Bipolar read-only-memory unit having self-isolating bit-lines

In an integrated circuit read-only-memory unit for storing information in binary form including a semiconductor body having a plurality of highly doped channels forming multiple spaced-apart bit lines, and a plurality of spaced-apart metallic word lines overlying said body and insulated therefrom and orthogonally disposed to said bit lines, each one of said bit lines being interconnected by a separate Schottky diode to any selected ones of said word lines in accordance with the information stored in said memory;

• a semiconductor body having
• (1) a plurality of parallel spaced-apart surface regions of one conductivity type supported within a bulk portion of the opposite conductivity type to form multiple bit lines, each of the regions providing a plurality of regularly spaced-apart memory cell positions dispersed along the longitudinal extent of the bit line,
• (2) channel-stop surface regions of the same conductivity type as the bulk portions in the spaces between said first-mentioned regions, and
• (3) at least one surface portion in each of said first-mentioned regions of the same conductivity type but of higher conductivity to enhance the conductivity of said bit lines,
• a selectively apertured insulating layer overlying the semiconductor body, the apertures in said layer overlying selected ones of regularly spaced-apart memory cell positions,
• and a plurality of parallel spaced-apart metallic word lines disposed on said insulating layer orthogonal to said bit lines at said memory cell positions to form Schottky diodes wherever portions of said metallic lines extend through apertures in said layer to contact said bit lines, the pattern of apertures corresponding to the particular specified group of information words designed to be stored in said unit.