Patent ID: 8072815

Claim:
A non-volatile memory device comprising: an array of non-volatile memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, with each memory cell having a first region of a first conductivity type in a substrate of a second conductivity type, a second region of the first conductivity type spaced apart from the first region forming a channel region therebetween, a floating gate positioned over a portion of the channel region and insulated therefrom and adjacent to the first region, a control gate positioned over another portion of the channel region, and insulated therefrom, and adjacent to the floating gate and insulated therefrom, a top gate positioned over the floating gate, insulated therefrom, and an erase gate positioned over the first region, insulated therefrom, and adjacent to the floating gate; a bit terminal for connection to a bit line, wherein the bit terminal is said second region, and a source terminal for connection to a source line, wherein the source terminal is the first region; said array having a first side adjacent to a first column of memory cells, and a second side opposite the first side, a third side adjacent to a first row of memory cells, and a fourth side opposite the third side; a plurality of columns of reference memory cells embedded in said memory array, with a plurality of reference cells in each row of said array of non-volatile memory cells, substantially evenly spaced apart from one another; each of said reference memory cells, substantially the same as the non-volatile memory cells; a plurality of sense amplifiers positioned on said third side, with each sense amplifier connected to the bit terminal of one column of non-volatile memory cells and to the bit terminal of a column of reference memory cells; and resistance circuitry replicating the resistance of the source line containing the selected memory cells; wherein the control gate and the top gate are connected to low voltage terminals, and the erase gate and top gate and the first region are connected to high voltage terminals.