Electrically programmable non-volatile memory cell

An electrically-programmable memory cell programmed by means of injection of channel hot electrons into a charge-storage element (115a,115b;323) capacitively coupled to a memory cell channel (107;307) for modulating a conductivity thereof depending on a stored amount of charge. A first and a second spaced-apart electrode regions (109a,109b;309a,309b) are formed in a semiconductor layer (103;303) and define a channel region (107;307) there between; at least one (109A,109B;309B) of the first and second electrode regions acts as a programming electrode of the memory cell. A control electrode (CG) is capacitively coupled to the charge-storage element. The charge-storage element is placed over the channel to substantially extend from the first to the second electrode regions, and is separated from the channel region by a dielectric layer (1012,113;321). The dielectric layer has a reduced thickness in a portion (113;321b) thereof near the at least one programming electrode.