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Semiconductor memory having volatile and multi-bit, non-volatile functionality and methods of operating

  • US 8,014,200 B2
  • Filed: 04/08/2009
  • Issued: 09/06/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A semiconductor memory cell comprising:

  • a substrate having a first conductivity type;

    a first region embedded in the substrate at a first location of the substrate and having a second conductivity type;

    a second region embedded in the substrate at a second location of the substrate and have the second conductivity type, such that at least a portion of the substrate having the first conductivity type is located between the first and second locations and functions as a floating body to store data in volatile memory;

    a trapping layer positioned in between the first and second locations and above a surface of the substrate;

    the trapping layer comprising first and second storage locations being configured to store data as nonvolatile memory independently of one another; and

    a control gate positioned above the trapping layer;

    wherein said first and second storage locations are each configured to receive transfer of data stored by the volatile memory and store the data as nonvolatile memory in the trapping layer.

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