a low-voltage read path coupled to both the high-voltage capacitor and the high-voltage write path; wherein either the high-voltage write path is situated between the low-voltage read path and the high-voltage capacitor or the high-voltage capacitor is situated between the low-voltage read path and the high-voltage write path; wherein the low-voltage read path comprises a floating gate transistor and a read transistor; and wherein the read transistor is significantly more resistive than the floating gate transistor when a read current runs serially through channels of the read transistor and the floating gate transistor.
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10. A nonvolatile memory cell, comprising:
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a high-voltage capacitor; a high-voltage write path coupled to the high-voltage capacitor; and a low-voltage read path coupled to both the high-voltage capacitor and the high voltage write path; wherein the low-voltage read path includes a native floating gate transistor and the high-voltage write path is situated between the high-voltage capacitor and the low-voltage read path. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A nonvolatile memory cell comprising:
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a high-voltage capacitor; a high-voltage write path coupled to the high-voltage capacitor; and a low-voltage read path coupled to both the high-voltage capacitor and the high voltage write path; wherein the low-voltage read path includes a native floating gate transistor; and wherein the high-voltage capacitor comprises a conductive plate and a first diffusion region, wherein the conductive plate is separated from the first diffusion region by an oxide layer and is electrically connected to a floating gate of the floating gate transistor. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A nonvolatile memory cell, comprising:
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a high-voltage capacitor; a high-voltage write path coupled to the high-voltage capacitor; and a low-voltage read path coupled to both the high-voltage capacitor and the high voltage write path; wherein the low-voltage read path includes a native floating gate transistor and a read transistor serially connected to the native floating transistor, and wherein a diffusion region of the read transistor is electrically connected to a diffusion region of the floating gate transistor.
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18. A nonvolatile memory cell, comprising:
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a high-voltage capacitor; a high-voltage write path coupled to the high-voltage capacitor; and a low-voltage read path coupled to both the high-voltage capacitor and the high voltage write path; wherein the low-voltage read path includes a native floating gate transistor and a read transistor serially connected to the native floating transistor; and wherein the read transistor is significantly more resistive than the floating gate transistor when a read current runs serially through channels of the read transistor and the floating gate transistor.
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19. A nonvolatile memory cell fabricated on a substrate, comprising:
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a high-voltage capacitor having a first diffusion region in the substrate; a high-voltage write path having at least a second diffusion region in the substrate; and a low-voltage read path having at least a third diffusion region in the substrate; wherein the second diffusion region is situated between the first diffusion region and the third diffusion region. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A nonvolatile memory cell fabricated on a substrate, comprising:
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a high-voltage capacitor on the substrate; a high-voltage write path on the substrate; and a low-voltage read path on the substrate; wherein the high-voltage write path is sandwiched between the high-voltage capacitor and the low-voltage read path. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification