Research On A Novel Low Voltage Low Power Flash Memory Technology

A novel Flash memory, which uses the Source Induced Band-to-Band Tunneling Hot Electron (SIBE) injection to perform programming, and a PMOS Selected Divided Bit-Line NOR (PNOR) array architecture are originally introduced in this dissertation. Based on the researches of the proposed Flash memory, including the cell structure, the operation modes, the programming characteristics, the read characteristics, the integration process and the reliability, the operation conditions of the SIBE Flash memory are optimized and established. In order to narrow the wide distribution of the erasure threshold voltage and eliminate the over-erased cells, a self-convergence soft-programming scheme is also proposed. The tested results and the characterization demonstrate that the proposed Flash memory technology features low voltage, low power consumption, high programming speed, high access speed, self-convergence and high reliability, and is suitable for applications of the new Flash memory products.