Macronix have developed a new technology which will allow a NOR Flash memory device to store twice the amount of data, and still keep the die within the dimensions of the product sizes we are used to. The 2-bit per cell approach employed makes use of a new nitride-based multiple bits per cell technology, which will help to keep costs down.
Typically, silicon-based floating gate NOR Flash memory products can physically store only one bit of information in each cell. The firm's "NBit" technology, however, physically stores two bits of information in each cell: The nitride-based cell "traps" the charge on one side of the cell and the charge does not flow to the other side of the cell unlike floating gate cells. As a result, another charge can be stored physically on the other side of the cell providing two bits per cell. Programming of each bit is performed by hot electron injection, erase is performed by band to band tunneling, and read by the reverse read mechanism.