US 6,534,816 B1Grant
Method and apparatus for injecting charge onto the floating gate of a nonvolatile memory cell
Issue Date:2003-03-18
•65 Claims
•19 Drawing Sheets
Abstract
A tunneling charge injector includes a conducting injector electrode, a grid insulator disposed adjacent the conducting injector electrode, a grid electrode disposed adjacent said grid insulator, a retention insulator which may employ a graded band gap disposed adjacent said grid electrode, and a floating gate disposed adjacent said retention insulator. In the tunneling charge injector, charge is injected from the conducting injector electrode onto the floating gate. Electrons are injected onto the floating gate when the conducting injector electrode is negatively biased with respect to the grid electrode, and holes are injected onto the floating gate when the conducting injector electrode is positively biased with respect to the grid electrode. The tunneling charge injector is employed in a nonvolatile memory cell having a nonvolatile memory element with a floating gate such as a floating gate MOS transistor. In the nonvolatile memory cell, the floating gate of the tunneling charge injector is coupled to or forms a part of the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element. The tunneling charge injector is employed to inject charge onto the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element. A memory device includes an array of nonvolatile memory cells wherein each of the memory cells comprises a nonvolatile memory element with a floating gate such as a floating gate MOS transistor and a tunneling charge injector having a floating gate that is either coupled to the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element or forms a portion of the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element.
Metadata
Inventor
- John Caywood
Application Information
Application Number:US 09/516,400
Filing Date:2000-03-01
Priority Date:1999-03-24
Art Unit:7
Classifications
IPC:
H01L 2976
Field of Search:
25731425731525731631518531523003
Patent Drawings (19 sheets)
Description
Cross-Reference to Related Application
[0002] The present application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/275,168 filed Mar. 24, 1999, now abandoned, in the name of inventor John Caywood and commonly owned herewith.
Background of the Invention
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates to nonvolatile memory. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for injecting electrons and holes onto the floating gate of a floating gate MOS transistor nonvolatile memory cell.
[0005] 2. The Background
[0006] Nonvolatile memories employing floating gate technology have found wide use in a variety of applications, and have become an increasingly important type of semiconductor nonvolatile memory. In a floating gate nonvolatile memory, the floating gate electrode of a MOS transistor is electrically isolated from neighboring electrodes by a high quality dielectric that surrounds the floating gate. The contents of the memory, e.g. whether a ‘0’ or a ‘1’ in a digital memory, is determined by the amount of charge on the floating gate.
[0007] In a memory known to those of ordinary skill in the art as flash memory, electrons are commonly added to the floating gate by a process of hot electron injection that is controlled by the bias applied to various elements of the floating gate transistor. To remove electrons from the floating gate, electrons tunnel from the floating gate to surrounding electrodes under the influence of a high electric field. In the most common form of this technology, the electrons are caused to tunnel from the floating gate to an underlying silicon region by applying a bias across a relatively thin layer of silicon dioxide. In order that the charge be retained on the floating gate for an extended period of time, it is important that the tunneling operate in what is referred to by those of ordinary skill in the art as the Fowler-Nordheim mode so that the current under cell storage and read conditions is very low, typically less than 10−15A/cm2.
[0008] It has been demonstrated that to restrict tunneling to the Fowler-Nordheim mode, the oxide through which the electrons tunnel should be thicker than about 5 nanometers. Further, the 5 nm lower bound is not a practical limit because the act of applying the voltage across the oxide to cause tunneling damages the oxide. To reduce the stress induced leakage current that occurs due to the damage to the oxide, the minimum oxide thickness should be increased from the lower bound of about 5 nm to about 8 nm. Naruke, K., et al, “Stress Induced Leakage Current Limiting to Scale Down EEPROM Tunnel Oxide Thickness”, IEDM Tech. Digest pp. 424-7 (1988).
[0009] As integrated circuit (IC) dimensions have been scaled below 0.25 μm, the operating voltages of CMOS circuits have also been scaled down. Unfortunately, it has been demonstrated that the applied voltages typically employed to inject electrons onto and tunnel off of the floating gate of an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) are not capable of being scaled down to the same degree as the operating voltages of below 0.25 μm processes. Yoshikawa, K. et al, “Flash EEPROM Cell Scaling Based on Tunnel Oxide Thinning. Limitations”, Symp. on VLSI Technol. Dig. Tech. Papers, pp. 79-80 (1991); Yamaguchi, Yoshiko, et al, “ONO Interpoly Dielectric Scaling Limit for Non-volatile Memory Devices”, Symp. on VLSI Technol. Dig. Tech. Papers, pp. 85-86 (1993); Caywood, J. M. and Gary Derbenwich “Nonvolatile Memories”, in ULSI Device Technology, ed. S. M. Sze and C. Y. Chang, in press.
[0010] Because charge leakage through the tunnel oxide limits the scaling of the tunnel oxide thickness and the physics of the phenomena used for injecting charge onto the floating gate limit the scaling of the voltages, it is well understood in the art that the mismatch between the minimum physical dimensions and minimum operating voltages of the floating gate nonvolatile memories and the surrounding CMOS logic technology is becoming increasingly acute. Accordingly, what is needed are new apparatus and methods for charging and discharging the floating gate so that the physical dimensions and required voltages can be reduced to values more compatible with CMOS logic technology.
Brief Description of the Invention
[0011] A tunneling charge injector that includes a conducting injector electrode, a grid insulator disposed adjacent to the conducting injector electrode, a grid electrode disposed adjacent to the grid insulator, a retention insulator disposed adjacent to the grid electrode, and a floating gate disposed adjacent to the retention insulator, may be employed to inject charge from the conducting injector electrode onto a floating gate.
[0012] In one aspect of the present invention, the tunneling charge injector may be employed to inject both electrons and holes onto the floating gate electrode. Electrons are injected onto the floating gate when the conducting injector electrode is sufficiently negatively biased with respect to the grid electrode and the floating gate is biased to collect electrons from the grid. Holes are injected onto the floating gate when the conducting injector electrode is sufficiently positively biased with respect to the grid electrode and the floating gate is biased to collect, holes from the grid.
[0013] In another aspect of the present invention, separate tunneling electron and hole injectors may be employed to inject electrons or holes onto the floating gate. Electrons are injected onto the floating gate when the conducting injector electrode is sufficiently negatively biased with respect to the grid electrode and the floating gate is biased to collect electrons from the grid. Holes are injected onto the floating gate when the conducting injector electrode is sufficiently positively biased with respect to the grid electrode and the floating gate is biased to collect holes from grid.
[0014] In another aspect of the present invention, the tunneling charge injector may be employed in a nonvolatile memory cell having a nonvolatile memory element with a floating gate such as a floating gate MOS transistor. In the nonvolatile memory cell, the floating gate of the tunneling charge injector is coupled to or forms a part of the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element. The tunneling charge injector is employed to inject charge onto the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element.
[0015] In another aspect of the present invention, separate tunneling electron and hole injectors may be employed in a nonvolatile memory cell having a nonvolatile memory element with a floating gate such as a floating gate MOS transistor. In the nonvolatile memory cell, the floating gates of the separate tunneling electron and hole injectors are coupled to or form a part of the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element. The tunneling electron injector is employed to inject electrons onto the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element, and the tunneling hole injector is employed to inject holes onto the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element.
[0016] In another aspect of the present invention, a memory device includes an array of nonvolatile memory cells wherein each of the memory cells comprises a nonvolatile memory element with a floating gate such as a floating gate MOS transistor and a tunneling charge injector having a floating gate that is either coupled to the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element or forms a portion of the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element.
[0017] In another aspect of the present invention, a memory device includes an array of nonvolatile memory cells wherein each of the memory cells comprises a nonvolatile memory element with a floating gate such as a floating gate MOS transistor, a tunneling electron injector having a floating gate that is either coupled to the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element or forms a portion of the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element, and a tunneling hole injector having a floating gate that is either coupled to the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element or forms a portion of the floating gate of the nonvolatile memory element.
[0018] In another aspect of the present invention the tunneling charge injectors and memory devices described herein are equipped with a retention insulator featuring a first band gap in a first portion of said retention insulator disposed adjacent to said grid electrode and a second, greater band gap in a second portion of said retention insulator disposed between said grid electrode and said floating gate to facilitate charge injection.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0019] FIGS. 1a, 1band 1care, respectively, electrical schematic symbols a for tunneling charge injector, a tunneling electron injector, and a tunneling hole injector, in accordance with the present invention.
