SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY CELL AND MEMORY ARRAY USING A BREAKDOWN PHENOMENA IN AN ULTRA-THIN DIELECTRIC

摘要

A semiconductor memory cell (300) having a data storage element (115) constructed around an ultra-thin dielectric (312) is used to store information by stressing the ultra-thin dielectric (312) into breakdown (soft or hard breakdown) to set the leakage current level of the memory cell (300). The memory cell (300) is read by sensing the current drawn by the cell (300). A suitable ultra-thin dielectric (312) is high quality gate oxide of about 50 ANGSTROM thickness or less.