JPH10144806A - Incorrect measurement preventive device for floating gate potential - Google Patents

Incorrect measurement preventive device for floating gate potential

Info

Publication number
JPH10144806A
JPH10144806A JP29468796A JP29468796A JPH10144806A JP H10144806 A JPH10144806 A JP H10144806A JP 29468796 A JP29468796 A JP 29468796A JP 29468796 A JP29468796 A JP 29468796A JP H10144806 A JPH10144806 A JP H10144806A
Authority
JP
Japan
Prior art keywords
floating gate
floating
thin film
electrode
potential
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
JP29468796A
Other languages
Japanese (ja)
Other versions
JP3914976B2 (en
Inventor
Kazutaka Sakida
一貴 崎田
Kenji Kitajima
健治 北島
Osamu Fujita
修 藤田
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
N T T ELECTRON KK
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp
Original Assignee
N T T ELECTRON KK
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by N T T ELECTRON KK, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp filed Critical N T T ELECTRON KK
Priority to JP29468796A priority Critical patent/JP3914976B2/en
Publication of JPH10144806A publication Critical patent/JPH10144806A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of JP3914976B2 publication Critical patent/JP3914976B2/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H10SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10BELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES
    • H10B69/00Erasable-and-programmable ROM [EPROM] devices not provided for in groups H10B41/00 - H10B63/00, e.g. ultraviolet erasable-and-programmable ROM [UVEPROM] devices

Landscapes

  • Read Only Memory (AREA)
  • Semiconductor Memories (AREA)
  • Non-Volatile Memory (AREA)

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent reading of the binary information retained by a floating gate from the outside. SOLUTION: The upper side of the floating gate 3 on a semiconductor substrate 1 is covered by a metal thin film 6 where a constant potential is applied, a floating electrode 5, which is capacitively coupled to the metal thin film 6 and the floating gate 3, is provided and the information stored in a floating gate 5 by electric charge is broken down in case the metal thin film 6 is removed.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

【0001】[0001]

【発明の属する技術分野】本発明は、浮遊ゲートを利用
した不揮発半導体メモリにおいて、秘密情報として保持
された浮遊ゲートの電位情報を外部から不正に読み取る
ことを防止する浮遊ゲート電位不正測定防止装置に関す
るものである。
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for preventing unauthorized measurement of floating gate potential in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory using a floating gate, which prevents unauthorized reading of potential information of the floating gate held as secret information from the outside. Things.

【0002】[0002]

【従来の技術】従来の浮遊ゲートを利用した不揮発半導
体メモリとしてはEEPROMやフラッシュメモリがあ
る。これらのメモリでは浮遊ゲートに電荷を保持し、浮
遊ゲートの電位の高い場合と、低い場合との2状態を使
って2値情報を記憶していた。このような不揮発半導体
メモリに秘密情報を記憶させた場合、電子回路で不正に
読み出せないようにしていたとしても、浮遊ゲートの電
位に外部から電子線を照射して反射電子を測定したり、
浮遊ゲートの周囲の電界を測定することで、浮遊ゲート
の2値情報を読み取ることができるので、記憶情報を秘
密にすることができないという欠点があった。
2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional nonvolatile semiconductor memory using a floating gate, there is an EEPROM or a flash memory. In these memories, charges are held in the floating gate, and binary information is stored using two states, that is, a case where the potential of the floating gate is high and a case where the potential is low. When secret information is stored in such a non-volatile semiconductor memory, even if it is prevented from being read illegally by an electronic circuit, the potential of the floating gate is irradiated with an electron beam from the outside to measure reflected electrons,
Since the binary information of the floating gate can be read by measuring the electric field around the floating gate, there is a disadvantage that the stored information cannot be kept secret.

【0003】[0003]

【発明が解決しようとする課題】本発明の目的は、浮遊
ゲートに保持された2値情報を外部から不正に読み取る
ことができるという従来の欠点を解決した秘密保持性に
優れた不揮発半導体メモリの提供を可能とした浮遊ゲー
ト電位不正測定防止装置を得ることにある。
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a non-volatile semiconductor memory having excellent confidentiality which solves the conventional disadvantage that binary information held in a floating gate can be illegally read from the outside. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for preventing illegal measurement of floating gate potential which can be provided.