[0020] FIGS. 2a, 2band 2care, respectively band diagrams of a tunneling charge injector in the (a) flat band condition and (b) under bias for injection of electrons and (c) holes in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIGS. 3a, 3band 3care respectively, band diagrams of a tunneling electron injector in the (a) flat band condition and (b) under bias for injection of electrons in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIGS. 4aand 4bare, respectively, band diagrams of a tunneling hole injector in the (a) flat band condition and (b) under bias for injection of holes in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIGS. 5aand 5bare respectively, band diagrams of a tunneling hole injector in the (a) flat band condition and (b) under bias for injection of holes in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 6ais an electrical schematic diagram illustrating a tunneling charge injector coupled to a floating gate MOS transistor to form a nonvolatile memory element in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 6bis an electrical schematic diagram illustrating a tunneling electron injector and a tunneling hole injector coupled to a floating gate MOS transistor to form a nonvolatile memory element in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 7 is an electrical schematic diagram illustrating a portion of an array of the nonvolatile memory elements depicted in FIG. 6ain accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 8 is an electrical schematic diagram illustrating a portion of an array of the nonvolatile memory elements depicted in FIG. 6bin accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIGS. 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a-11d, 12a-12d, 13a-13d, 14a-14d, 15a-15d, 16a-16d, 17e, and 18a-18eillustrate selected steps in the fabrication of a portion of the array of nonvolatile memory elements depicted in FIG. 8 in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 19 is a band diagram of a retention insulator having a graded band gap in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 20ais a plot showing relative permittivity and fractional oxide content of an SiOxNyfilm deposited on an SiO2, film in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 20bis a plot showing the variation of the electrical potential and the conduction band edge for the structure plotted: in FIG. 20a.
[0032] FIG. 21ais a band diagram of a tunneling electron injector having retention insulator formed of SiOxNyhaving a non-graded band gap in the flat band condition.
[0033] FIG. 21bis a band diagram of the structure of FIG. 21aunder bins for injection of electors showing an undesirable potential wall.
[0034] FIGS. 22a, 22band 22care, respectively, band diagrams of a tunneling charge injector having a graded band gap in the (a) flat band condition and (b) under bias for injection of electrons and (c) holes in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] FIG. 23 is an electrical schematic diagram of an array of non-volatile memory elements in accordance with an alternative specific embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment
[0036] Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description of the present invention is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure.
[0037] In FIG. 1a, the electrical circuit symbol for a tunneling charge injector 10, according to the present invention, suitable for delivering either electrons or holes to the floating gate of a nonvolatile memory is illustrated. In FIG. 1b, the electrical circuit symbol for a tunneling electron injector 30, according to the present invention, suitable for delivering electrons to the floating gate of a nonvolatile memory is illustrated. In FIG. 1c, the electrical circuit symbol for a tunneling hole injector 50, according to the present invention, suitable for delivering holes to the floating gate of a nonvolatile memory is illustrated. The implementation of the tunneling charge injector 10, tunneling electron injector 30 and tunneling hole injector 50, according to the present invention, will be discussed in detail below.
[0038] The tunneling charge injector 10 has a conducting injector electrode 12, a grid electrode 14, and a floating gate 16 (sometimes referred to as a floating gate electrode). Disposed between the injector electrode 12 and the grid electrode 14 is a grid insulator 18, and disposed between the grid electrode 14 and floating gate 16 is a retention insulator 20. The tunneling electron injector 30 has a conducting injector electrode 32, a grid electrode 34, and a floating gate 36. Disposed between the injector electrode 32 and the grid electrode 34 is a grid insulator 38, and disposed between the grid electrode 34 and floating gate 36 is a retention insulator 40. The tunneling hole injector 50 has a conducting injector electrode 52, a grid electrode 54, and a floating gate 56. Disposed between the injector electrode 52 and the grid electrode 54 is a grid insulator 58, and disposed between the grid electrode 54 and floating gate 56 is a retention insulator 60.
[0039] In the tunneling charge injector 10, a bias is applied so that charge is emitted from the conducting injector electrode 12 with sufficient energy to pass through grid insulator 18, grid electrode 14, and a retention insulator 20 to be collected by the floating gate 16. To charge the floating gate 16, electrons are injected by tunneling into the grid electrode 14 from which they are collected on the floating gate 16, and to discharge the floating gate 16, holes are injected by tunneling into the grid electrode 14 from which they are collected on the floating gate 16.
[0040] In the tunneling electron injector 30, a bias is applied so that electrons are emitted from the conducting injector electrode 32 with sufficient energy to pass through grid insulator 38, grid electrode 34, and the retention insulator 40 to be collected by the floating gate 36.
[0041] In the tunneling hole injector 50, a bias is applied so that holes are emitted from the conducting injector electrode 52 with sufficient energy to pass through grid insulator 58, grid electrode 54, and the retention insulator 60 to be collected by the floating gate 56.
[0042] A tunnel emission amplifier implemented with a triode structure that is somewhat similar to the tunneling charge injector 10, the tunneling electron injector 30, and the tunneling hole injector 50 was disclosed by Mead, “The Tunnel Emission Amplifier”, Proceedings of the IRE, Vol. 48, pp. 359-361 (March 1969). In the triode structure described by Mead, a first Al layer forms an emitter, a layer of Al2O3is disposed on the emitter, a thin second Al layer disposed on the Al2O3layer forms a base, a layer of SiO formed on the thin Al base, and a third Al layer disposed on the layer of SiO forms a collector. In operating this structure as a tunnel emission amplifier, a bias is applied from the emitter to the base to tunnel electrons from the emitter to the base through the first insulating layer. Metals were chosen as a carrier source because the electron densities are very large.
[0043] As will described below, the thicknesses and physical properties of the grid insulator 18 and retention insulator 20 can be separately optimized for the tunnel injection and charge retention functions, and the conducting injector electrode 12 and floating gate 16 can also be chosen to optimize the efficiency of the injection phenomenon. Further, the tunneling charge injector 10 can be used to provide both holes and electrons to simplify the fabrication process or the structures for injection and collection of electrons and holes by the tunneling electron injector 30 and tunneling hole injector 50, respectively, can be optimized separately.
[0044] Turning now to FIG. 2a, a bandgap diagram of a tunneling charge injector 10 according to the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, the floating gate 16 is composed of silicon having a conduction band edge 70 and a valence band edge 72. Formed next to the floating gate 16 is the retention insulator 20 having a conduction band edge 74 and valence band edge 76. The retention insulator 20 is preferably formed thick enough and with a material having a large enough band gap to effectively keep charges from leaking from the floating gate 16. In a specific embodiment, the retention insulator 20 is silicon oxide having a thickness of between about 8 nm and about 50 nm, and preferably between about 15 nm and about 20 nm.
[0045] The grid electrode 14 is formed adjacent to the retention insulator 20 to serve as an electrode for tunneling, and is preferably thin enough to minimize the loss of energy of injected charge carriers, but thick enough to conduct away the charge carriers that lose energy and are thermalized in the grid electrode 14. In a specific embodiment, a metal with a work function with a fermi level 78 that lies in the middle of the silicon band gap in the flat band condition is chosen for the grid electrode 14. Cr (Chromium), Ni (Nickel), Cu (Copper), and W (Tungsten) are examples of metals that approximately meet this criterion. The grid electrode 14 has a thickness of about 10 nm to about 50 nm thick and is preferably in the range of about 15 nm to about 20 nm.
[0046] The grid insulator 18 formed adjacent the grid electrode 14 has a conduction band edge 80 and a valence band edge 82. The grid insulator 18 is silicon dioxide having a thickness in the range of about 2 nm to about 6 nm and preferably in the range of about 2 nm to about 4 nm in a specific embodiment. The thickness of the grid insulator 18 is selected to permit charge carriers to tunnel through with the application of a modest voltage in the range of about 2 V to about 6 V and preferably in the range of about 3 V to about 5 V across the grid insulator 18.
[0047] The conducting injector electrode 12 formed adjacent the grid insulator layer 18 has fermi level 84. In a specific embodiment, a metal employed in the conducting injector electrode 12 has a work function similar to that of the metal forming the grid electrode 14.
[0048] There are several considerations that should be taken into account in selecting the grid material. An absolute requirement is that the material be compatible with integrated circuit processing. It is desirable that the mean free path of the injected carriers in the grid be relatively long. It is also desirable that the grid and injector materials be chosen so that the parasitic back injection of a carrier from the grid to the injector be less than the desired carrier injection from the injector to the grid. For example, if the grid and injector are biased to cause hole injection from the injector to the grid, it is desirable that the tunnel current of electrons from grid to injector should be less than the hole current from the injector to the grid. For carriers of a given type, the requirements of reduced parasitic tunnel current and increased mean free path can be optimized simultaneously by selecting materials with Fermi levels closer to the band edge in the grid insulator for that carrier type, i.e. for electrons choose materials with Fermi level closer to the grid conduction band. This increases the energy barrier for hole injection and reduces the energy of the electrons in the grid with respect to the Fermi level. The range of hot carriers in metals is known to decrease exponentially with increased energy above the Fermi level. If a single material is to be used for the grid for both holes and electrons, judicious compromises must be made.
