Process for operating a semiconductor device

A process for operating a first programmable cell comprising:

• providing a first programmable cell, wherein the first programmable cell:
• includes a first current carrying electrode, a second current carrying electrode, a control electrode, and discontinuous storage elements;
• and
• at least a portion of the first programmable cell lies within a substrate region;
• and
• programming the first programmable cell including:
• placing the first current carrying electrode at a first potential;
• and
• placing the second current carrying electrode at a second potential that is different from the first potential,
• wherein a first potential difference is an absolute value of a difference between the first and second potentials, and wherein the first potential difference lies within a substantially linear region of an I−V plot for the first programmable cell.

A process for operating a programmable cell comprising:

• providing a programmable cell, wherein the programmable cell:
• includes a first current carrying electrode, a second current carrying electrode, and a control electrode;
• and
• at least a portion of the programmable cell lies within a substrate region;
• and
• programming the programmable cell including:
• biasing the control electrode;
• flowing a first set of carriers from the first current carrying electrode through at least a portion of the substrate region to the second current carrying electrode;
• and
• flowing a second set of carriers from the second current carrying electrode through at least a portion of the substrate region to the first current carrying electrode.

A process for operating a programmable cell comprising:

• providing a programmable cell having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, wherein the first and second electrodes are current carrying electrodes and the third electrode is a control electrode;
• performing an operation on the programmable cell including:
• applying a first time-variant signal to the first electrode of the programmable cell which establishes a first time-variant potential on the first electrode,
• wherein a first potential difference is an absolute value of a difference between the first time-variant potential and a second potential on the second electrode, and wherein the first potential difference lies within a substantially linear region of an I−V plot for the programmable cell.