Patent ID: 8344441

Claim:
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an element isolation insulator formed in an upper portion of the semiconductor substrate and dividing the upper portion into a first active area extending in a first direction and a second active area extending in the first direction; a first contact provided above the first active area and having a lower end portion connected to the first active area; and a second contact provided above the second active area and having a lower end portion connected to the second active area, each of the first active area and the second active area including: a first portion connected to one of the first contact and the second contact; and a second portion having an upper surface being placed lower than an upper surface of the first portion, wherein the first contact and the second contact are mutually shifted in the first direction, the first portion of the first active area and the second portion of the second active area are disposed at a same position in the first direction and are adjacent to and separated from each other in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.