Patents Assigned to SanDisk Technologies LLC
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Publication number: 20230377657Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells each connected to word lines and disposed in strings and configured to retain a threshold voltage. The memory apparatus also includes a charge pump configured to ramp up to a program voltage in a pump setting process and supply the program voltage to the word lines during a program operation and ramp down from the program voltage in a pump resetting process. A control means is configured to successively apply one of a series of pulses of the program voltage from the charge pump to each selected one of the word lines to program the memory cells during the program operation. The control means is also configured to skip the pump setting process and the pump resetting process of the charge pump in between each of the series of pulses of the program voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2022Publication date: November 23, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Xiang Yang, Chin-Yi Chen, Deepanshu Dutta
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Patent number: 11823744Abstract: A method of operating a memory device. The method includes the step of preparing a memory device that includes a first group of the memory holes with full SGD transistors and a second group of the memory holes with partial SGD transistors. The second group includes both a set of selected partial SGD transistors and a set of unselected partial SGD transistors. The method proceeds with electrically floating a first unselected partial SGD transistor of the set of unselected partial SGD transistors. With the at least one first unselected partial SGD transistor electrically floating, the method continues with reducing a voltage applied to at least one transistor or memory cell adjacent the first unselected partial SGD transistor such that a voltage of the first unselected partial SGD transistor is decreased through a capacitance coupling effect.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventor: Xiang Yang
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Publication number: 20230368844Abstract: A method of operating a non-volatile semiconductor memory device is disclosed. The method comprises: during a first pre-read cycle of a read operation, ramping up a control signal on a wordline selected for the read operation to a first target pre-read voltage and ramping up a control signal on a drain-side select (SGD) transistor of an unselected string of the plurality of strings to a second target pre-read voltage. The method further comprises during a second pre-read cycle of the read operation, ramping down the control signal on the wordline to a target read voltage and ramping down the control signal on the SGD transistor of the unselected string to a third target pre-read voltage after a delay period after the triggering edge of the second pre-read cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2022Publication date: November 16, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Yanjie Wang, Guirong Liang
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Publication number: 20230368850Abstract: An apparatus disclosed herein comprises: a plurality of memory cells and a control circuit coupled to the plurality of memory cells. The control circuit is configured to: erase a block; verify, using a first erase verify level, that the block was properly erased; verify, using a second erase verify level, that the block was properly erased; determine whether there are any mismatches in a plurality of verify statuses between neighboring wordlines of the block from verifying the block using the second erase verify level; and identify, based on the determination, whether the block has failed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2022Publication date: November 16, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Huiwen Xu, Bo Lei, Jun Wan
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Publication number: 20230368846Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for a memory system that compensates for different programming speeds in two sets of memory cells when reading those two sets of memory cells. The memory system programs a group of the memory cells to one or more data states. In one aspect, the memory cells are not verified during programming. The group has a first set of memory cells that program at a first speed and a second set of memory cells that program at a second speed. The memory system reads the first set of the memory cells with a first set of read parameters and reads the second set of the memory cells with a second set of read parameters. The first set of read parameters are different from the second set of read parameters to compensate for the different programming speeds.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2022Publication date: November 16, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Jiacen Guo, Xiaochen Zhu, Xiang Yang, Lito De La Rama, Yi Song, Jiahui Yuan
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Publication number: 20230367944Abstract: The memory device includes a die with a first set of planes and a second set of planes. The planes are rectangular in shape with a major dimension and a minor dimension. The die includes a CMOS layer with at least one common peripheral circuitry area, and each of the planes includes a non-common peripheral circuitry area in the CMOS layer. Each plane of the first set of planes is oriented such that its major dimension extends in a first direction, and each plane of the second set of planes is oriented such that its major dimension extends in a second direction that is different than the first direction such that the non-common peripheral circuitry area of each plane is immediately adjacent the at least one common peripheral circuitry area in the CMOS layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2022Publication date: November 16, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Yuki Mizutani, Masaaki Higashitani
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Publication number: 20230368851Abstract: The memory device includes a controller that is configured to program a plurality of memory cells of a selected word line in a plurality of programming loops and count the number of programming loops to complete programming. The controller is also configured to compare the number of programming loops to complete programming of the memory cells of the selected word line to at least one of a predetermined upper limit and a predetermined lower limit to determine if a plane containing the selected word line is at an elevated risk for read failure. In response to the controller making a determination that the plane containing the selected word line is at an elevated risk for read failure, the controller is configured to conduct a post write read operation at least one word line of the plurality of word lines.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2022Publication date: November 16, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Ke Zhang, Minna Li, Li Liang
