IP Library Patent Application 12752573
Patent Application
App. No. 12/752,573

ERASE METHOD OF NONVOLATILE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
12/752,573
Abstract

An erase method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a semiconductor substrate with diffusion regions spaced from each other, a first insulating layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, a first gate electrode formed in a first area on the first insulating layer, a charge accumulation layer formed in a second area on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer formed on the charge accumulation layer and a second gate electrode formed on the second insulating layer includes a step of injecting hot holes into the charge accumulation layer from the diffusion region and a step of injecting channel hot electrons into a part of the charge accumulation layer close to the first gate electrode side.

Claims (19)

1 . An erase method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a semiconductor substrate with diffusion regions spaced from each other, a first insulating layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, a first gate electrode formed in a first area on the first insulating layer, a charge accumulation layer formed in a second area on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer formed on the charge accumulation layer, and a second gate electrode formed on the second insulating layer, the method comprising steps of:

injecting hot holes into the charge accumulation layer from the diffusion region; and

injecting channel hot electrons into a part of the charge accumulation layer close to the first gate electrode side.

2 . The erase method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of:

injecting channel hot electrons into a part of the charge accumulation layer close to a drain region side.

3 . The erase method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of:

determining charges in the charge accumulation layer after the steps of injecting hot holes and injecting channel hot electrons into the charge accumulation layer.

4 . The erase method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein

in the step of injecting hot holes into the charge accumulation layer from the diffusion region, a voltage applied to the diffusion region is set to be higher than a voltage applied to the second gate electrode.

5 . The erase method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein

in the step of injecting channel hot electrons into a part of the charge accumulation layer close to the first gate electrode side, a voltage applied to a drain region is set to be lower than a voltage applied to the second gate electrode.

6 . The erase method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 2 , wherein

in the step of injecting channel hot electrons into a part of the charge accumulation layer close to the drain region side, a voltage applied to the drain region is set to be lower than a voltage applied to the second gate electrode.

7 . The erase method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 6 , wherein

a difference between the voltage applied to the drain region and the voltage applied to the second gate electrode in the step of injecting channel hot electrons into a part of the charge accumulation layer close to the first gate electrode side is larger than a difference between the voltage applied to the drain region and the voltage applied to the second gate electrode in the step of injecting channel hot electrons into a part of the charge accumulation layer close to the drain region side.

8 . The erase method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein

injection of channel hot electrons into the charge accumulation layer is performed with a lower voltage than a voltage in injection of channel hot electrons in normal write operation.

9 . The erase method of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein

injection of channel hot electrons into the charge accumulation layer is performed for a shorter time than a time of injection of channel hot electrons in normal write operation.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 26, 2010
From: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025194/0905 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2010
From: TAKEUCHI, HIDENORI
To: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024175/0610 →