[0049] For the embodiment of the tunneling charge injector 10 described with respect to FIG. 2a, the application of a negative bias from the injector electrode 12 with respect to the grid electrode 14, as illustrated in FIG. 2b, will result in electrons tunneling from the injector electrode 12 to the grid electrode 14. When the injector electrode 12 is more than about 3.8 V negative with respect to the grid electrode 14, some of the injected electrons will reach the interface between the grid electrode 14 and the retention insulator 20 with enough energy to surmount the energy barrier of the retention insulator 20. When the potential of the floating gate 16 is positive with respect to the potential of the grid electrode 14, most of the electrons that surmount the energy barrier of the retention insulator 20 will be collected on the floating gate 16. In this manner, the floating gate 16 is charged negatively. A potential of about 0.5 V to about 1 V between grid electrode 14 and floating gate 16 is sufficient for the collection of electrons on the floating gate 16. It should be appreciated that larger potentials have the beneficial effect of lowering the energy barrier of the retention insulator 20.
[0050] As is illustrated in FIG. 2c, when the potentials applied to tunneling charge injector depicted in FIG. 2aare reversed in polarity, holes can be injected onto the floating gate 16 to charge the floating gate 16 positively. For the specific embodiment of FIG. 2a, a positive bias of about 5.8 V between grid electrode 14 and injector electrode 12 is required for the injected holes to have enough energy to surmount the grid insulator 18. The magnitude of the bias required between the floating gate 16 and the grid electrode 14 to collect holes injected over the potential barrier of the retention insulator 20 is about 0.5 V to about 1 V. This is similar to the case of electron injection. Thus, a total voltage drop of 7 V between the injector electrode 12 and the floating gate 16 is sufficient to cause holes to be injected onto the floating gate 16.
[0051] The injection efficiency, i.e. the fraction of carriers injected from the injector electrode 12 that reach the floating gate 16, is expected to be between 0.1% and 1% for an electron injector and perhaps an order of magnitude lower for a hole injector. These efficiencies are several orders of magnitude greater than those of a typical channel hot electron flash EEPROM.
[0052] By implementing the injector conductor 12 with materials other than those disclosed with respect to the embodiment of FIG. 2a, the injection efficiencies may be improved and the required applied voltages may be reduced.
[0053] FIG. 3aillustrates a conduction band diagram for tunneling electron injector 30 as depicted in FIG. 1b. The conduction band diagram of FIG. 3ais similar to that of FIG. 2a, except that the injector electrode 32 is a heavily doped n-type silicon having a conduction band edge 86 and valence band edge 88. In FIG. 3b, the structure depicted in FIG. 3a, has been biased to inject electrons. In contrast to the structure of FIG. 2a, because electrons can be injected from the conduction band edge 86, the bias between the injector electrode 32 and the grid electrode 34 can be reduced to about 3.2 V. Moreover, due to the band gap of silicon, there are essentially no states available for tunneling that are more than 1 eV below the conduction band edge. This reduces the tunneling probability of lower energy electrons. This is advantageous because these lower energy electrons do not effectively contribute to the charge on the floating gate 36, but rather only add to the current in the grid electrode 34.
[0054] Those of ordinary skill in the art will now appreciate from the discussion in the previous paragraph that use of an electron injector composed of an electropositive material results in a larger injector current for a given electric field applied across the grid insulator than would be the case if the injector material were to be more electronegative. This is advantageous because lower electric field should have a reduced rate of wear out. On the other hand, it is also well known to those of ordinary skill in the art that many electropositive elements are not suitable for use in integrated circuit technology because they are too reactive, diffuse too rapidly, or are possessed of too low a melting temperature. Among those elements that are expected to be useful are Aluminum (Al), Titanium (Ti), Vanadium (V), Manganese (Mn), Zirconium (Zr), Tantalum (Ta), Niobium (Nb) and n-type silicon.
[0055] FIG. 4aillustrates a conduction band diagram for tunneling hole injector 50 as depicted in FIG. 1c. The conduction band diagram of FIG. 4ais similar to that of FIG. 2a, except that the injector electrode 52 is a metal with a large work function such as Pt (Platinum) having a fermi level 90. Further, Pt may be employed as a metal in the grid electrode 54 in addition to the metals disclosed for the grid electrode in FIG. 2a. In FIG. 4b, the structure depicted in FIG. 4a, has been biased to inject holes over the barrier of retention insulator into the valence band of the retention insulator. For this structure, the bias required for hole injection over the retention insulator with respect to the flat band condition is reduced to about 4.4 V. Those of ordinary skill in the art will now recognize that other such materials in addition to Pt would also work. Examples include Iridium (Ir), Palladium (Pd), p-type silicon and the like.
[0056] FIG. 5aillustrates a conduction band diagram for an alternative embodiment of the tunneling hole injector 30 as depicted in FIG. 1c. The conduction band diagram of FIG. 5ais similar to that of FIG. 2a, except that the injector electrode 52 is a heavily doped p-type silicon having a conduction band edge 92 and valence band edge 94. In FIG. 5b, the structure depicted in FIG. 5a, has been biased to inject holes. The bias depicted in FIG. 5bfor injection of holes into the conduction band of the retention insulator is about 4.6 V. Similar to n-type silicon electron injector depicted in FIG. 3a, there is a band gap of greater than 1 eV above the valence band edge for which there are essentially no states from which low energy holes can tunnel into the grid electrode 54 and contribute to the grid current. This leads to increased efficiency of hole injection onto the floating gate 56.
[0057] Furthermore, as depicted in FIG. 5bthe material of the grid electrode may be selected to improve the efficiency of the tunneling hole injector 50. One consideration in selecting the material is the range of the hot carrier in the grid material. It is desirable that this range be maximized. Another consideration is to decrease the tunneling of unwanted electrons. As illustrated in FIG. 5b, while tunneling holes from the valence band of the p-type silicon emitter, electrons will tunnel from near the fermi level 96 in the grid electrode 54 into the conduction band in the injector electrode 52. This can be greatly reduced by using a grid material that has a larger work function.
[0058] From the discussion above, it should now appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the selection of the insulating layers may also increase the injection efficiency. For example, if present efforts to develop silicon nitride with a low density of traps so that Poole-Frenkel conduction is suppressed are successful, nitride might be beneficially employed for the retention insulator because it has a lower energy barrier to injection of both electrons and holes than silicon dioxide. Further more, although silicon dioxide is preferably employed as the grid insulator, it should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that other wide band gap insulators, such as aluminum oxide may be suitably employed as the grid insulator.
[0059] It should also be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a semiconductor may be employed as the grid material. It is appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that electron-electron scattering is the principle loss mechanism for hot electrons in metal. The range of electrons with a few electron volts of energy may be longer in semiconductors due to a lower carrier concentration. A longer mean free path would give rise to a higher efficiency and thereby provide a lower grid current that is lower than for metals. The higher efficiency offsets the larger resistivity effects found in a semiconductor in comparison to a metal.
[0060] In FIGS. 6aand 6b, a typical floating gate MOS transistor 100 having a source 102 and a drain 104 formed in a semiconductor body 106, a floating gate 108, a control gate 110, and first and second insulating layers 112 and 114 is illustrated. In the floating gate MOS transistor 100, the semiconductor body 106 has a doping of a first type, and the source 102 and drain 104 having a doping of a second type. The source 102 and drain 104 are spaced apart to form a channel region. The floating gate 108 is disposed above the channel region, and the first insulating layer 112 forming a floating gate dielectric is disposed between the floating gate 108 and the semiconductor body 106. The second insulating layer 114 forming a control gate dielectric is disposed between the control gate 110 and the floating gate 108. In most high density floating gate nonvolatile memory arrays the control gate 110 lies at least partially over the floating gate 108, but is separated from it by second insulating layer 114.
[0061] In the operation of the floating gate MOS transistor 100, the potential on the floating gate 108 controls the current flow between the source 102 and drain 104 as is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The control gate 110 is an electrode that is capacitively coupled to the floating gate 108 in order to be able to control the current flow through the floating gate MOS transistor 100 with an external bias.
[0062] In FIG. 6a, the tunneling charge injector 10 is coupled to the floating gate 108 of the floating gate MOS transistor 100. In FIG. 6b, the tunneling electron injector 30 and the tunneling hole injector 50 are both coupled to the floating gate 108 of the floating gate MOS transistor 100. In specific embodiments of the present invention the floating gate 108 of the floating gate MOS transistor 100 forms the floating gates 16, 36 and 56 of the tunneling charge injector 10, the tunneling electron injector 30 and the tunneling hole injector 50, respectively.
