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US4233616A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Semiconductor non-volatile memory

Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1978-05-30
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Granted: 1980-11-11
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Expires: 1998-05-30
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Abstract

Abstract In the disclosed FAMOS semiconductor non-volatile memory a source and a drain region of the p + type are disposed in an n semiconductor layer to form a gate region between them. The main face of the semiconductor layer is coated with a silicon dioxide film in which a polycrystalline silicon gate is buried to bridge the source and drain regions. An n + type high doped semiconductor region is disposed in the semiconductor layer only under the silicon gate to form a pn junction with the drain region. Thus the pn junction is normal to the main face of the semiconductor layer.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mikio Kyomasu
  • 👤 Yoshiharu Nakao

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 20:08
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/60; H10D30/67; H10D30/6757; H10D30/68; H10D30/681; H10D30/684; H10D30/686; H10D62/00; H10D62/10; H10D62/17; H10D62/213; H10D62/221; H10D62/235; H10D62/299; H10D62/307; H10D86/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 163 words
A semiconductor non-volatile memory unit composed of at least one memory cell comprising a semiconductor layer of a first type conductivity, said memory cell having a separately provided pair of semiconductor regions of the opposite type conductively disposed in a spaced relationship with at least a portion of said semiconductor layer therebetween to form a gate region therebetween, an electrically insulating film disposed on said gate region for performing a storing operation by having an electric charge accumulated therein, and means for providing a pn junction with only one of said pair of semiconductor layers and for providing no pn junction with the other of said pair of semiconductor layers, said means comprising a separately provided single highly doped semiconductor region of the first conductivity type disposed to form said pn junction with one of said pair of semiconductor regions and to be separate from the other of said pairs of semiconductor regions, said pn junction being located only within said gate region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 163 words
A semiconductor non-volatile memory unit composed of at least one memory cell comprising a semiconductor layer of a first type conductivity, said memory cell having a separately provided pair of semiconductor regions of the opposite type conductively disposed in a spaced relationship with at least a portion of said semiconductor layer therebetween to form a gate region therebetween, an electrically insulating film disposed on said gate region for performing a storing operation by having an electric charge accumulated therein, and means for providing a pn junction with only one of said pair of semiconductor layers and for providing no pn junction with the other of said pair of semiconductor layers, said means comprising a separately provided single highly doped semiconductor region of the first conductivity type disposed to form said pn junction with one of said pair of semiconductor regions and to be separate from the other of said pairs of semiconductor regions, said pn junction being located only within said gate region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 37 words
A semiconductor non-volatile memory cell as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a pair of electrodes, each electrode disposed in ohmic contact with a respective one of said pair of semiconductor regions of the opposite type conductivity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 31 words
A semiconductor non-volatile memory cell as claimed in claim 1 wherein a floating gate is buried in said electrically insulating film and said electric charge is accumulated in said floating gate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 51 words
A semiconductor non-volatile memory cell as claimed in claim 1 wherein a drain region is formed of said semiconductor region with the opposite type conductivity forming said pn junction with said highly doped semiconductor region, and a source region is formed of the other semiconductor region having the opposite type conductivity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 33 words
A semiconductor non-volatile memory cell as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pair of semiconductor regions having the opposite type conductivity are doped with boron and said highly doped semiconductor region includes arsenic.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
A semiconductor non-volatile memory cell as claimed in claim 1 wherein said semiconductor layer of the one type conductivity is epitaxially grown on a sapphire substrate.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4014036A Cited
US4057820A Cited
US4054895A Cited
US4142926A Cited
US4142926B1 Cited
US4135929A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1983-11-11 1984-05-12 1984-11-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1987-11-11 1988-05-12 1988-11-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1991-11-11 1992-05-12 1992-11-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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