Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The memory apparatus includes memory cells connected to word lines and disposed in memory holes organized in rows grouped in strings. The memory cells are configured to retain a threshold voltage. The rows include full circle rows and semi-circle rows in which the memory holes are partially cut by a slit half etch. The memory holes of the semi-circle rows are coupled semi-circle bit lines and the memory holes of the full circle rows are coupled to full circle bit lines. A control means is configured to erase the memory cells in an erase operation. During the erase operation, the control means creates a capacitive coupling between each of the semi-circle bit lines and at least one neighboring one of the full circle bit lines to increase a semi-circle erase voltage applied to each of the semi-circle bit lines.

Abstract: To save power during a read process, NAND strings of each sub-block of a block have independently controlled source side select lines connected to source side select gates and drain side select lines connected to drain side select gates so that NAND strings of unselected sub-blocks can float and not draw current. To prevent read disturb in NAND strings of unselected sub-blocks, after all word lines are raised to a pass gate voltage, unselected word lines nearby the selected word line are lowered to respective intermediate voltages while lowering the voltage on the selected word line in order to achieve a channel potential gradient in the floated NAND strings of the unselected sub-blocks that does not result in read disturb. Subsequently, the selected word line is raised to the appropriate read compare voltage so the selected memory cells can be sensed.

Abstract: To reduce spikes in the current used by a NAND memory die during a write operation using smart verify, different amounts of delay are introduced into the loops of the programing algorithm. Depending on the number of verify levels following a programming pulse, differing amounts of wait time are used before biasing a selected word line to the verify levels or levels. For example, if only a single verify level is used, a shorter delay is used than if two verify levels are used.

Abstract: To remedy short term data retention issues, a system creates a gate to channel voltage differential for non-volatile memory cells between programming and verifying in order to accelerate the effects of the short term data retention issue. That is, the gate to channel voltage differential will accelerate the migrating of electrons out of shallow traps. In some embodiments, the gate to channel voltage differential comprises a higher voltage at the channel in comparison to the gate. In some embodiments, the programming comprises applying doses of a programming signal and the gate to channel voltage differential is only created for a subset of the time periods between doses of the programming signal.

Abstract: In order to inhibit memory cells from programming and mitigate program disturb, the memory pre-charges channels of NAND strings connected to a common set of control lines by applying positive voltages to the control lines and applying voltages to a source line and bit lines connected to the NAND strings. The control lines include word lines and select lines. The word lines include an edge word line. The memory ramps down the positive voltages applied to the control lines, including ramping down control lines on a first side of the edge word line, ramping down the edge word line, and performing a staggered ramp down of three or more control lines on a second side of the edge word line. After the pre-charging, unselected NAND strings have their channel boosted to prevent programming and selected NAND strings experience programming on selected memory cells.

Abstract: A non-volatile storage apparatus that comprises a plurality of planes of non-volatile memory cells is capable of concurrently programming memory cells in multiple planes. In order to screen for failure of the programming process in a subset of planes, the completion of programming of a fastest plane to a particular data state is used as a trigger to test for program failure of other planes to a different data state. In one embodiment, the test for program failure of other planes to the different data state comprises determining if the memory cells of the other planes that are targeted for programming to the different data state have successfully completed verification of programming for the different data state. The programming process is stopped for those planes that fail the test.

Abstract: To prevent loss of data due to a word line to memory hole short (or another defect), it is proposed to perform an erase process for a plurality of memory cells, detect that a subset of the plurality of memory cells are slow to erase, and prevent successfully programming for at least some of the memory cells that are slow to erase. This technique uses the erase process to predict future word line to memory hole shorts and prevent programming of memory cells predicted to have a future word line to memory hole short so no data will be lost when the short manifests.

Abstract: The memory device includes a plurality of memory blocks that can individually operate in either a multi-bit per memory cell mode or a single-bit per memory cell mode. Certain voltage parameters during programming and reading are shared between these two operating modes, and certain voltage parameters are unique to each operating mode. One unique voltage parameter is a pass voltage VREADK that is applied to word lines adjacent a selected word line being read. Another unique voltage parameter is a VSGD voltage that is applied to a select gate drain transistor during programming. Yet another unique voltage parameter is an inhibit voltage that is applied to a bit line coupled with a memory cell being inhibited from programming while other memory cells are programmed.

Abstract: The memory device includes a memory block with an array of memory cells. The memory device also includes control circuitry that is in communication with the memory cells. The control circuitry is configured to program a group of the memory cells in a programming operation that does not include verify to obtain a natural threshold voltage (nVt) distribution, calculate an nVt width of the nVt distribution, compare the nVt width to a threshold, and identify the memory block as being vulnerable to cross-temperature read errors in response to the nVt width exceeding the threshold.

Abstract: A method for multi-stage programming of a non-volatile memory structure, wherein the method comprises: (1) initiating a programming operation with respect to a memory block, (2) applying a programming algorithm to the memory block, wherein the programming algorithm comprises at least a first programming stage and a second programming stage, and (3) between the first programming stage and the second programming stage, applying a time delay according to a pre-determined amount of time. Further, the pre-determined amount of time may be defined as the amount of time that, according to a probabilistic function, permits de-trapping of any charges unintentionally trapped within a memory cell of the memory block as a result of the first programming stage.

