Patent ID: 8270223

Claim:
A memory device comprising: a memory sector including a plurality of word lines each coupled to a plurality of memory cells; a row of select transistors to select the memory sector and separate the memory sector from an immediately adjacent memory sector in the memory device; and a number of drivers each of which is coupled to one of the plurality of word lines, wherein a first one of the drivers is coupled to a first one of the word lines to receive a first control signal to conduct the first word line and a voltage source with a negative voltage for erasing ones of the plurality of memory cells which are coupled to the first word line, and a second one of the drivers is coupled to a second one of the word lines to receive a second control signal to disconnect the second word line from the voltage source, wherein each of the drivers includes a first transistor, a second transistor and a third transistor each of which further includes a gate, a source and a drain, wherein the sources of the second and third transistors are directly coupled to each other, and the drains of the second and third transistors are coupled to each other and then to the source of the first transistor, and wherein the gate of the first transistor of each of the drivers is arranged to receive one of the first control signal and the second control signal and the drain of the first transistor of each of the drivers is arranged to receive a third control signal with a negative voltage level for erasing ones of the plurality of memory cells which are coupled to a word line corresponding to the respective one of the drivers in response to the first control signal.