Title :
Program load adaptive voltage generator for flash memories
Author :
Fiocchi, Carlo ; Torelli, Guido ; Ghezzi, Stefano ; Maccarrone, Marco
Author_Institution :
Italtel Soc. Italiana Telecommun. SpA, Milan, Italy
fDate :
1/1/1997 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
This paper describes a program load voltage generator for flash memories. It is based on an adaptive feedback loop which senses the current delivered to the memory cells during programming and adjusts the output voltage accordingly to compensate for the voltage drop caused by the programming current across the bit-line select transistors. The proposed circuit (silicon area=0.065 mm2) was integrated in a 0.8-μm CMOS 4 Mb flash memory device (0.6 μm in the matrix). Experimental evaluations showed that very effective compensation is achieved, with bit-line voltage kept at the desired value during the whole programming operation. A spread as small as 70 mV was measured between the single-bit and 16-b programming cases
Keywords :
CMOS memory circuits; EPROM; PLD programming; circuit feedback; compensation; voltage control; 0.6 micron; 0.8 micron; 4 Mbit; CMOS flash memory device; adaptive feedback loop; adaptive voltage generator; bit-line select transistors; current sensing; program load voltage generator; voltage drop compensation; CMOS integrated circuits; CMOS memory circuits; Electrons; Feedback loop; Flash memory; Integrated circuit measurements; Programmable circuits; Read only memory; Silicon; Voltage; Voltage control;
Journal_Title :
Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of
