Abstract: The nonvolatile memory includes a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells configured to store multiple data states; a word line connected to a control gate of at least one of the plurality of non-volatile memory cells; a control gate line to supply a control gate signal; a word line switch connected between the word line and the control gate line to control the potential applied to the word line from the control gate line; and a memory controller circuit. The memory controller circuit is configured to control a word line potential on the word line and a control gate potential on the control gate line and to control a state of the control gate. The memory controller circuit, when the nonvolatile memory transitions to a not-on state, is further configured to turn off the word line switch and to charge the control gate line to a charged potential.

Abstract: A method includes forming a semiconductor device, forming a combination of a connection-level dielectric layer and a connection-level metal interconnect structure over the semiconductor device, forming a line-and-via-level dielectric layer over the connection-level dielectric layer, forming an integrated line-and-via cavity through the line-and-via-level dielectric layer over the connection-level metal interconnect structure, selectively growing a conductive via structure consisting essentially of an elemental metal that is not copper from a physically exposed conductive surface located at a bottom of the via portion of the integrated line-and-via cavity without filling a line portion of the integrated line-and-via cavity, and forming a copper-based conductive line structure that includes copper at an atomic percentage that is greater than 90% in the line portion of the integrated line-and-via cavity.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first dielectric material layer, a first metal interconnect structure embedded within the first dielectric material layer and including a first metallic material portion including a first metal, a second dielectric material layer located over the first dielectric material layer, and a second metal interconnect structure embedded within the second dielectric material layer and including an integrated line-and-via structure that includes a second metallic material portion including a second metal. A metal-semiconductor alloy portion including a first metal-semiconductor alloy of the first metal and a semiconductor material is located underneath the second metallic material portion, and contacts a top surface of the first metal interconnect structure.

Abstract: An erase process for a group of non-volatile memory cells comprises applying doses of erasing to the group and performing erase verify between pairs of successive doses of erasing. The time needed to complete the erase process can be reduced by optimizing the order of performing erase verify. For example, erase verify can be performed by separately performing erase verify for multiple portions of the group in order from previously determined slowest erasing portion of the group to previously determined fastest erasing portion of the group, and aborting the performing of erase verify prior to completion of erase verify for all of the portions of the group in response to a number erase errors exceeding a limit.

Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for preventing erase disturb in NAND. Erase voltages are applied to a source line and bit lines associated with selected memory cells, while applying an erase enable voltage to word lines connected to the selected cells. Preventing erase disturb may include raising the channel potential of unselected memory cells to a source line voltage that has a sufficiently low magnitude to not erase the unselected cells given a voltage on word lines connected to the unselected cells. The unselected cells share bit lines with the selected cells and may also share word lines. Preventing erase disturb may also include applying voltages to the select transistors that prevent the erase voltage from passing from the shared bit lines to the channels of the unselected cells. The voltages decrease from the bit lines to the unselected memory cells and may prevent GIDL generation. Current consumption is kept low.

Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for managing timing parameters when programming memory cells. Timing parameters used sub-clocks in an MLC program mode may also be used for those same sub-clocks in a first SLC program mode. However, in a second SLC program mode a different set of timing parameters may be used for that set of sub-clocks. Using the same set of timing parameters for the MLC program mode and the first SLC program mode saves storage space. However, the timing parameters for the MLC program mode may be slower than desired for SLC programming. A different set of timing parameters may be used for the second SLC program mode to provide for faster program operation. Moreover, the different set of timing parameters used for the faster SLC program mode do not require storage of a separate set of timing parameters.

Abstract: Anon-volatile memory structure capable of storing weights for layers of a deep neural network (DNN) and perform an inferencing operation within the structure is presented. An in-array multiplication can be performed between multi-bit valued inputs, or activations, for a layer of the DNN and multi-bit valued weights of the layer. Each bit of a weight value is stored in a binary valued memory cell of the memory array and each bit of the input is applied as a binary input to a word line of the array for the multiplication of the input with the weight. To perform a multiply and accumulate operation, the results of the multiplications are accumulated by adders connected to sense amplifiers along the bit lines of the array. The adders can be configured to multiple levels of precision, so that the same structure can accommodate weights and activations of 8-bit, 4-bit, and 2-bit precision.