【0004】[0004]

【課題を解決するための手段】本発明は、浮遊ゲートを
有する不揮発半導体メモリにおける浮遊ゲート電位不正
測定防止装置であって、前記浮遊ゲート上部を一定電位
が印加される導電性薄膜で覆い、この導電性薄膜と前記
浮遊ゲート間の双方に対して容量結合する浮遊電極を設
け、かつ、この浮遊電極と導電性薄膜間の容量を浮遊電
極と浮遊ゲート間の容量より大として前記導電性薄膜が
除去されたとき浮遊電極と浮遊ゲート間の容量が破壊さ
れるようにしたものである。
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for preventing unauthorized measurement of floating gate potential in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory having a floating gate, wherein the upper portion of the floating gate is covered with a conductive thin film to which a constant potential is applied. A floating electrode that is capacitively coupled to both the conductive thin film and the floating gate is provided, and the capacitance between the floating electrode and the conductive thin film is set to be larger than the capacitance between the floating electrode and the floating gate. When removed, the capacitance between the floating electrode and the floating gate is destroyed.

【0005】[0005]

【発明の実施の形態】本発明の浮遊ゲート電位不正測定
防止装置の基本構成の断面略図を図1に示す。この図に
おいて、1は半導体基板で、MOSトランジスタ部2が
形成されている。MOSトランジスタ部2は図示しない
ソース,ドレインの他、下記3〜6の各部からなる。す
なわち半導体基板1の上部に浮遊ゲート3を設け、その
上部に制御ゲート4を設ける。従来技術ではこの浮遊ゲ
ート3と制御ゲート4とソース,ドレインとでMOSト
ランジスタ部2が構成されていた。本発明では浮遊ゲー
ト3の上部にさらに、浮遊電極5と金属薄膜6を設け
る。金属薄膜6は半導体基板1に接続して一定電位に保
持する。このようにすると、浮遊ゲート3の電荷による
電界は半導体基板1と金属薄膜6との間に集中し、外部
から浮遊ゲート3の電位を測定することは困難である。
しかし、金属薄膜6を除去すれば、浮遊ゲート3の電位
を測定することが可能になってしまう。そこで、浮遊電
極5と金属薄膜6の間、並びに浮遊電極5と浮遊ゲート
3の間を容量結合し、浮遊電極5に電荷を注入してお
く。
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a basic configuration of a floating gate potential incorrect measurement prevention apparatus according to the present invention. In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a semiconductor substrate on which a MOS transistor section 2 is formed. The MOS transistor section 2 includes the following sections 3 to 6 in addition to a source and a drain (not shown). That is, the floating gate 3 is provided above the semiconductor substrate 1, and the control gate 4 is provided above the floating gate 3. In the prior art, the MOS transistor section 2 is composed of the floating gate 3, the control gate 4, the source and the drain. In the present invention, a floating electrode 5 and a metal thin film 6 are further provided above the floating gate 3. The metal thin film 6 is connected to the semiconductor substrate 1 and is kept at a constant potential. In this case, the electric field due to the charge of the floating gate 3 is concentrated between the semiconductor substrate 1 and the metal thin film 6, and it is difficult to externally measure the potential of the floating gate 3.
However, if the metal thin film 6 is removed, the potential of the floating gate 3 can be measured. Thus, the floating electrode 5 and the metal thin film 6 and the floating electrode 5 and the floating gate 3 are capacitively coupled, and charges are injected into the floating electrode 5 in advance.