[0063] It will be readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that many subtle arrangements of the elements of the floating gate MOS transistor 100 are well known. The floating gate MOS transistor 100 illustrated in FIGS. 6aand 6bis a generic depiction to illustrate that the tunneling charge injector 10, tunneling electron injector 30 and tunneling hole injector 50 of the present invention may be coupled to various alternative embodiments of floating gate MOS transistors known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
[0064] FIG. 7 illustrates a portion of a nonvolatile memory array 120 according to the present invention. Each memory element in the array 120 is a floating gate MOS transistor 100 coupled to a tunneling charge injector 10 as depicted in FIG. 6a. Although the floating gate MOS transistors 100 are n-channel, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that they could also be p-channel. Each memory element is connected to a bit line 122, a source line 124, a word line 126, a grid line 128, and an injector line 130. In the portion of a nonvolatile memory array 120, four cells are arranged as two rows and two columns. There are two bit lines 122-1 and 122-2, two source lines 124-1 and 124-2, two word lines 126-1 and 126-2, two grid lines 128-1 and 128-2, and two injector lines 130-1 and 130-2.
[0065] In a specific embodiment, the word line 126 is separated from the floating gate of the floating gate MOS transistor 100 on the top and two sides in the word line direction by an ONO layer with an effective oxide thickness of about 20 nm, the tunneling charge injector 10 is formed on one of the other two sides of the floating gate with the grid separated from the floating gate with an oxide layer of about 20 nm thick. The gate oxide the floating gate MOS transistor 100 is about 6 nm thick, and the floating gate is 0.1 μm long, 0.1 μm wide, and 0.15 nm high. Accordingly, the floating gate MOS transistors 100 have a threshold voltage of about 0.4 to about 0.5 V.
[0066] In some array architectures, some of the lines of the same type may be connected in parallel. For example, the source lines 124 are commonly connected in parallel to form one equipotential array source. It is also possible for different types of lines to be connected together. For example, in some array configurations, the source lines 124 and injector lines 130 in the same row might share the same potential. It is preferred that the grid and injector lines 128 and 130, respectively, be orthogonal to each other.
[0067] During a read operation performed on the memory cells of the array 120, the grid and injector lines 128 and 130, respectively, are biased so that a flat band condition exists between them to prevent current flow. For the embodiment of the tunneling charge injector 10 of FIG. 2aemployed with MOS floating gate transistor 100 that is an N-channel device, the source lines 124, unselected word lines 126, grid lines 128, and injector lines 130 are biased at ground during the read operation. The selected word line 130 is biased at a reference potential of about 2.5 V.
[0068] With these conditions, the programming bias, erase bias and threshold of a neutrally charged floating gate are chosen so that both programmed and erased floating gate MOS transistors in the array 120 are nonconducting when the word line 130 to which they are coupled is grounded. The erased floating gate MOS transistors in the array 120, but not the programmed transistors floating gate MOS transistors in the array 120, should be conducting when the selected word line 130 is biased at the selected reference potential of about 2.5 V. As is well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the threshold of the neutrally charged floating gate of typically about 0.4 V to about 0.5 V is related to the floating gate oxide thickness, floating gate work function, and the doping of the channel regions in the floating gate MOS transistor.
[0069] To selectively program the cell in the array 120 indicated by reference numeral 132, injector line 130-1 is biased at about −3 V, the grid line 128-1 is biased at about +1V, and the word line 126-1 is biased at about 5 V. Under these conditions, the grid electrode 14 is about 4 V positive with respect to the injector electrode 12. This bias provides some electrons with enough energy to surmount the energy barrier between the grid electrode 14 and the retention insulator 20. Because the word line 126-1 is biased at 5 V, the floating gate 16 is coupled at a positive potential with respect to the grid electrode 14 and electrons are collected.
[0070] For an unselected memory cell, indicated at reference numeral 134, the unselected grid line 128-2 is biased at −1 V so that the potential between injector electrode 12 and the grid electrode 14 is too small for essentially any electrons to surmount the energy barrier between the grid electrode 14 and the retention insulator 20. The unselected injector line 130-2 is also biased at −1 V. As a result, for memory cells on unselected rows, but having a selected bit line, there is 2 V bias between the injector electrode 12 and the grid electrode 14. The word line bias for such a memory cell is such as to repel any electrons that are injected over the barrier between the grid electrode 14 and the retention insulator 20. Finally, the memory cells on unselected word and bit lines, 126 and 122, respectively, experience no bias between the injector electrode 12 and grid electrode 14.
[0071] An erase on the memory cells of the array 120 can be performed on either an entire row of memory cells or on a single memory cell. In row selective erase case, the grid lines 128 are all biased to about 6 V, the injector line 130 of the selected row biased at about ground, and the word line 126 of the selected row is biased at about −2V. On the unselected rows, the injector lines 130 are biased at about 6 V to prevent current between the injector lines 130 and the grid lines 130. If desired, the word lines 126 may also be biased to about 3 V to reduce the potential between the grid lines 130 and the floating gates 16 on the unselected word lines 126. It should be appreciated that the retention insulator 20 may be made thick enough to preclude significant leakage of charge between grid electrode 14 and floating gate 16 even with a potential of about 4 V to about 5 V between grid electrode 14 and floating gate 16 so that the word lines 126 on unselected rows may be grounded.
[0072] In the single cell select erase mode, the grid lines 128 and injector lines 130 of the unselected columns and rows are biased at about 4 V to lower the potential between the injector electrode 12 and grid electrode 14 below the level necessary to provide sufficient energy to the injected holes for surmounting the energy barrier between the fermi level in the grid electrode 14 and the valence band edge in the retention insulator 20.
[0073] FIG. 8 illustrates a portion of a nonvolatile memory array 140 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Each memory element in the array 140 is a floating gate MOS transistor 100 coupled to a tunneling electron injector 30 and tunneling hole injector 50 as depicted in FIG. 6b. Although the floating gate MOS transistors 100 are n-channel, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that they could also be p-channel. Each memory element is connected to a bit line 122, a source line 124, a word line 126, first and second grid lines 142 and 144, and electron and hole injector lines 146 and 148. In the portion of a nonvolatile memory array 140, four cells are arranged as two rows and two columns. There are two bit lines 122-1 and 122-2, two source lines 124-1 and 124-2, two word lines 126-1 and 126-2, two first grid lines 142-1 and 142-2, two se grid lines 144-1 and 144-2, two first injector lines 146-1 and 146-2, and two second injector lines 148-1 and 148-2.
[0074] In a specific embodiment, the word line 126 is separated from the floating gate of the floating gate MOS transistor 100 on the top and two sides in the word line direction by an ONO layer with an effective oxide thickness of about 20 nm, the tunneling electron injector 30 and tunneling hole injector 50 are formed on opposing faces of the floating gate with the grids separated from the floating gate with an oxide layer of about 20 nm thick. The gate oxide the floating gate MOS transistor 100 is about 6 nm thick, and the floating gate is 0.1 μm long, 0.1 μm wide, and 0.15 nm high. Accordingly, the floating gate MOS transistors 100 have a threshold voltage of about 0.4 to about 0.5 V.
[0075] In the erase mode of array 140, each of the memory cells is erased simultaneously by applying 5 V to the hole injector lines 148 and grounding all other lines in the array. Alternatively, the hole injector lines 148 may be biased at about 3 V, the word lines 126 biased at −3 V, and all of the other lines at about −1.8 V. With this set of biasing conditions, the maximum magnitude of any bias is reduced to 3 V. It should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that there are a variety of sets of other bias conditions that will erase the cells of the array 140.
[0076] To selectively program the cell in the array 140 indicated by reference numeral 150, 4 V is applied to word line 126-1, a bias of −2.5 V is applied to electron injector line 146-1, 1 V is applied to the first grid line 142-1, and 3 V is applied to the hole injector lines 148 and the two second grid lines 144-1 and 144-2. To inhibit electron injection to unselected cells, the unselected electron injector line 146-2 is biased at 0 V and the unselected first grid line 142-2 is biased at −1 V. Under these conditions, the unselected cells have ±1 V applied between grid line 142-2 and electron injector line 146-2. These potentials are far too low to cause electron injection over the energy barrier between the grid electrode 34 and the retention oxide 40. The low biases applied between grid line 142-2 and electron injector line 146-2 permit only relatively small currents to flow between these lines in the unselected cells.
[0077] As has been discussed above, there are a great number of combinations of materials that can be used in forming the injection structures which lie within the scope of this invention. The fabrication of one particular embodiment is now described to illustrate how this invention can be implemented within an integrated circuit fabrication process using standard production techniques. In this particular embodiment, the MOS memory transistors are n-channel devices. It should be appreciated, however, that they could other wise be p-channel devices.
[0078] In FIGS. 9aand 9b, a silicon body 200 is shown that is doped p-type uniformly in the direction extending along the surface of the wafer in the area of the array. A thin oxide 204 that forms the gate of the floating gate MOS memory transistor in disposed on the surface of the silicon body 200. Because oxide 204 is not exposed to high electric fields during operation, stress induced leakage current will not be generated and the gate oxide can be scaled toward the intrinsic limit of about 5 nm for retention. A layer of silicon is deposited on the oxide 204 and patterned with known means to form parallel traces 206. The silicon body 200 is implanted with an n-type dopant, preferably an n-type dopant with low rate of thermal diffusion such as Arsenic (As) or Antimony (Sb), to form doped regions 202 in the spaces between the silicon traces 206. The dopant may serve to dope the silicon traces 206, but the traces 206 serve to mask the regions under the traces 206.
