Non-volatile memory architecture and method of operation

A method of operating a memory array having a plurality of memory cells arranged along rows and columns, each memory cell having a source region spaced apart from a drain region to form a channel region therebetween, and a floating gate and select gate stack extending over the channel region, the select gates of the memory cells along each row being coupled together to form a plurality of wordlines, the memory array comprising a plurality of data lines, each data line being coupled to a drain region of each of a plurality of non-volatile memory cells along a column, a plurality of source lines, each source line being coupled to a source region of each of a plurality of memory cells along a row, the method comprising:

• applying a first voltage to a selected data line coupled to the selected cell;
• applying a second positive voltage to a selected word line coupled to the selected cell;
• and
• applying a third positive voltage to a source line coupled to the selected cell,
• wherein upon applying the first voltage and the second and third positive voltages an injection of hot electrons from a portion of the selected cell's channel region substantially near the source region to the selected cell's floating gate is induced whereby a threshold voltage of the selected memory cell is increased.

A structure comprising:

• an array of non-volatile memory cells arranged along rows and columns, each memory cell having a drain region spaced apart from a source region to form a channel region therebetween, the drain region having a greater depth than the source region, each memory cell further having a floating gate and a select gate, the select gate of the cells along each row being connected together to form a wordline;
• a plurality of data lines, each data line being coupled to the drain region of a plurality of cells along at least a portion of a column of cells;
• and
• a plurality of source lines, each source line being coupled to a source region of a plurality of cells along at least a portion of a row of cells.