【0006】ここで、図3の等価回路に示すように、半
導体基板1と浮遊ゲート3間の容量をC1、浮遊ゲート
3と制御ゲート4間の容量をC2、浮遊ゲート3と浮遊
電極5間の容量をC3、浮遊電極5と金属薄膜6間の容
量をC4とする。条件として、C4>>C3としてお
く。すると、もし、金属薄膜6が除去されると、それま
で浮遊電極5と金属薄膜6間の容量C4に蓄積していた
電荷が、浮遊電極5と浮遊ゲート3との容量C3に集中
し、浮遊電極5と浮遊ゲート3との電圧が増大して、容
量C3およびC1において静電破壊をおこす。そのた
め、浮遊ゲート3の電位が大きく変化し、それまでの記
憶情報が破壊される。すなわち、浮遊ゲート3の電位を
測定するために、邪魔になっている金属薄膜6を除去す
ると、浮遊電極5に蓄積されていた電荷によって浮遊ゲ
ート3の電荷が大きく変化し、記憶情報が破壊されて読
み取ることができなくなる。なお、図1では、半導体基
板1上の各部1,3〜6間の絶縁膜は省略してある。
Here, as shown in the equivalent circuit of FIG. 3, the capacitance between the semiconductor substrate 1 and the floating gate 3 is C1, the capacitance between the floating gate 3 and the control gate 4 is C2, and the capacitance between the floating gate 3 and the floating electrode 5 is Is C3, and the capacitance between the floating electrode 5 and the metal thin film 6 is C4. The condition is C4 >> C3. Then, if the metal thin film 6 is removed, the electric charge that has been accumulated in the capacitance C4 between the floating electrode 5 and the metal thin film 6 is concentrated on the capacitance C3 between the floating electrode 5 and the floating gate 3, and floating. The voltage between the electrode 5 and the floating gate 3 increases, causing electrostatic breakdown in the capacitors C3 and C1. Therefore, the potential of the floating gate 3 greatly changes, and the stored information up to that point is destroyed. That is, if the obstructing metal thin film 6 is removed in order to measure the potential of the floating gate 3, the charge stored in the floating electrode 5 greatly changes the charge of the floating gate 3 and destroys the stored information. And cannot read. In FIG. 1, the insulating film between the components 1 and 3 to 6 on the semiconductor substrate 1 is omitted.

【0007】[0007]

【実施例】図2は、図1のMOSトランジスタ部2の平
面図に相当するもので、3〜6は図1に示すものと同じ
であり、7はソース、8はドレイン、9はソース電極、
10はドレイン電極を示す。なお、図2の金属薄膜6は
浮遊電極5より寸法を大きくして見易くしてある。
FIG. 2 corresponds to a plan view of the MOS transistor section 2 of FIG. 1. 3 to 6 are the same as those shown in FIG. 1, 7 is a source, 8 is a drain, and 9 is a source electrode. ,
Reference numeral 10 denotes a drain electrode. In addition, the metal thin film 6 in FIG. 2 is larger in size than the floating electrode 5 to make it easier to see.

【0008】本発明の浮遊ゲート電位不正測定防止装置
の構成ならびに動作を図1および図2の実施例にしたが
って詳細に説明する。半導体基板1の上部に浮遊ゲート
3を設け、その上部に制御ゲート4を設ける。そして、
さらに浮遊ゲート3の上部に、浮遊ゲート3と制御ゲー
ト4を覆い隠すようにして、浮遊電極5と金属薄膜6を
設ける。金属薄膜6は半導体基板1に接続して一定電位
に保持する。そして、浮遊電極5と金属薄膜6の間、並
びに浮遊電極5と浮遊ゲート3の間を容量結合し、浮遊
電極5に電荷を注入しておく。この等価回路ももちろん
図3に示すようになる。また、容量C1〜C4も前述し
たとおりである。また、制御電極の制御性をよくするた
めには、C2>>C3とする。浮遊ゲート3の電位をV
g、浮遊電極5の電極をVh、浮遊電極5の電荷量をQ
hとすると、Qh=C3(Vh−Vg)+C4Vhの関
係がある。
The configuration and operation of the apparatus for preventing illegal measurement of floating gate potential according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments of FIGS. A floating gate 3 is provided above a semiconductor substrate 1, and a control gate 4 is provided above the floating gate 3. And
Further, a floating electrode 5 and a metal thin film 6 are provided above the floating gate 3 so as to cover the floating gate 3 and the control gate 4. The metal thin film 6 is connected to the semiconductor substrate 1 and is kept at a constant potential. Then, capacitive coupling is performed between the floating electrode 5 and the metal thin film 6 and between the floating electrode 5 and the floating gate 3, and charges are injected into the floating electrode 5. This equivalent circuit is of course as shown in FIG. The capacitances C1 to C4 are also as described above. In order to improve controllability of the control electrode, C2 >> C3. The potential of the floating gate 3 is set to V
g, the electrode of the floating electrode 5 is Vh, and the charge amount of the floating electrode 5 is Q
If h, there is a relationship of Qh = C3 (Vh-Vg) + C4Vh.

