METHOD OF UTILIZING A PLURALITY OF VOLTAGE PULSES TO PROGRAM NON-VOLATILE MEMORY ELEMENTS AND RELATED EMBEDDED MEMORIES

摘要

A method and related embedded memories are disclosed for utilizing a plurality of voltage pulses to program non-volatile memory elements. Non-volatile memory cells and associated programming methods are also disclosed that allow for the integration of non-volatile memory with other integrated circuitry utilizing the standard CMOS processing used to manufacture the CMOS circuitry. The non-volatile memory cell includes an antifuse element having a programming node and a capacitor coupled to the programming node. To write the antifuse element, a plurality of voltage pulses are used to provide a rapid series of charge flows through the antifuse element. The antifuse element includes a MOS transistor having its source and drain connected to one or more voltage levels, having a gate that provides the programming node, and having a dielectric layer that provides an antifuse function by breaking down when subjected to a plurality of voltage pulses applied through the capacitor element.