Method and apparatus for programming single-poly pFET-based nonvolatile memory cells

A method for affecting an amount of charge stored on a floating gate of a single-poly pFET having a pFET including a drain, a source and a floating gate, said method comprising:

• biasing the pFET at a first time to induce band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) and thereby inject electrons onto the floating gate;
• and
• at a second time subsequent to said first time, biasing the pFET to induce impact-ionized hot-electron injection (IHEI) and thereby inject electrons onto the floating gate.

An apparatus for programming a single-poly pFET-based nonvolatile memory cell having a pFET including a drain, a source and a floating gate, said apparatus comprising:

• means for biasing the pFET at a first time to induce band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) and thereby inject electrons onto the floating gate;
• and
• means for biasing the pFET at a second time subsequent to said first time to induce impact-ionized hot-electron injection (IHEI) and thereby inject electrons onto the floating gate.

An apparatus for affecting an amount of charge stored on a floating gate of a single-poly pFET having a drain, a source and a floating gate, said apparatus comprising:

• means for biasing the pFET at a first time to induce band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) and thereby inject electrons onto the floating gate;
• and
• means for biasing the pFET at a second time subsequent to said first time to induce impact-ionized hot-electron injection (IHEI) and thereby inject electrons onto the floating gate.

An apparatus for programming a single-poly pFET-based nonvolatile memory cell having a pFET including a drain, a source and a floating gate, said apparatus comprising:

• circuitry for biasing the pFET at a first time to induce band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) and thereby inject electrons onto the floating gate;
• and
• circuitry for biasing the pFET at a second time subsequent to said first time to induce impact-ionized hot-electron injection (IHEI) and thereby inject electrons onto the floating gate.

An apparatus for affecting an amount of charge stored on a floating gate of a single-poly pFET having a drain, a source and a floating gate, said apparatus comprising:

• circuitry for biasing the pFET at a first time to induce band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) and thereby inject electrons onto the floating gate;
• and
• circuitry for biasing the pFET at a second time subsequent to said first time to induce impact-ionized hot-electron injection (IHEI) and thereby inject electrons onto the floating gate.