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Publication number: 20230368847Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for a memory system that regulates charge pump current during a ramp up of the output voltage. The memory systems operates the charge pump in a current regulation mode while the charge pump output voltage ramps up. After the output voltage crosses a threshold voltage, the charge pump is operated in a voltage regulation mode in which the output voltage is regulated to a target output voltage. In one aspect, the memory system generates a random duty cycle clock in the current regulation mode. The memory system determines a target duty cycle for the random duty cycle clock that will regulate the input current of the charge pump to a target current, given the present output voltage. A clock based on the random duty cycle clock is provided to a clock input of the charge pump to regulate the charge pump current.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2022Publication date: November 16, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventor: Hiroki Yabe
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Publication number: 20230368852Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a control circuit configured to connect to a bit line that is connected to one or more non-volatile memory cells. The control circuit includes a first plurality of data latches connected to a first local data bus to store first program-verify pass/fail bits and a second plurality of data latches connected to a second local data bus to store second program-verify pass/fail bits for second non-volatile memory cells. The non-volatile memory device further includes a shared isolation latch and one or more interface circuits connected to the first local data bus and the second local data bus. The one or more interface circuits are configured to selectively block the first program-verify pass/fail bits from the first plurality of latches and the second program-verify pass/fail bits from the second plurality of latches according to an indicator bit stored in the shared isolation latch.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2022Publication date: November 16, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Kei Kitamura, Iris Lu, Tai-Yuan Tseng
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Patent number: 11817150Abstract: To overcome a shortage of area for horizontal metal lines to connect word line switch transistors to corresponding word lines and for pass through signal lines, it is proposed to implement multiple architectures for the word line hook up regions. For example, some areas of a die will be designed to provide extra horizontal metal lines to connect word line switch transistors to word lines and other areas of the die will be designed to provide extra pass through signal lines.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2021Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: Sandisk Technologies LLCInventors: Shiqian Shao, Fumiaki Toyama
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Patent number: 11817157Abstract: The storage device that includes a non-volatile memory with a control circuitry that is communicatively coupled to an array of memory cells that are arranged in a plurality of word lines. The control circuitry is configured to program the memory cells in a plurality of programming loops. The programming loops include applying a programming pulse to a selected word line of the plurality of word lines. The programming loops also include applying a verify pulse VN to the selected word line to simultaneously verify a lower tail of the memory cells being programmed to a data state N and an upper tail of the memory cells that have been programmed to a data state N?1. The data state N?1 has a lower voltage threshold than the data state N.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2021Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Ming Wang, Liang Li, Shih-Chung Lee
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Patent number: 11810628Abstract: When erasing multiple sub-blocks of a block, erase verify is performed for memory cells connected to even word lines to generate even results and for memory cells connected to odd word lines to generate odd results. The even results and the odd results are used to determine that the erase verify process successfully completed. For each NAND string of a first sub-block, a last even result for the NAND string is compared to a last odd result for the NAND string. Despite the determination that the first sub-block successfully completed erase verify, the erasing failed for the first sub-block because the number of NAND strings that have the last even result different than the last odd result is greater than a limit. The system determines that one or more additional sub-blocks also failed erasing based on and in response to determining that the first sub-block failed erasing.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2022Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Jayavel Pachamuthu, Dana Lee
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Publication number: 20230352097Abstract: A method for performing an erase operation of a partially programmed memory block of a non-volatile memory structure. The method comprises: (1) applying an erase voltage bias level to a channel region of the memory block, (2) applying a word line voltage level to all programmed word line(s) of the memory block, (3) applying a “float” condition to all unprogrammed word line(s) of the memory block, and (4) applying an erase verify operation to all word line(s) of the memory block, wherein the “float” condition comprises omitting application of the word line voltage to the unprogrammed word line(s).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2022Publication date: November 2, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Xiaojia Jia, Jiacen Guo
