A 3.3 V 32 Mb NAND flash memory with incremental step pulseprogramming scheme

While the performance of flash memory exceeds hard disk drives in almost every category, the cost of flash memory must come down in order to gain wider acceptance in mass storage applications. This paper describes a 3.3 V-only 32 Mb NAND flash memory that achieves not only high performance but also low cost with a 94.9 mm² die size, improved yields, and a simple process with 0.5 μm CMOS technology. Die size is reduced by eliminating high voltage operation on the bitlines through a self boosted program inhibit voltage generation scheme. Incremental-step-pulse programming results in a 2.3 MB/s program data rate as well as improved process variation tolerance. Interleaved data paths and a boosted wordline results in a 25 ns burst cycle time and a 24 MB/s read data rate. Maximum operating current is less than 8 mA     

An experimental 4 Mb flash EEPROM with sector erase

A 512K×8 flash EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable ROM) which operates from a single 5-V supply was designed and fabricated. A double-poly, single-metal CMOS process with a minimum feature size of 0.9 μm was developed to manufacture the test vehicle, which resulted in a die size of 95 mm². The storage cell is 8.64 μm² and consists of a one-transistor cell that uses a remote, scalable, tunnel diode for programming and erasing by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. Process high-voltage requirements are relaxed by utilizing circuit techniques to alleviate the burden of high voltages. A segmented architecture provides the flexibility to erase any one sector (16 kB) or the entire chip during one cycle by an erase algorithm. The memory can be programmed one byte at a time, or the internal bit-line latches can be used to program a 256-B page in one cycle. A programming time of 10 ms is typical, which results in a write time of 40 μs/B during page programming. The chip features an access time of 90 ns     

A 117-mm2 3.3-V only 128-Mb multilevel NAND flash memoryfor mass storage applications

For a quantum step in further cost reduction, the multilevel cell concept has been combined with the NAND flash memory. Key requirements of mass storage, low cost, and high serial access throughput have been achieved by sacrificing fast random access performance. This paper describes a 128-Mb multilevel NAND flash memory storing 2 b per cell. Multilevel storage is achieved through tight cell threshold voltage distribution of 0.4 V and is made practical by significantly reducing program disturbance by using a local self-boosting scheme. An intelligent page buffer enables cell-by-cell and state-by-state program and inhibit operations. A read throughput of 14.0 MB/s and a program throughput of 0.5 MB/s are achieved. The device has been fabricated with 0.4-μm CMOS technology, resulting in a 117 mm² die size and a 1.1 μm² effective cell size     

An 80 ns 32K EEPROM using the FETMOS cell

A 32K bit EEPROM using the FETMOS (floating-gate electron tunneling MOS) cell has achieved a typical access time of 80 ns and a die size of 20.6 mm/SUP 2/ using approximately 3 /spl mu/m feature sizes. The device has many built-in ease of use and ease of test features, including multimode erase (word, page, and bulk), bulk `O' program, latched inputs for program and erase operation, nonlocked high voltage supply, and margin test capability for both programmed and erased states. A unique TPP (transparent-partial programming) yield enhancement technique, using polysilicon fuse programming, can convert partially good 32K dice into totally good 16K and 8K devices.     

A 512-kb flash EEPROM embedded in a 32-b microcontroller

A 512-kb flash EEPROM developed for microcontroller applications is reported. Many process and performance constraints associated with the conventional flash EEPROM have been eliminated through the development of a new flash EEPROM cell and new circuit techniques. Design of the 512-kb flash EEPROM, which is programmable for different array sizes, has been evaluated from 256- and 384-kb arrays embedded in new 32-b microcontrollers. The 512-kb flash EEPROM has incorporated the newly developed source-coupled split-gate (SCSG) flash EEPROM cell, Zener-diode controlled programming voltages, internally generated erase voltage, and a new differential sense amplifier. It has eliminated overerase and program disturb problems without relying on tight process controls and on critical operational sequences and timings, such as intelligent erase, intelligent program, and preprogram before erase. A modular approach was used for chip design to minimize development time and for processing technology to achieve high manufacturability and flexibility     

A 4 Mb NAND EEPROM with tight programmed Vtdistribution

Described is a 5-V-only 4-Mb (512K×8 b) NAND EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable ROM) with tight programmed threshold voltage (V_t) distribution, controlled by a novel program-verify technique. A tight programmed V_t distribution width of 0.8 V for the 4 Mb cell array is achieved. By introducing a compact row-decoder circuit, a die size of 7.28 mm×15.31 mm is achieved using 1.0 μm design rules. A unique twin p-well structure has made it possible to realize low-power 5 V-only erase/program operation easily and to achieve 100 K-cycle endurance     

