P-/METAL FLOATING GATE NON-VOLATILE STORAGE ELEMENT

Non-volatile storage elements having a P-/metal floating gate are disclosed herein. The floating gate may have a P- region near the tunnel oxide, and may have a metal region near the control gate. A P- region near the tunnel oxide helps provide good data retention. A metal region near the control gate helps to achieve a good coupling ratio between the control gate and floating gate. Therefore, programming of non-volatile storage elements is efficient. Also, erasing the non-volatile storage elements may be efficient. In some embodiments, having a P- region near the tunnel oxide (as opposed to a strongly doped p-type semiconductor) may improve erase efficiency relative to P+.     «

Non-volatile storage elements having a P-/metal floating gate are disclosed herein. The floating gate may have a P- region near the tunnel oxide, and may have a metal region near the control gate. A P- region near the tunnel oxide helps provide good data retention. A metal region near the control gate helps to achieve a good coupling ratio between the control gate and floating gate. Therefore, programming of non-volatile storage elements is efficient. Also, erasing the non-volatile storage eleme...     »