[0079] In FIGS. 10aand 10b, after the implant is performed, an oxide/nitride/oxide, ONO, dielectric 208 is formed by one of several methods known in the art. It is preferred that the method employed does not expose the n-type implant 202 to high temperature treatment. A second layer of silicon 210 is deposited and doped either in situ or subsequent to deposition. A layer of silicon nitride is deposited on the second layer of silicon 210 and capped with a layer of deposited oxide to form the sandwich layer 212. The oxide layer in the sandwich layer 212 should be substantially thicker than the top layer of oxide in the ONO stack, preferably about 50 nm thick.
[0080] In FIGS. 11athrough 11d, the sandwich layer 212 and underlying silicon layer 210 are then patterned into a series of parallel traces 218 that run perpendicular to the traces 206. A thin layer of silicon oxide 216, preferably about 20 nm thick, is grown on the side walls of the second layer silicon traces 218. The ONO dielectric prevents oxidation of the first layer silicon traces 206 or the underlying silicon body 200 during this process.
[0081] In FIGS. 12athrough 12d, after the sidewall oxide 216 is grown on the second layer silicon traces, the ONO and underlying first layer silicon traces 206 exposed between the traces 218 of the second layer of silicon are etched away in an anisotropic etch. An implant of boron is made into the exposed regions 220 to raise the thresholds of these regions to provide isolation between the remaining portions of the first layer silicon traces 206 in the direction perpendicular to the second layer silicon traces 218. These remaining portions of the first layer silicon traces 206 form the floating gates of the floating gate memory transistors.
[0082] In FIGS. 13athrough 13d, a layer of oxide 222 that forms a retention oxide is then deposited and annealed. A grid electrode 224 is deposited on oxide 222. As discussed previously, the grid electrode 224 may be any metal, alloy, or metallic compound that has the appropriate work function, conductivity, and range for “hot” carriers. The grid electrode 224 should be thin enough to allow a desired fraction of hot carriers to pass through without losing energy.
[0083] In FIGS. 14athrough 14d, the grid electrode 224 is anisotropically etched to leave it only along the sidewalls of the first and second traces of the silicon layers 206 and 218 as is seen in FIG. 14d.
[0084] In FIGS. 15athrough 15d, a tunnel layer silicon oxide 226 of about 5 nm is deposited so that it covers the grid electrode 224. Although silicon oxide is used in this embodiment, the tunnel insulating layer could be any one of or a combination of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, or other such insulator with a high dielectric strength that is compatible with integrated circuit processing technology.
[0085] In FIGS. 16athrough 16d, the injector electrode 228 is deposited by a method which will fill the space between the silicon traces and provide a reasonably smooth surface. The thickness of the injector electrode 228 should be more than 50% of the spacing between the silicon traces and preferably about 75% of this spacing. For example, if the spacing between the traces is 100 nm, the injector electrode thickness is preferably 75 nm.
[0086] In FIGS. 17athrough 17e, the material of the injector electrode 228 is then etched back to expose the tops of the traces so that the material of the injector electrode 228 lying in the channels between silicon traces is isolated from material of the injector electrode 228 lying in adjacent channels.
[0087] In FIGS. 18athrough 18e, an isolating layer 230, of preferably either silicon nitride layer or a sandwich layer of a thin layer of silicon nitride under silicon oxide is deposited and selectively removed from the surface above every other channel. The channels that remain covered implement hole emitters. After the insulator 230 is selectively removed, a conducting layer 232 is deposited that is preferably a thin layer of titanium nitride covered with aluminum. The conducting layer 232 is selectively etched into traces with the aid of a photoresist mask. While the mask is in place, exposed material of the injector electrode 228 is etched from between the traces. The traces are placed so that the islands of material of the injector electrode 228 contacting the conducting traces 232 are adjacent to floating gates. These islands are the electron injectors.
[0088] In this structure, the second layer silicon traces 218 implement word lines, the diffused regions 202 implement source and drain regions of the floating gate MOS memory transistors. The hole emitters run along the word lines so that individual word lines, blocks of word lines or an entire array can be erased simultaneously, depending on the biasing of the grid lines, the injector lines, and the word lines. The duration required to erase a row should be on the order of μsec. Further, because the traces that set the injector biases for the electron injectors run perpendicular to those that set the bias for associated grids, the electron injectors can be individually addressed to permit the programming of individual cells.
[0089] FIG. 23 illustrates schematically the electrical connectivity of the array just described. FIG. 23 shows a 2×2 portion 440 of an array fabricated as described above. In this embodiment the word lines 426-1 and 426-2 run parallel to the source lines 424-1 and 424-2. The bit lines 422-1 and 422-2 run through the array perpendicular to the word lines.
[0090] The bit lines and source lines are connected to the drains and sources, respectively, of the memory transistors. The word lines connect to control gates that are capacitively coupled to the floating gate of the memory transistors. Each memory cell comprises a memory transistor 100, a hole injector 50 and an electron injector 30. Two cells 450 and 452 that are connected to word line 0 are shown surrounded by dashed lines in FIG. 23. In this embodiment, the grid lines 444-1, 444-2, 442-1, and 442-2 run parallel to the word lines, as do the injector lines 448-1 and 448-2 for the hole injectors. The injector lines for the electron injectors 446-1 and 446-2 are parallel to the bit lines and perpendicular to the word lines. Because the grid and injector lines for the electron injectors are perpendicular, a single cell that lies at the intersection of a set of grid and injector lines can be selected for programming. This allows unique data to be stored in the cells by clearing a row to a common charge state with the hole injectors that are in parallel along a row and then selectively programming the cells along the cleared row with the electron injector.
[0091] As will now be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art, the essential requirement for a selective operation is to have two sets of control lines running through the array perpendicular to each other. For the read operation, the bit lines and word lines perform the select function. For the write operation for the array shown in FIG. 23, the grid and injector lines for the electron injector perform this function. For the write operation for the array shown in FIG. 8, the grid and injector lines for the electron injector also perform the select function, but, in FIG. 8, the grid lines of the electron injector are parallel to the bit lines and the injector lines are parallel to the word lines. (To enable FIGS. 8 and 23 to be compared easily, the labels are the same for the same array elements, except that the label numbers in FIG. 8 begin with 1 and those in FIG. 23 begin with 4). The paths of the grid lines and the injector lines of the electron injectors in these two figures have been reversed, but the function remains the same. The choice between these two array connections can be made based on which is easier to implement. Similarly, although electron injection has been chosen as the selective operation in these two embodiments, it will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art that the hole injectors could be wired for individual operation with the electron injection operation in parallel by row or column. What is important is that at least one of the write operations be cell selective.
[0092] The size of each cell is the minimum pitch in each direction so that the individual cell occupies an area of 4l2, wherein l is the minimum feature size. For example, in a technology having a minimum feature size of 0.1 μm, the cell size would be on the order of 0.01 μm2so that 108cells could be packed into 1 mm2. Moreover, because the cells can be written with biases of about ±3.5 V, the supporting circuitry can be made compatible with scaled technology.
[0093] An additional advantage of this technology is that the carriers that are injected over the retention barrier are fairly tightly bunched in energy. As a result, if the bias across the retention insulator is attractive, carriers will be collected with high efficiency. If the floating gate is charged so that the field across the retention insulator is repulsive, very few carriers will be collected. This permits control of the charging of the potential on the floating gate in bands of a few tenths of a volt so that storing multiple bits per cell is feasible.
[0094] As discussed above, silicon dioxide, SiO2, is employed as the retention insulator in a specific embodiment, although it is also stated that silicon nitride could also be employed and may have advantage because it has a lower barrier height to the injection of both electrons and holes than SiO2.
[0095] It is known that the scattering length for charge carriers in a conductor decreases very rapidly as the energy of the carriers increases above the fermi level in the conductor (See Krolikowski & Spicer, Phys. Rev., 185, pp. 882-900 (1969) and Krolikowski & Spicer, Phys. Rev., B1, pp. 478-87 (1970)). Since the scattering of carriers in the “grid” electrode is expected to be the limiting factor in the injection efficiency of embodiments of this invention, it would be very desirable to employ a material with low hole and electron barriers to the grid electrode.
[0096] Silicon nitride, Si3N4, has a barrier to electron injection approximately 1 eV lower than that of SiO2and a barrier to hole injection about 2 eV lower than that of SiO2. These factors alone would make Si3N4attractive for use as the retention insulator. However, there are at least two potential disadvantages to the use of Si3N4in this role. The first is that concomitant with the lower barrier to injection of electrons or holes from the grid electrode is larger leakage of carriers between the floating gate and the grid electrode which results in much poorer retention of charge on the floating gate. A second disadvantage is that silicon nitride has traditionally had a high density of traps, probably as the result of a fairly high incorporation of hydrogen, that has resulted in the conduction of carriers through the dielectric being limited by Poole-Frenkel conduction rather the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. The Poole-Frenkel conduction causes the leakage current to be much higher at low to moderate biases than if the conduction were Fowler-Nordheim limited.
