Fixed-current method for programming large floating-gate arrays

Speed and Accuracy of programming large floating gate array is limited by precision of current measurement and pulse generator. In this paper a novel floating gate programming method is proposed which alleviates the requirement of accurate measurement and facilitates fast programming. As opposed to conventional approaches this method programs fixed value of currents onto the floating gate transistor at variable control gate votlage. The technique is used in conjuction with a coarse programming method, that utilizes the positive feedback nature of pFET injection to improve the speed of programming. Measured results from an array of floating gate cells, fabricated in a 0.5µm CMOS process demonstrate the effectiveness of this method to program currents in the order of few picoamperes with approximately 8bits of resolution.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: ISCAS
• Authors: Shantanu Chakrabartty, Gert Cauwenberghs
• Keywords: Gate, Gate Programming Method, ISCAS 2005, Programming Method