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Publication number: 20230352108Abstract: An apparatus disclosed herein comprises: a plurality of memory cells and a control circuit coupled to the plurality of memory cells. The control circuit is configured to: acquire a first set of read levels on a wordline of a first block of pages of memory cells; acquire a second set of read levels on a first wordline of a second block of pages of a second set of memory cells in response to determining that the fail bit count of the page after a read operation is above the threshold amount; and acquire a third set of read levels on a second wordline of the second block in response to determining that the fail bit count of the page after the second read operation is above the threshold amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2022Publication date: November 2, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Erika Penzo, Henry Chin, Jie Liu, Dong-Il Moon
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Publication number: 20230343385Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for sensing memory cells while compensating for resistance along an electrical pathway between a voltage driver and a control line connected to the memory cells. A control circuit provides a voltage from the voltage driver over a first electrical pathway to a control line in a first block and a second electrical pathway to a control line in a second block. The control circuit senses first memory cells in the first block and the second memory cells in the second block while compensating for a difference in resistance of the first and second electrical pathways. In one aspect, the control circuit discharges a first sense node for a different period of time than a second sense node to compensate for the difference in resistance. Compensating for the difference in resistance compensates for a different IR drop of the electrical pathways.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2022Publication date: October 26, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventor: Hiroki Yabe
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Publication number: 20230343400Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected to word lines and disposed in strings. A control means is coupled to the word lines and the strings and is configured to ramp a voltage applied to a selected one of the word lines from a verify voltage to a reduced voltage during a program-verify portion of a program operation. The control means successively ramps voltages applied to each of a plurality of neighboring ones of the word lines from a read pass voltage to the reduced voltage beginning with ones of the plurality of neighboring ones of the word lines immediately adjacent the selected one of the word lines and progressing to ones of the plurality of neighboring others of the word lines disposed increasingly remotely from the selected one of the word lines during the program-verify portion of the program operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2022Publication date: October 26, 2023Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Jiacen Guo, Xiang Yang, Abhijith Prakash
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Patent number: 11798638Abstract: Technology for mitigating interference to select transistors in 3D memory is disclosed. In one aspect, a control circuit pre-charges a first set of bit lines to a first voltage and pre-charges a second set of bit lines to a second voltage greater than the first voltage. The control circuit may increase the voltage on the first set of bit lines to the second voltage while the second set of bit lines are floating to couple up the voltages on the second set of bit lines to a voltage greater than the second voltage. The higher voltage on the second set of bit lines compensates for interference that some of the select transistors may experience from an adjacent select line. For example, the higher voltage can prevent a leakage current in the select transistors from occurring. Preventing the leakage current can improve boosting of NAND channel voltages, thereby preventing program disturb.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Xiang Yang, Kou Tei, Ohwon Kwon
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Patent number: 11798631Abstract: Read and write circuitry, described herein, comprises data latches, each data latch connected to a bit line and arranged in a same column as the bit line; and transfer latches, each transfer latch connected to a data latch and arranged in a same column as the data latch. Further, circuitry described herein is configured to: transfer a word to and from the transfer latches of a first column and the subset of transfer latches of a second column; transfer a first portion of the word between the transfer latches of the first column and data latches of the first column that are connected to the transfer latches of the first column; and transfer a second portion of the word between the subset of transfer latches and data latches of the second column that are connected to the subset of transfer latches.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Iris Lu, Tai-Yuan Tseng
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Patent number: 11798625Abstract: An apparatus includes a control circuit configured to connect to first word lines of a first vertical sub-block and second word lines of a second vertical sub-block. The first vertical sub-block and the second vertical sub-block include memory cells connected in series in NAND strings, each NAND string including memory cells coupled to the first word lines in series with memory cells connected to the second word lines. The control circuit is configured to program or sense memory cells along a selected first word line of the first vertical sub-block while applying a first voltage to second word lines that are connected to programmed memory cells and applying a second voltage to second word lines that are connected to unprogrammed memory cells.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Xiang Yang, Deepanshu Dutta, Gerrit Jan Hemink
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Patent number: 11789612Abstract: For a non-volatile memory system with a multi-plane memory die having a large block size, to be able to more readily accommodate zone-based host data using zones that are of a smaller size that the block size on the memory, the memory system assigns data from different zones to different subsets of the planes of a common memory die. The memory system is configured to accumulate the data from the different zones into different write queues and then assemble the data from the different write zones into pages or partial pages of data that can be simultaneously programmed into memory cells connected to different word lines that are in different sub-blocks of different blocks in the corresponding assigned planes of the die.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2020Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Karin Inbar, Sahil Sharma, Grishma Shah