Flash memory cell & array with improved pre-program and erase characteristics

A flash memory cell for use in a flash memory cell array, said cell being situated in a first well having a first conductivity, and such that the first well is situated within a second well having a second conductivity type, said cell comprising:

• a floating gate for storing a cell electrical charge, which charge determines a threshold voltage for such cell, and which charge also determines a state for said cell;
• a control gate for applying a cell threshold voltage conditioning signal;
• and
• a source and a drain that are interconnected through a cell channel;
• and
• wherein the electrical charge in said cell can be adjusted by a pre-programming current injected from the second well and through the first well into the floating gate in combination with the voltage conditioning signal;
• and
• further wherein said pre-programming current does not rely on hot carrier current to set the cell into a pre-programmed state.

A flash memory cell array comprising:

• a plurality of sectors, each of said sectors including electrically alterable cells situated in a first well having a first conductivity and where said first well is situated in a second well having a second conductivity;
• and
• each of the cells in the sectors including:
• i) a floating gate for storing a cell electrical charge, which charge determines a threshold voltage for such cell, and which charge also determines whether said cell is in a pre-programmed state or a non-pre-programmed state;
• and
• ii) a control gate for applying a threshold voltage conditioning signal;
• and
• iii) a source and a drain that are interconnected through a cell channel;
• and
• wherein the electrical charge in each of the cells can be adjusted at approximately the same time for a sector by current injected from said second well through said first well into the floating gate when said voltage conditioning signal is applied so that each of said cells is placed into a pre-programmed state, and which injected current does not rely on hot carriers for setting said threshold voltage to a pre-programmed state.