Patent ID: 6363013
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
For a floating gate memory device incorporating an array of floating gate memory cells including a plurality of rows and columns, a method for soft programming at least one cell in at least a portion of the array by implementing source side secondary hot electron injection, the method comprising the steps of:applying a first positive voltage, VG, to a selected word line of the array; applying a second positive voltage, VD, to a common source of the array; with a control circuit including a source current component coupled to at least one of the column decoder, converging the low threshold voltage of the at least one cell of the array to a desired low threshold state; and after a pre-determined period of time, terminating the converging step, wherein the converging step comprises the further step of adjusting a source voltage VS applied to the source current component to a pre-determined voltage.