[0097] The second disadvantage has been potentially obviated with the recent development of techniques of depositing silicon nitride with low enough defect densities that condition is essentially limited by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling (See Guo and Ma, “Tunneling Leakage Current in Oxynitride: Dependence on Oxygen/Nitrogen Content”, IEEE Electron Dev. Lett. EDL-19, pp. 207-9 (1998)). However, the intrinsic Fowler-Nordheim tunneling current may still be too high to allow the retention required for some applications.
[0098] The retention problem can be overcome in accordance with an aspect of the present invention by combining a layer of very low leakage silicon dioxide adjacent to the floating gate with a layer of oxynitride which is in contact with the SiO2layer and adjacent to the grid electrode. The ratio of O and N in the oxynitride layer can be graded to provide a smooth transition from a nitrogen rich layer next to the grid electrode to almost stoichiometric silicon dioxide adjacent to the SiO2layer as is illustrated in FIG. 19.
[0099] FIG. 19 is a band diagram of a retention insulator structure composed of a layer 302 of SiO2and a layer 304 of SiOxNyin which the oxygen and nitrogen concentrations are graded so that the layer is essentially SiO2on its right side and Si3N4on its left side. The floating gate 308 is assumed to be composed of silicon. The grid electrode 306 is also assumed to be composed of silicon. The energy barriers between the conduction bands and valence bands in the silicon of the grid electrode and these bands in the silicon oxynitride layer are significantly lower than those equivalent barriers between the SiO2and the silicon of the floating gate. This means that carriers can be more easily injected from the grid toward the floating gate than from the floating gate toward the grid which allows the structure to be separately optimized for retention of charge on the floating gate during storage mode and injection of charge onto the floating gate during writing mode.
[0100] In addition to having a smaller band gap than SiO2, Si3N4has a higher electric permittivity. In the case of SiOxNy, the permittivity changes linearly with the change in composition. FIG. 20ais a plot of relative permittivity and fractional oxide content of a SiOxNyfilm deposited on a SiO2film for the case in which both films are 80 Å thick and the oxide fraction varies linearly from zero to one across the thickness of the SiOxNyfilm. As can be seen in the plot, the relative permittivity decreases from 7.8 to 3.9 linearly across the film.
[0101] The variation in permittivity across the SiOxNyfilm is important to the shape of the conduction band edge when an electric field is applied across the dual dielectric. The electric potential change, V, resulting from the applied field is given by
[0102] where K is the relative permittivity, ∈ois the permittivity of free space, and {right arrow over (E)}·{right arrow over (dl)} is the inner product of the electric field along the path of integration. The variation of the permittivity causes the electric potential to vary nonlinearly which effects the band edge potentials. FIG. 20bshows the variation of the electrical potential and the conduction band edge for the structure of FIG. 20awith an applied bias of about 3.8 V. The potential of the conduction band edge in the dielectric structure is plotted with respect to the conduction band edge of a silicon electrode in contact with the nitride edge of the SiOxNyfilm. The dielectric layer conduction band edge begins 2.1 eV above the silicon conduction edge and gradually declines in potential. This allows any electrons injected into the dielectric layer at the cathode to drift gradually across the SiOxNyfilm under the influence of the collecting field into the oxide film where they experience a stronger collecting potential.
[0103] FIGS. 21aand 21billustrate why the continuously collecting potential shown in FIG. 20bis important. In FIG. 21a, the graded SiOxNyfilm 306 from FIGS. 20aand 20bhas been replaced with a simple film 310 of silicon nitride, Si3N4. The barrier to electron injection into this dual dielectric layer is 2.1 eV as was the case for the dielectric layer illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20a, 20b.
[0104] However, when an electric: field is applied across the structure, a potential well 312 is formed in which the injected electrons are collected rather than passing on to the anode. The electrons trapped in this well do not pass to the anode; moreover, they create a retarding electrical field that inhibits further electron injection into the dual dielectric layer. It is seen that it is important to grade the concentration of the SiOxNyfilm so that potential minimums are not created within the film when the structure is biased for carrier injection. (Although this discussion has focussed on electrons, it will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art that similar considerations apply with respect to holes being injected into the valence band).
[0105] The application of a graded dielectric to charge injection structures is illustrated in FIGS. 22a-22c. A band diagram for a charge injection structure 340 with a dielectric having a graded band gap (as a result of graded composition) is shown in FIG. 22awith no bias applied. For this specific embodiment, the floating gate is chosen to be formed of silicon. The conduction band edge 350 and valence band edge 352 of the floating gate are seen on the right side of the structure. Adjacent to the floating gate is a dielectric composed of two films 357 and 358. A grid electrode is placed in contact with the dual layer dielectric. The fermi level 362 of this electrode is shown at reference number 362. The tunnel injector lies on the left of the structure. In this specific embodiment, this electrode is also chosen to be silicon. The conduction band edge 376 and the valence band edge 378 of the injector are shown on the left of the structure. The grid insulator is between the grid and tunnel injection electrodes. The grid insulator is SiO2in this specific embodiment. The conduction band edge 370 and valence band edge 372 of the grid insulator are shown.
[0106] The film 357 is chosen to have a wide band gap to prevent charge from leaking from the floating gate. In a specific embodiment this layer is chosen to be SiO2with a thickness in the range of 4 to 12 nm. A thickness of up to about 50 nm would also work. Lying between the blocking layer 357 and the grid is a dielectric film 358 that has a graded band gap. In this specific embodiment, this film is a SiOxNyfilm in which the oxide fraction is graded linearly from about unity at the interface with the film 357 to about 0 at the interface with the grid electrode. This film has a thickness in the range of 4 to 12 nm in this specific embodiment. The two films 357 and 358 form a composite dielectric film that serves as the retention insulator. The conduction band edge 354 and the valence band edge 356 of this insulator are shown in FIG. 22a.
[0107] When the injector electrode of this structure is biased 2 V to 2.5 V negatively with respect to the grid electrode and the floating gate is coupled 3.5 V to 4 V positive with respect to the grid electrode, the band edges become aligned as depicted in FIG. 22b. If the grid insulator is sufficiently thin, 2 nm to 6 nm in thickness in a specific embodiment, electrons will tunnel directly through the grid insulator and be injected into the conduction band of the grid electrode without loss of energy. Should the electrons reach the retention insulator interface without losing significant energy to scattering in the grid electrode, they can enter the conduction band of the retention insulator. The bias across the collection insulator is chosen so that any electrons injected experience a potential gradient that will drift them toward the floating gate. It is known that the electron-electron scattering distance increases exponentially with decrease in the energy of an electron above the fermi level. A decrease in energy from 4 to 3 eV above the fermi level in the grid electrode can result in more than doubling the mean-free-path. The result is a very substantial increase, as much as 10×, in the fraction of the injected electrons that reach the retention insulator without significant energy loss.
[0108] As FIG. 22aillustrates, the same principles can be applied to hole injection with the differences being that the decrease in required hole energy is about 2 eV because the barrier to hole injection for Si3N4is about 2 eV less than that of SiO2.
[0109] Although the band edges 354 and 356 are shown in FIGS. 22band 22cto have linear potential variation with distance, it should be clear from the discussion of FIG. 22bthat their behavior is curvilinear; however linear behavior is easier to draw and illustrates the essential behavior.
[0110] Although the two films shown in this specific embodiment are of the same thickness, this is not necessary according to the teachings of this invention. The blocking layer, film 357 in FIGS. 22a-22c, must only be thick enough to prevent charge from leaking from the floating gate at a rate that degrades the retention of the charge, and hence stored data, under normal storage conditions. The graded dielectric film in contact with the grid electrode need only be thick enough to allow the smooth transition between smaller and larger band gap regions.
[0111] Dividing the retention layer into two films is somewhat arbitrary. It is within the teaching of this invention for the retention insulator to be a single film deposited in a single operation in which the portion near the floating gate is composed of wide band gap dielectric material which gradually grades into narrow band gap dielectric material. For example, the retention insulator could be formed by depositing a film that is composed of principally SiO2for the 70 Å nearest the floating gate electrode and that then grades gradually to Si3N4at the grid electrode interface.
[0112] Other materials can be substituted for SiO2and SiOxNyas long as there is a dielectric near the floating gate that inhibits the leakage of charge from the floating gate and a dielectric material that grades gradually from the wide band gap of the blocking layer to a narrower band gap where the retention insulator contacts the grid electrode.
[0113] Those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure will now realize that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of this invention.
Claims
Post-issuance certificates present
The text shown below may not reflect later post-issuance changes.
