a semiconductor non - volatile memory device is disclosed which is based on the use of fowler - nordheim electron tunneling to charge and discharge the isolated gates of the storage cells . furthermore , the disclosed memory device includes global decoder circuitry capable of passing either positive or negative voltages to a set of global word lines controlling - local decoder circuitry , said local controller circuitry in turn controlling row select lines or local word lines . each local decoder controls a multiplicity of word lines . the local decoder circuitry is located in physical proximity to specific memory sectors thus resulting in an improved layout of the decoder circuitry and enabling the selection of one of the multiplicity of word lines within said sector by means of electrical control lines . the electrical control lines select one of the multiplicity of rows within a memory sector and deselect all the remaining rows . logic control circuitry is provided to control the logic of the local row decoders .