A 5 V only one-transistor 256 K EEPROM with page-mode erase

Erasing and programming are achieved in the device through electron tunneling. In order to inhibit the programming to unselected cells, the unselected bit lines and word lines are applied with program-inhibiting voltages. The number of parity bits for error checking and correction (ECC) is fiver per 2 bytes, which are controlled by the lower byte (LB) signal. Using a conventional 1.5 μm design rule n-well CMOS process with a single metal layer and two polysilicon layers, the memory cell size is 7×8 μm² and the chip size is 5.55×7.05 mm². The chip size is reduced to 70% of a full-featured electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) with on-chip ECC     

A channel-erasing 1.8-V-only 32-Mb NOR flash EEPROM with a bitlinedirect sensing scheme

A 1.8-V-only 32-Mb NOR flash EEPROM has been developed based on the 0.25-μm triple-well double-metal CMOS process. A channel-erasing scheme has been implemented to realize a cell size of 0.49 μm² , the smallest yet reported for 0.25-μm CMOS technology. A block decoder circuit with a novel erase-reset sequence has been designed for the channel-erasing operation. A bitline direct sensing scheme and a wordline boosted voltage pooling method have been developed to obtain high-speed reading operation at low voltage. An access time of 90 ns at 1.8 V has been realized     

A high-density NAND EEPROM with block-page programming formicrocomputer applications

A high-density, 5-V-only, 4-Mb CMOS EEPROM with a NAND-structured cell using Fowler-Nordheim tunneling for programming is discussed. The block-page mode is utilized for high-speed programming and easy microprocessor interface. On-chip test circuits for shortening test time and for evaluating cell characteristics yield highly reliable EEPROMs. The NAND EEPROM has many applications for microcomputer systems that require small size and large nonvolatile storage systems with low power consumption     

Design methodology of a robust ESD protection circuit for STIprocess 256 Mb NAND flash memory

With the use of a device simulator, we show that an ESD protection circuit whose junction filled with contacts is suited to a scaled STI process having thin n^- junction with n⁺ being implanted from contact holes. We have confirmed by measurements that the protection has sufficient robustness     

A 120-mm2 64-Mb NAND flash memory achieving 180 ns/Byteeffective program speed

Emerging application areas of mass storage flash memories require low cost, high density flash memories with enhanced device performance. This paper describes a 64 Mb NAND flash memory having improved read and program performances. A 40 MB/s read throughput is achieved by improving the page sensing time and employing the full-chip burst read capability. A 2-μs random access time is obtained by using a precharged capacitive decoupling sensing scheme with a staggered row decoder scheme. The full-chip burst read capability is realized by introducing a new array architecture. A narrow incremental step pulse programming scheme achieves a 5 MB/s program throughput corresponding to 180 ns/Byte effective program speed. The chip has been fabricated using a 0.4-μm single-metal CMOS process resulting in a die size of 120 mm² and an effective cell size of 1.1 μm²     

A 35-ns 64K EEPROM

An extremely high-speed 8K/spl times/8 EEPROM has been fabricated in a 2-/spl mu/m double-poly CMOS floating gate technology. A typical address and chip enable access time of 35 ns has been achieved. Through a metal option, the device is compatible with 28-pin EEPROM, SRAM, or EPROM, or is a 24 pin bipolar PROM substitute. The high-speed access has been achieved with a fast single-ended sense amplifier, high-speed static bootstrapping techniques, a novel combination of static CMOS and depletion load technology, substrate bias, and high-performance layout. A new column and byte latch circuit implements a page-mode programming feature. Column redundancy implemented with EEPROM fuses increases manufacturability.     

A 128 K flash EEPROM using double-polysilicon technology

An easily manufacturable 128 K flash EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory) was developed based on a novel cell. Programming is achieved through hot-electron injection and erasing through electron tunneling from the floating gate to the drain. The cell is 20% larger than an EPROM cell and contains an integral series transistor which ensures selflimited erasing, reduces leakage, and increases the cell current. The flash EEPROM device can withstand thousands of program/erase cycles. Endurance failures are due to threshold window closing caused by electron trapping in the gate oxide. Typical erasure time is 1 s to clear the entire memory.     

