Patent ID: 6294808
Filing Date: 2001-09-25
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A non-volatile memory device, comprising:a semiconductor substrate;first and second spaced-apart regions in said substrate and a channel region therebetween;a first dielectric layer disposed over said substrate;a floating gate disposed over said first dielectric layer and extending over a portion of said channel region and over a portion of said second spaced-apart region, said floating gate having a top portion, a bottom portion, at least five sides, and a protrusion, wherein said bottom portion is contiguous with said first dielectric layer;a second dielectric layer having first and second connected sections, said first dielectric section being contiguous with at least two of said at least five sides of said floating gate and said second dielectric section disposed over and contiguous with said top portion of said floating gate; anda control gate disposed over said first dielectric layer and said second dielectric layer, and extending over a portion of said first spaced-apart region;wherein said protrusion of said floating gate creates an enhanced local field to induce Fowler-Nordheim tunneling of electrons from said floating gate to said control gate when a high voltage is applied to said control gate.