Abstract: A control circuit is configured to connect to a cross-point memory array in which each conductive line, such as a bit line or word line, is connected to a transistor pair comprising a pMOSFET in parallel with an nMOSFET. When selecting a memory cell to be read, a voltage of a first conductive line may be pulled up using the pMOSFET in a conductive state while the nMOSFET is in a non-conductive state. Further, when reading the selected memory cell, the parallel nMOSFET of the first conductive line may be in a conductive state.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a plurality of word lines that include a plurality of word line zones, a plurality of non-volatile memory cells coupled to the plurality of word lines, and a control circuit coupled to the non-volatile memory cells. The control circuit is configured to determine a corresponding initial program voltage for each of the word line zones. Each corresponding initial program voltage is determined based on a number of program erase cycles.

Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells each connected to one of a plurality of word lines. The memory cells are disposed in strings and configured to retain a threshold voltage corresponding to one of a plurality of data states. A control means is coupled to the plurality of word lines and the strings and is configured to apply a read voltage to a selected ones of the plurality of word lines during a read operation and ramp down to a discharge voltage at an end of the read operation and apply a ready voltage to the selected ones of the plurality of word lines during a ready period of time following the read operation. The control means is also configured to adjust at least one of the discharge voltage and the ready voltage based on a temperature of the memory apparatus.

Abstract: Wear levelling techniques based on use of a Galois field for the logical to physical translation of data addresses for a non-volatile memory, such as an MRAM-based memory, are presented. This not only provides a wear levelling technique to extend memory life, but also adds an additional layer of security to the stored memory data. More specifically, the following presents embodiments for secure wear levelling based on a Galois field having an order based on the size of the memory. To further improve security, a randomly generated rotation of the logically address based on the Galois field can also be used.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a control circuit configured to connect to memory cells connected in series in NAND strings. Each NAND string includes a plurality of data memory cells coupled to a plurality of data word lines in series with a plurality of dummy memory cells connected to a plurality of dummy word lines. The control circuit configured to apply a first dummy word line voltage to one or more dummy word lines of the plurality of dummy word lines in a verify step of a program operation to program data memory cells. The control circuit is configured to apply a second dummy word line voltage to the one or more dummy word lines in a read operation to read the data memory cells.

Abstract: A storage device comprises: a non-volatile memory including control circuitry and an array of memory cells formed using a set of word lines and a set of bit lines. A controller, coupled to the non-volatile memory, configured to: during a program loop for programming a set of states, select a first bitline biasing mode that dictates a scheme for biasing a first set of bitlines and apply the first bitline biasing mode before verifying the set of states. The controller further configured to during another program loop for programming another set of states, select a second bitline biasing mode that dictates a scheme for biasing a second set of bitlines and apply the second bitline biasing mode before verifying the other set of states.

Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes drain-side select gate transistors for coupling to a drain-side of each of a plurality of memory holes of memory cells and configured to retain a transistor threshold voltage. The memory apparatus also includes a control means coupled to the drain-side select gate transistor of each of the plurality of memory holes. The control means is configured to select the transistor threshold voltage of the drain-side select gate transistors as a stable transistor threshold voltage for a grouping of the memory cells to minimize shifting of the transistor threshold voltage following a plurality of read operations of the memory cells. The control means is also configured to program the transistor threshold voltage of the drain-side select gate transistor of the plurality of memory holes associated with the grouping of the memory cells to the stable transistor threshold voltage.

Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected word lines. The memory cells are disposed in strings and configured to retain a threshold voltage. A control means is configured to apply a program voltage to selected ones of the word lines while applying pass voltages to unselected ones of the word lines and ramp down both the selected ones of the plurality of word lines and the unselected ones of the word lines to a recovery voltage at a start of a verify phase of each of a plurality of program loops and apply a targeted word line bias to each of the word lines during the verify phase. The control means is also configured to adjust the recovery voltage based on the targeted word line bias applied to each of the plurality of word lines during the verify phase.

Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for a memory system that balances peak Icc with programming speed. A memory system applies voltages to respective word lines during a verify operation that balances peak Icc with programming speed. The voltages for which the ramp rate is controlled include a read pass voltage applied to unselected word lines and a spike voltage applied to the selected word line at the beginning of the verify. The ramp rate of the voltages is slow enough to keep the peak Icc during verify to a target peak Icc regardless of which word line is selected for verify. However, the ramp rate of the voltages to the word lines during verify is fast enough to make use of the target peak Icc in order achieve faster programming. Therefore, the impact on programming time is minimized while staying withing the allowed peak Icc.

Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells each connected to word lines. The memory cells are disposed in strings and configured to retain a threshold voltage corresponding to data states. A control means is configured to apply verification pulses of program verify voltages each associated with one of the data states to selected ones of the word lines to determine whether the memory cells connected thereto have the threshold voltage above each of the program verify voltages targeted for each of the memory cells during a program-verify portion of a program operation. The control means is also configured to trim the program verify voltages for each of the data states for a grouping of the memory cells based on quantities of the memory cells having the threshold voltage crossing over between the data states in crossovers in a verify level trimming process.