What is claimed is:
1. A nonvolatile memory cell comprising:
a floating gate MOS transistor including:
a semiconductor body having a doping of a first type;
first and second semiconductor regions having a doping of a second type, said first and second semiconductor regions spaced apart to form a channel region in between said first and second semiconductor regions in said semiconductor body;
a floating gate disposed above said channel region in said semiconductor body;
a floating gate dielectric disposed between said floating gate and said semiconductor conductor body; and
a tunneling charge injector including:
a conducting injector electrode from which charge is emitted;
a grid insulator disposed adjacent to said conducting injector electrode;
a grid electrode disposed adjacent to said grid insulator; and
a retention insulator disposed adjacent to said grid electrode,
wherein said floating gate is disposed adjacent to said retention insulator and said retention insulator has a first band gap in a first portion of said retention insulator disposed adjacent to said grid electrode and a second, greater band gap in a second portion of said retention insulator disposed between said grid electrode and said floating gate.
2. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said floating gate comprises polysilicon.
3. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said retention insulator is formed of a layer of silicon oxide having a thickness in a range of about 8 nm to about 50 nm.
4. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said grid electrode is thin enough to minimize loss of energy of injected charge carriers and thick enough to conduct away charge carriers that lose energy and are thermalized in said grid electrode.
5. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said grid electrode has a thickness in a range of about 10 nm to about 50 nm.
6. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 2, wherein said grid electrode comprises a metal having a work function with a fermi level that in a flat band condition lies in approximately the middle of a band gap of said floating gate.
7. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said grid electrode is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of: Cr, Ni, Cu, W, Ir, Pt, Pd, and p-type silicon.
8. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said grid insulator is formed of a layer of silicon oxide having a thickness in a range of about 2 nm to about 6 nm.
9. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said grid insulator has a thickness through which charge carriers will tunnel with application across said grid insulator of a bias in a range of about 2 V to about 6 V.
10. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said conducting injector electrode comprises a metal having a work function with a fermi level that in a flat band condition lies in approximately the middle of a band gap of said floating gate.
11. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said conducting injector electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: Cr, Ni, Cu, W, Ir, Pt, Pd, p-type silicon, Al, Ti, V, Zr, Mn, Nb, Ta, and n-type silicon.
12. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein application of a negative bias from said injector electrode with respect to said grid electrode will result in electrons tunneling from said conducting injector electrode to said grid electrode.
13. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein the application of a positive bias from said conducting injector electrode with respect to said grid electrode will result in holes tunneling from said conducting injector electrode to said grid electrode.
14. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein application of a negative bias from said conducting injector electrode with respect to said grid electrode raises a fermi level of said conducting injector electrode to cause electrons to tunnel into said grid electrode with enough energy to pass into a conduction band of said retention insulator.
15. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein application of a positive bias from said conducting injector electrode with respect to said grid electrode lowers a fermi level of said conducting injector electrode to cause holes to tunnel into said grid electrode with enough energy to pass into a valence band of said retention insulator.
16. A nonvolatile memory cell comprising:
a floating gate MOS transistor including:
a semiconductor body having a doping of a first type;
first and second semiconductor regions having a doping of a second type, said first and second semiconductor regions spaced apart to form a channel region in between said first and second semiconductor regions in said semiconductor body;
a floating gate disposed above said channel region in said semiconductor body; and
a floating gate dielectric disposed between said floating gate and said semiconductor body;
a tunneling electron injector including:
a first conducting injector electrode from which electrons are emitted;
a first grid insulator disposed adjacent to said first conducting injector electrode;
a first grid electrode disposed adjacent to said first grid insulator; and
a first retention insulator disposed adjacent to said first grid electrode,
wherein said floating gate is disposed adjacent to said first retention insulator and said first retention insulator has a first band gap in a first portion of said first retention insulator disposed adjacent to said first grid electrode, and a second, greater band gap in a second portion of said first retention insulator disposed between said first grid electrode and said floating gate;
a tunneling hole injector including:
a second conducting injector electrode from which holes are emitted;
a second grid insulator disposed adjacent to said second conducting injector electrode;
a second grid electrode disposed adjacent to said second grid insulator; and
a second retention insulator disposed adjacent to said second grid electrode,
wherein said floating gate is disposed adjacent to said second retention insulator and said second retention insulator has a first band gap in a first portion of said second retention insulator disposed adjacent to said second grid electrode, and a second, greater band gap in a second portion of said second retention insulator disposed between said second grid electrode and said floating gate.
17. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said floating gate has a conduction band edge and a valence band edge similar to a conduction band edge and a valence band edge of said first conducting injector electrode.
18. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said floating gate comprises polysilicon.
19. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said first retention insulator comprises a layer of silicon oxide having a thickness in a range of about 8 nm to about 50 nm.
20. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said first grid electrode is thin enough to minimize loss of energy of injected charge carriers and thick enough to conduct away charge carriers that lose energy and are thermalized in said first grid electrode.
21. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said first grid electrode has a thickness in a range of about 10 nm to about 50 nm.
22. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 18, wherein said first grid electrode comprises a metal having a work function with a fermi level that in a flat band condition lies in approximately the middle of a band gap of said floating gate.
23. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said first grid electrode comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of: Cr, Ni, Cu, W, Al, Ti, V, Zr, Mn, Nb, Ta and n-type silicon.
24. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said first grid insulator comprises a layer of silicon oxide having a thickness in a range of about 2 nm to about 6 nm.
25. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said first grid insulator has a thickness through which charge carriers will tunnel with application across said first grid insulator of a bias in a range of about 2 V to about 6 V.
26. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said first conducting injector electrode comprises n-type doped silicon.
27. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 26, wherein application of a negative bias from said first conducting injector electrode with respect to said first grid electrode will result in electrons tunneling from said first conducting injector electrode to said first grid electrode.
28. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 26, wherein application of a negative bias from said first injector electrode with respect to said first grid electrode raises a conduction band of said first conducting injector electrode above a conduction band of said first retention insulator.
29. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said second retention insulator comprises a layer of silicon oxide having a thickness in a range of about 8 nm to about 50 nm.
30. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said second grid electrode is thin enough to minimize loss of energy of injected charge carriers and thick enough to conduct away charge carriers that lose energy and are thermalized in said second grid electrode.
31. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said second grid electrode has a thickness in a range of about 10 nm to about 50 nm.
32. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said second grid electrode comprises a metal having a work function with a fermi level that in a flat band condition lies in approximately the middle of a band gap of said floating gate.
33. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said second grid electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: Pt, Cr, Ni, Cu, W, Ir, Pd and p-type silicon.
34. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said second grid insulator comprises a layer of silicon oxide having a thickness in a range of about 2 nm to about 6 nm.
35. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said second grid insulator has a thickness through which charge carriers will tunnel with application across said second grid insulator of a bias in a range of about 2 V to about 6 V.
36. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein said second conducting injector electrode comprises a metal having a work function that is greater than a work function of a metal of which said second grid electrode is comprised.
37. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein application of a positive bias from said second conducting injector electrode with respect to said second grid electrode will result in holes tunneling from said second conducting injector electrode to said second grid electrode.
38. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein application of a positive bias from said second conducting injector electrode with respect to said second grid electrode lowers a fermi level of said second conducting injector electrode below a valence band of said second retention insulator.
39. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein application of a positive bias from said second conducting injector electrode with respect to said second grid electrode lowers a valence band of said second conducting injector electrode below a valence band of said second retention insulator.
40. A nonvolatile memory device comprising:
a plurality of nonvolatile memory elements arranged in a rectangular array of rows and columns, each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory elements including:
a floating gate MOS transistor having a source region and a drain region formed in a semiconductor body and spaced apart by a channel region, and a floating gate disposed above said channel region; and
a tunneling charge injector having a conducting injector electrode, a grid insulator disposed adjacent to said conducting injector electrode, a grid electrode disposed adjacent to said grid insulator, and a retention insulator disposed adjacent to said grid electrode, wherein said floating gate is disposed adjacent to said retention insulator and said retention insulator has a first band gap in a first portion of said retention insulator disposed adjacent to said grid electrode and a second, greater band gap in a second portion of said retention insulator disposed between said grid electrode and said floating gate;
a plurality of word lines, a separate one of said plurality of word lines coupled to said control gate of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same row;
a plurality of bit lines, a separate one of said plurality of bit lines coupled to said drain region of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same column;
a plurality of source lines, at least one of said plurality of source lines coupled to said source region of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same row;
a plurality of injector lines, at least one of said plurality of injector lines coupled to said conducting injector electrode of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same row; and
a plurality of grid lines, at least one of said plurality of grid lines coupled to said grid electrode of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same column.
