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Title: Nonvolatile semiconductor memory having three dimension charge confinement

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5464077

This patent describes a layered semiconductor device with a nonvolatile three dimensional memory which comprises a storage channel which stores charge carriers. Charge carriers flow laterally through the storage channel from a source to a drain. Isolation material, either a Schottky barrier or a heterojunction, located in a trench of an upper layer controllably retains the charge within the a storage portion determined by the confining means. The charge is retained for a time determined by the isolation materials' nonvolatile characteristics or until a change of voltage on the isolation material and the source and drain permit a read operation. Flow of charge through an underlying sense channel is affected by the presence of charge within the storage channel, thus the presences of charge in the memory can be easily detected.

Assignee:
Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
Patent Number(s):
US 5055890; A
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-469995
OSTI ID:
5464077
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 25 Jan 1990
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English