Non-volatile memory devices and arrays are described that utilize band
engineered gate-stacks and multiple charge trapping layers allowing a
multiple trapping site gate-insulator stack memory cell that utilizes a
band engineered direct tunneling or crested barrier tunnel layer and
charge blocking layer for high speed programming/erasure. Charge
retention is enhanced by utilization of nano-crystals and/or bulk
trapping materials in a composite non-conductive trapping layer and a
high K dielectric insulating layers. The band-gap engineered gate-stack
with asymmetric direct tunneling or crested barrier tunnel layers of the
non-volatile memory cells of embodiments of the present invention allow
for low voltage high speed tunneling programming and erase with electrons
and holes, while maintaining high charge blocking barriers and deep
carrier trapping sites for good charge retention. Memory cell embodiments
of the present invention allow multiple levels of bit storage in a memory
cell through multiple charge centroids and/or multiple threshold voltage
levels.