41. A nonvolatile memory device comprising:
a plurality of nonvolatile memory elements arranged in a rectangular array of rows and columns, each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory elements including:
a floating gate MOS transistor having a source region and a drain region formed in a semiconductor body and spaced apart by a channel region, and a floating gate disposed above said channel region; and
a tunneling charge injector having a conducting injector electrode, a grid insulator disposed adjacent to said conducting injector electrode, a grid electrode disposed adjacent to said grid insulator, and a retention insulator disposed adjacent to said grid electrode, wherein said floating gate is disposed adjacent to said retention insulator and said retention insulator has a first band gap in a first portion of said retention insulator disposed adjacent to said grid electrode and a second, greater band gap in a second portion of said retention insulator disposed between said grid electrode and said floating gate;
a plurality of word lines, a separate one of said plurality of word lines coupled to said control gate of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same row;
a plurality of bit lines, a separate one of said plurality of bit lines coupled to said drain region of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same column;
a plurality of injector lines, at least one of said plurality of injector lines coupled to said conducting injector electrode of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same column; and
a plurality of grid lines, at least one of said plurality of grid lines coupled to said grid electrode of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same row.
42. A nonvolatile memory device comprising:
a plurality of nonvolatile memory elements arranged in a rectangular array of rows and columns, each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory elements including:
a floating gate MOS transistor having a source region and a drain region formed in a semiconductor body and spaced apart by a channel region, and a floating gate disposed above said channel region; and
a tunneling electron injector having a first conducting injector electrode, a first grid insulator disposed adjacent to said first conducting injector electrode, a first grid electrode disposed adjacent to said first grid insulator, and a first retention insulator disposed adjacent to said first grid electrode, wherein said floating gate is disposed adjacent to said first retention insulator and said first retention insulator has a first band gap in a first portion of said first retention insulator disposed adjacent to said first grid electrode, and a second, greater band gap in a second portion of said first retention insulator disposed between said first grid electrode and said floating gate;
a tunneling hole injector having a second conducting injector electrode, a second grid insulator disposed adjacent to said second conducting injector electrode, a second grid electrode disposed adjacent to said second grid insulator, and a second retention insulator disposed adjacent to said second grid electrode, wherein said floating gate is disposed adjacent to said second retention insulator and said second retention insulator has a first band gap in a first portion of said second retention insulator disposed adjacent to said second grid electrode, and a second, greater, band gap in a second portion of said second retention insulator disposed between said second grid electrode and said floating gate;
a plurality of word lines, a separate one of said plurality of word lines coupled to said control gate of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same row;
a plurality of bit lines, a separate one of said plurality of bit lines coupled to said drain region of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same column;
a plurality of source lines, at least one of said plurality of source lines coupled to said source region of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same row;
a first plurality of injector lines, at least one of said first plurality of injector lines coupled to said first conducting injector electrode of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same row;
a first plurality of grid lines, at least one of said first plurality of grid lines coupled to said first grid electrode of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same column;
a second plurality of injector lines, at least one of said second plurality of injector lines coupled to said second conducting injector electrode of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same row; and
a second plurality of grid lines, at least one of said second plurality of grid lines coupled to said second grid electrode of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same column.
43. A nonvolatile memory device comprising:
a plurality of nonvolatile memory elements arranged in a rectangular array of rows and columns, each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory elements including:
a floating gate MOS transistor having a source region and a drain region formed in a semiconductor body and spaced apart by a channel region, and a floating gate disposed above said channel region; and
a tunneling electron injector having a first conducting injector electrode, a first grid insulator disposed adjacent to said first conducting injector electrode, a first grid electrode disposed adjacent to said first grid insulator, and a first retention insulator disposed adjacent to said first grid electrode, wherein said floating gate is disposed adjacent to said first retention insulator and said first retention insulator has a first band gap in a first portion of said first retention insulator disposed adjacent to said first grid electrode, and a second, greater band gap in a second portion of said first retention insulator disposed between said first grid electrode and said floating gate;
a tunneling hole injector having a second conducting injector electrode, a second grid insulator disposed adjacent to said second conducting injector electrode, a second grid electrode disposed adjacent to said second grid insulator, and a second retention insulator disposed adjacent to said second grid electrode, wherein said floating gate is disposed adjacent to said second retention insulator and said second retention insulator has a first band gap in a first portion of said second retention insulator disposed adjacent to said second grid electrode, and a second, greater, band gap in a second portion of said second retention insulator disposed between said second grid electrode and said floating gate;
a plurality of word lines, a separate one of said plurality of word lines coupled to said control gate of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same row;
a plurality of bit lines, a separate one of said plurality of bit lines coupled to said drain region of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same column;
a first plurality of injector lines, at least one of said first plurality of injector lines coupled to said first conducting injector electrode of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same column; and
a first plurality of grid lines, at least one of said first plurality of grid lines coupled to said first grid electrode of each of said plurality of nonvolatile memory cells in a same row.
44. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said retention insulator further comprises a third portion disposed between said first portion and said second portion, said third portion having a graded band cap.
45. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said retention insulator further comprises a third portion having a continuously graded band gap disposed between said first portion and said second portion.
46. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said first portion of said retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxide and said second portion of said retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxinitride.
47. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 1, wherein said retention insulator comprises a continuously graded band gap structure disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said retention insulator, said structure comprising SiOxand SiOxNy.
48. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, further comprising:
a third portion of said first retention insulator disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said first retention insulator, said third portion of said first retention insulator having a graded band gap; and
a third portion of said second retention insulator disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said second retention insulator, said third portion of said second retention insulator having a graded band gap.
49. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, further comprising:
a third portion of said first retention insulator having a continuously graded band gap disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said first retention insulator; and
a third portion of said second retention insulator having a continuously graded band gap disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said second retention insulator.
50. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein:
a first portion of said first retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxide and said second portion of said first retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxynitride; and
said first portion of said second retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxide and said second portion of said second retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxynitride.
51. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 16, wherein:
said first retention insulator comprises a continuously graded band gap structure disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said first retention insulator, said structure comprising SiOxand SiOxNy; and
said second retention insulator comprises a continuously graded band gap structure disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said second retention insulator, said structure comprising SiOxand SiOxNy.
52. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 40, further comprising a third portion disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said retention insulator, said third portion having a graded band gap.
53. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 40, wherein said retention insulator further comprises a third portion having a continuously graded band gap disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said retention insulator.
54. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 40, wherein said first portion of said retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxide and said second portion of said retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxinitride.
55. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 40, wherein said retention insulator comprises a continuously graded band gap structure disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said retention insulator, said structure comprising SiOxand SiOxNy.
56. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 42, further comprising:
a third portion of said first retention insulator disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said first retention insulator, said third portion of said first retention insulator having a graded band gap; and
a third portion of said second retention insulator disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said second retention insulator, said third portion of said second retention insulator having a graded band gap.
57. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 42, further comprising:
a third portion of said first retention insulator having a continuously graded band gap disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said first retention insulator; and
a third portion of said second retention insulator having a continuously graded band gap disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said second retention insulator.
58. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 42, wherein:
said first portion of said first retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxide and said second portion of said first retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxynitride; and
said first portion of said second retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxide and said second portion of said second retention insulator comprises a film formed of silicon oxynitride.
59. A nonvolatile memory cell as in claim 42, wherein:
said first retention insulator comprises a continuously graded band gap structure disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said first retention insulator, said structure comprising SiOxand SiOxNy; and
said second retention insulator comprises a continuously graded band gap structure disposed between said first portion and said second portion of said second retention insulator, said structure comprising SiOxand SiOxNy.
60. A nonvolatile memory cell in accordance with claim 1, wherein said tunneling charge injector is disposed along a side of said floating gate and separated therefrom by said grid insulator, said grid electrode and said retention insulator.
61. A nonvolatile memory cell in accordance with claim 16, wherein said tunneling electron injector is disposed along a first side of said floating gate and separated therefrom by said first grid insulator, said first grid electrode and said first retention insulator and said tunneling hole injector is disposed along a second side of said floating gate and separated therefrom by said second grid insulator, said second grid electrode and said second retention insulator.
62. A nonvolatile memory device in accordance with claim 40, wherein said tunneling charge injector is disposed along a side of said floating gate and separated therefrom by said grid insulator, said grid electrode and said retention insulator.
63. A nonvolatile memory device in accordance with claim 41, wherein said tunneling charge injector is disposed along a side of said floating gate and separated therefrom by said grid insulator, said grid electrode and said retention insulator.
64. A nonvolatile memory device in accordance with claim 42, wherein said tunneling electron injector is disposed along a first side of said floating gate and separated therefrom by said first grid insulator, said first grid electrode and said first retention insulator and said tunneling hole injector is disposed along a second side of said floating gate and separated therefrom by said second grid insulator, said second grid electrode and said second retention insulator.
65. A nonvolatile memory device in accordance with claim 43, wherein said tunneling electron injector is disposed along a first side of said floating gate and separated therefrom by said first grid insulator, said first grid electrode and said first retention insulator and said tunneling hole injector is disposed along a second side of said floating gate and separated therefrom by said second grid insulator, said second grid electrode and said second retention insulator.
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