A 1 Mb EEPROM with MONOS memory cell for semiconductor diskapplication

A 1 Mb 5 V-only EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable ROM) with metal-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (MONOS) memory cells specifically designed for a semiconductor disk application is described. The memory has high endurance to write/erase cycles and a relatively low programming voltage of ±9 V. These advantages result from the structure and the characteristics of the MONOS memory cell. A newly developed dual-gate-type MONOS memory cell has a small unit cell area of 18.4 μm² with 1.2 μm lithography, and the die size of the fabricated chip is 5.3 mm×6.3 mm. A new programming scheme called multiblock erase solved the problem of slow programming speed. A programming speed of up to 1.1 μs/B equivalent (140 ms/chip) was obtained     

Integration of CVD silicon nanocrystals in a 32 Mb NOR flash memory

In this paper, silicon nanocrystals (Si-NCs) fabricated by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) are successfully integrated in a 32 Mb ATMEL NOR Flash memory product, processed in a 130 nm technology platform. Different Si-NC deposition conditions are explored and the threshold voltage distributions of the arrays are correlated to the Si-NC size/dispersion. Main reliability characteristics, as endurance and data-retention after cycling, are studied. Results obtained on large arrays are related to single cell characteristics. The large set of data measured on arrays clearly demonstrates the robustness of our process and integration scheme.     

A 7 ns 1 Mb BiCMOS ECL SRAM with shift redundancy

A 7-Mb BiCMOS ECL (emitter coupled logic) SRAM was fabricated in a 0.8 μm BiCMOS process. An improved buffer with a high-level output of nearly V_CC is adopted to eliminate the DC current in the level converter circuit, and the PMOS transistor has a wide operating margin in the level converter. The configurable bit organization is realized by using a sense-amplifier switch circuit with no access degradation. A wired-OR demultiplexer for the ×1 output, having the same critical path as the ×4 output circuit, allows for the same access time between the two modes. The ×1 or ×4 mode is electrically selected by the external signal. A simplified programming redundancy technology, shift redundancy, is utilized. Address programming is performed by cutting only one fuse in the shift redundancy. The RAM operates at the ECL-10K level with an access time of 7 ns. and the power dissipation at 50 MHz is 600 mW for the × mode     

A 100 ns 5 V only 64K/spl times/1 MOS dynamic RAM

A new high performance 36500 mil/SUP 2/ 64K dynamic RAM has been designed and incorporates: 1) a twisted-metal bit-line architecture, 2) an ultrasensitive sense amplifier with self-restore to V/SUB DD/, 3) internal constant-voltage supply to memory cell plate, 4) a bit-line equalizer and full-size reference capacitor, 5) high-performance enhancement-depletion mode inverter-buffer circuits, 6) TTL negative undershoot protection on address circuits, and 7) active hold-down transistors for both X and Y drivers. A nominal 100 ns access time and power dissipation of less than 150 mW was observed during active operation with a 20 mW power dissipation in the standby mode.     

A 1.5 V single-supply one-transistor CMOS EEPROM

Describes a 1.5 V single-supply one-transistor p-channel CMOS EEPROM array which is fabricated with a double polysilicon gate 7-mask CMOS technology. Avalanche injection and Fowler-Nordheim emission are used as very low power programming mechanisms. A thin oxide of 28 nm allows write and erase voltages below -30 V. They are generated on-chip by voltage multipliers and fed by 1.5 V logic circuitry to the matrix array. Results measured on a 16/spl times/4 bit word-erasable test array are presented.     

A 70 nm 16 Gb 16-Level-Cell NAND flash Memory

A 16 Gb 16-level-cell (16LC) NAND flash memory using 70 nm design rule has been developed . This 16LC NAND flash memory can store 4 bits in a cell which enabled double bit density comparing to 4-level-cell (4LC) NAND flash, and quadruple bit density comparing to single-bit (SLC) NAND flash memory with the same design rule. New programming method suppresses the floating gate coupling effect and enabled the narrow distribution for 16LC. The cache-program function can be achievable without any additional latches. Optimization of programming sequence achieves 0.62 MB/s programming throughput. This 16-level NAND flash memory technology reduces the cost per bit and improves the memory density even more.     

A new erase method for scaled NAND flash memory device

A suitable bird-beak thickness is crucial to the cell reliability. However, the process control for bird-beak thickness in the edge region is very difficult. A new erase method is proposed in this work to modulate the electron tunneling region of 40 nm floating gate NAND flash memory device. The erasing electron can move to gate center from gate edge under back bias at 0.3 V/− 0.8 V. The Fowler-Nordheim (FN) current of erase operation distributes on the whole channel region, not located at the gate edge region. Results show that the proposed method can improve cell reliability about 33%. TCAD analysis is employed to explain and prove the mechanism. This new erase method is promising for scaled NAND flash memory.