Semiconductor memory device having multi-gate transistors
AssigneeNippon Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorsYukinori Kurogi, Kiyoshi Sugibuchi
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Abstract
A semiconductor memory device which may be formed in a parallel array for high density integration is disclosed. The memory device includes a multigate memory transistor formed in a first semiconductor region of one conductivity type in a substrate of the opposite conductivity type. The memory transistor is formed with source and drain regions of opposite conductivity type and a gate insulating layer formed on the surface between the source and drain regions. A plurality of gate electrodes are formed on the gate insulating layer and laterally separated from each other. A plurality of opposite conductivity type regions are formed in the first semiconductor region under the respective intervals between adjacent gate electrodes.
Claims12
A semiconductor memory device comprising;
- a first semiconductor region of one conductivity type;
- a plurality of memory transistors formed in said first semiconductor region and arranged in parallel with each other, each of said memory transistor including a pair of source and drain regions of an opposite conductivity type formed in a major surface of said first semiconductor region, a gate insulating layer formed on said major surface between said source and drain regions, a plurality of gate electrodes formed on said gate insulating layer and laterally separated from each other, and a plurality of opposite conductivity type regions formed in said first semiconductor region under the respective intervals between adjacent gate electrodes;
- an isolation region surrounding said first semiconductor region to prevent parasitic current flow to or from said first semiconductor region through said isolation region;
- a plurality of gate wiring layers provided to interconnect said gate electrodes of different transistors;
- and a plurality of switching transistors located outside said isolation region, each said switching transistor being electrically connected at its drain region to said source region of each said memory transistor, respectively.
A semiconductor memory device comprising:
- a semiconductor region of one conductivity type;
- a memory transistor formed in said semiconductor region, said memory transistor including a pair of source and drain regions of an opposite conductivity type formed in a major surface of said first semiconductor region, a gate insulating layer formed on said major surface between said source and drain regions and having means for storing electric charge, a plurality of gate electrodes formed on said gate insulating layer and laterally separated from each other, a plurality of opposite conductivity type regions formed in said semiconductor region under the respective intervals between adjacent gate electrodes, and a plurality of channel sections positioned under said gate electrodes;
- means for applying a first voltage to non-selected gate electrodes so that said channel sections under said non-selected gate electrodes;
- conduct charge and means for applying a second voltage to a selected gate electrode, said second voltage having such a value that electric charges are injected in a portion of said insulating layer under said selected gate electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.