【0009】図1,図2において、もし、金属薄膜6が
除去されると、それまで浮遊電極5と金属薄膜6間の容
量C4に蓄積していた電荷が、浮遊電極5と浮遊ゲート
3との容量C3に集中する。このとき、浮遊電極5の電
荷量Qhは変わらないが、容量C4は0になり、電位V
hはVh′、電位VhはVg′に変化し、Qh=C3
(Vh′−Vg′)の状態になる。したがって、容量C
3における電位差は(Vh′−Vg′)=(1+C4/
C3)Vh−Vgとなるので、C4/C3>>1の関係
より、浮遊電極5と浮遊ゲート3との電圧が増大して、
容量C3において静電破壊をおこす。また、浮遊ゲート
3への電荷の流入により、Vgが増大し、さらに容量C
1においても静電破壊を生じる。そのため、浮遊ゲート
3の電位が大きく変化し、それまでの記憶情報が破壊さ
れる。
In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, if the metal thin film 6 is removed, the electric charge that has been accumulated in the capacitor C4 between the floating electrode 5 and the metal thin film 6 until then is removed from the floating electrode 5 and the floating gate 3. Concentrated on the capacity C3 of. At this time, the charge amount Qh of the floating electrode 5 does not change, but the capacitance C4 becomes 0, and the potential Vh
h changes to Vh ', the potential Vh changes to Vg', and Qh = C3
(Vh'-Vg '). Therefore, the capacitance C
3 is (Vh'-Vg ') = (1 + C4 /
C3) Since Vh−Vg, the voltage between the floating electrode 5 and the floating gate 3 increases due to the relationship of C4 / C3 >> 1.
Electrostatic breakdown occurs in the capacitor C3. In addition, Vg increases due to the inflow of charges into the floating gate 3, and the capacitance C
1 also causes electrostatic breakdown. Therefore, the potential of the floating gate 3 greatly changes, and the stored information up to that point is destroyed.

【0010】なお、上記の実施例では金属薄膜6を用い
たため、これはポリゴンシリコン等でもよく、要は導電
性薄膜であればよい。
In the above embodiment, since the metal thin film 6 is used, it may be made of polygonal silicon or the like.

【0011】[0011]

【発明の効果】以上説明したように、本発明は、浮遊ゲ
ートを有する不揮発半導体メモリにおける浮遊ゲート電
位不正測定防止装置であって、前記浮遊ゲート上部を一
定電位が印加される導電性薄膜で覆い、この導電性薄膜
と前記浮遊ゲート間の双方に対して容量結合する浮遊電
極を設け、かつ、この浮遊電極と導電性薄膜間の容量を
浮遊電極と浮遊ゲート間の容量より大として前記導電性
薄膜が除去されたとき浮遊電極と浮遊ゲート間の容量が
破壊されるようにしたので、浮遊ゲートの電位を不正に
測定するために、邪魔になっている導電性膜膜を除去す
ると、浮遊電極に蓄積されていた電荷によって浮遊電極
と浮遊ゲートの間で静電破壊をおこして浮遊ゲートの電
位を読めなくすることができる。また、このような静電
破壊を回避して不正な読み出しを行うためには技術的に
かなりの手間がかかるので、不正行為を防止する効果が
ある。
As described above, the present invention relates to a device for preventing incorrect measurement of a floating gate potential in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory having a floating gate, wherein the upper portion of the floating gate is covered with a conductive thin film to which a constant potential is applied. Providing a floating electrode that is capacitively coupled to both the conductive thin film and the floating gate; and setting the capacitance between the floating electrode and the conductive thin film to be larger than the capacitance between the floating electrode and the floating gate. When the thin film is removed, the capacitance between the floating electrode and the floating gate is destroyed, so if the conductive film that is in the way is removed to measure the potential of the floating gate incorrectly, the floating electrode The electric charge accumulated in the floating gate causes electrostatic breakdown between the floating electrode and the floating gate, making it impossible to read the potential of the floating gate. In addition, in order to avoid such electrostatic damage and perform illegal reading, it takes a considerable technical time to perform illegal reading, so that there is an effect of preventing illegal acts.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief description of the drawings]

