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US4377818A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

High density electrically programmable ROM

Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 1980-12-29
•
Granted: 1983-03-22
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Expires: 2000-12-29
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Abstract

Abstract An electrically programmable memory array of the floating gate type is made by a process which allows the edges of the floating gates to be aligned with the edges of the control gates which also form address lines. Contacts to individual cells are not needed. These factors provide a very small cell size. The source and drain regions are formed prior to applying the first level polysilicon then covered with thick oxide, rather than using the polysilicon as a mask to define the gate areas.

Inventors

  • 👤 Chang-Kiang Kuo
  • 👤 Shyh-Chang Tsaur

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 12:30
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C16/00; G11C16/02; G11C16/04; G11C16/0491; H; H10; H10B; H10B41/00; H10B41/40; H10B41/42; H10B41/43; H10B41/46; H10B69/00; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/60; H10D30/68; H10D30/681; H10D30/683; H10D30/684; H10D30/685

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 108 words
A semiconductor device comprising: a plurality of parallel elongated heavily doped regions of one conductivity type in a face of a body of semiconductor material of opposite conductivity type, such regions covered by field oxide at said face, a first layer of polycrystalline silicon overlying said face forming electrodes located between the heavily doped regions and also overlying the heavily doped regions by a significant amount, a second layer of polycrystalline silicon on said face overlying the first layer and defining a plurality of elongated strips perpendicular to the heavily doped regions and overlying such regions, the second layer having edges coinciding with edges of the first layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 108 words
A semiconductor device comprising: a plurality of parallel elongated heavily doped regions of one conductivity type in a face of a body of semiconductor material of opposite conductivity type, such regions covered by field oxide at said face, a first layer of polycrystalline silicon overlying said face forming electrodes located between the heavily doped regions and also overlying the heavily doped regions by a significant amount, a second layer of polycrystalline silicon on said face overlying the first layer and defining a plurality of elongated strips perpendicular to the heavily doped regions and overlying such regions, the second layer having edges coinciding with edges of the first layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1 wherein said electrodes are floating gates of programmable field effect transistors, and said elongated strips form address lines and control gates for the transistors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 2 wherein thin gate oxide separates the floating gates from said face, and said field oxide is much thicker than the gate oxide.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4112509A Cited
US4151021A Cited
US4326331A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-03-21 1986-09-20 1987-03-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-03-21 1990-09-20 1991-03-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-03-21 1994-09-20 1995-03-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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