US Patent 7898020 - Quantum dot semiconductor memory

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7898020.html

This patent teaches a floating gate memory design using metal and metal silicide quantum dots. Claim 1 reads:

1. A semiconductor memory including a floating gate structure, comprising:

a charge accumulation node including first quantum dots and accumulating electrons; and

a control node including second quantum dots and performing injection of the electrons into and/or emission of the electrons from the charge accumulation node,

wherein the charge accumulation node is composed of a material different from a material of the control node such that energy levels of the first quantum dots for the electrons are lower than energy levels of the second quantum dots for the electrons, the control node includes first and second control nodes, and the charge accumulation node is provided between the first control node and the second control node.