【図1】本発明の基本構成を示す断面略図である。FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a basic configuration of the present invention.

【図2】本発明の一実施例の平面略図である。FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of the present invention.

【図3】本発明の動作を示す等価回路図である。FIG. 3 is an equivalent circuit diagram showing the operation of the present invention.

【符号の説明】[Explanation of symbols]

1 半導体基板 2 MOSトランジスタ部 3 浮遊ゲート 4 制御ゲート 5 浮遊電極 6 金属薄膜 7 ソース 8 ドレイン 9 ソース電極 10 ドレイン電極 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Semiconductor substrate 2 MOS transistor part 3 Floating gate 4 Control gate 5 Floating electrode 6 Metal thin film 7 Source 8 Drain 9 Source electrode 10 Drain electrode

フロントページの続き (72)発明者 藤田 修 東京都武蔵野市吉祥寺本町一丁目14番5号 エヌティティエレクトロニクステクノロ ジー株式会社内Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Osamu Fujita 1-14-5 Kichijoji Honmachi, Musashino City, Tokyo Inside NTT Electronics Technology Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

【特許請求の範囲】[Claims] 【請求項1】 浮遊ゲートを有する不揮発半導体メモリ
における浮遊ゲート電位不正測定防止装置であって、前
記浮遊ゲート上部を一定電位が印加される導電性薄膜で
覆い、この導電性薄膜と前記浮遊ゲート間の双方に対し
て容量結合する浮遊電極を設け、かつ、この浮遊電極と
導電性薄膜間の容量を浮遊電極と浮遊ゲート間の容量よ
り大として前記導電性薄膜が除去されたとき浮遊電極と
浮遊ゲート間の容量が破壊されるようにしたことを特徴
とする浮遊ゲート電位不正測定防止装置。
1. An apparatus for preventing illegal measurement of a floating gate potential in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory having a floating gate, wherein an upper portion of the floating gate is covered with a conductive thin film to which a constant potential is applied, and a portion between the conductive thin film and the floating gate is provided. And a capacitance between the floating electrode and the conductive thin film is set to be larger than a capacitance between the floating electrode and the floating gate, and the floating electrode and the floating electrode are floated when the conductive thin film is removed. An apparatus for preventing unauthorized measurement of floating gate potential, wherein a capacitance between gates is destroyed.
JP29468796A 1996-11-07 1996-11-07 Floating gate potential fraud measurement prevention device Expired - Fee Related JP3914976B2 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP29468796A JP3914976B2 (en) 1996-11-07 1996-11-07 Floating gate potential fraud measurement prevention device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP29468796A JP3914976B2 (en) 1996-11-07 1996-11-07 Floating gate potential fraud measurement prevention device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
JPH10144806A true JPH10144806A (en) 1998-05-29
JP3914976B2 JP3914976B2 (en) 2007-05-16

Family

ID=17811015

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
JP29468796A Expired - Fee Related JP3914976B2 (en) 1996-11-07 1996-11-07 Floating gate potential fraud measurement prevention device

Country Status (1)

Country Link
JP (1) JP3914976B2 (en)

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP3914976B2 (en) 2007-05-16

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