Abstract: As part of the erase operation for a memory block, one or more post-erase tests can be incorporated into the erase operation to see whether the block has grown any defects. After erasing a block and verifying the erase, the post-erase tests can be performed on the block. As these test involve biasing the block and performing a sensing operation, these post erase tests come with a time penalty. To reduce the associated time penalty and improve memory performance while incorporating the defect tests into the erase process, when biasing the memory array for the post-erase defect tests different ramp rates can be used. In particular, faster ramp rates for bias levels, such those applied to the word lines of the block, are used for the post-erase tests than are used for the same bias level when performing the standard read, program verify, or read verify operations.

Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for a storage system that reduces the Icc during open block reads. A lower than nominal voltage may be applied to the bit lines during open block reads, which reduces Icc. A nominal bit line voltage may be used during closed block reads. The lower than nominal bit line voltage may be combined with using a lower than nominal read pass voltage (Vread) to unprogrammed word lines during the open block read. The lower than nominal Vread has a lower magnitude than a nominal Vread used during a closed block read. Combining the lower than nominal bit line voltage with the lower than nominal Vread to unprogrammed word lines further reduces Icc during open block reads. The ramp rate of Vread may be relaxed (made slower) during at least some open block reads in combination with the lower than nominal bit line voltage.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a control circuit that is configured to connect to an array of non-volatile memory cells. The control circuit includes a first plurality of data latches configured to connect to non-volatile memory cells of a first plane and a second plurality of data latches configured to connect to non-volatile memory cells of a second plane. The control circuit also includes a shared data transfer data latch configured for transfer of data with the first plurality of data latches and the second plurality of data latches. The shared transfer data latch can be used to transfer data for operations being performed on a first plane to use the data latches on the other plane for storing data for operations on the first plane.

Abstract: A stage-based frequency optimization for a charge pump achieves a higher area efficiency by operating different stages of the charge pump at their optimized frequency simultaneously, instead of single common frequency, to obtain greater output strength. A first set of stages uses triple well devices as transfer switches and operates at a first, higher frequency. The first stages supply a second set of stages using high voltage devices as transfer switches and operates at a second, lower frequency. The two set of stages are connected through a frequency transition circuit.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory device includes an alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, memory stack structures vertically extending through the alternating stack, a perforated dielectric moat structure including a dielectric fill material and vertically extending through the alternating stack. The perforated dielectric moat structure includes, at each level of the insulating layers, two rows of lengthwise dielectric pillar portions laterally extending along a first horizontal direction and two columns of widthwise dielectric pillar portions extending along a second horizontal directions that is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction. Each row of lengthwise dielectric pillar portions has a first center-to-center pitch. Each column of widthwise dielectric pillar portions has a second center-to-center pitch. A ratio of the second center-to-center pitch to the first center-to-center pitch is in a range from 1.50 to 2.0.

Abstract: Techniques for mitigating/eliminating the impact of duty distortion caused by delays in clock paths within a built-in high-frequency test circuit for NAND flash are disclosed. By mitigating or eliminating the impact of duty distortion, accuracy of the valid data window measurement is ensured. Rising edges of a strobe clock signal and an inverted strobe clock signal are used to respectively locate even and odd data (or vice versa) within an input buffer of the NAND flash during respective sweeps of the strobe and inverted strobe clock signals. In this manner, even if the strobe clock signal's duty ratio is distorted, there is no impact on the valid data window measurement. Further, read latency is used to introduce delay to a read enable (RE) clock signal, thereby obviating the need for a replica controlled delay in the RE clock path and eliminating the duty distortion that would otherwise occur.

Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for memory device with control circuitry having an efficient floorplan. Control circuitry resides in a control semiconductor die that is bonded to a memory die NAND strings extending in a z-direction. The memory die has bit lines extending across the NAND strings in an x-direction. First column control circuitry is connected to and configured to control a first set of bit lines. Second column control circuitry is connected to and configured to control a second set of bit lines. The second column control circuitry is stacked in an x-direction with the first column control circuitry. The control die also has system control circuitry configured to control the first column control circuitry and the second column control circuitry. The system control circuitry resides in the floorplan beside the stacked column control circuitry to allow for additional routing of electrical connections above the system control circuitry.

Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected to word lines and 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 word lines and the strings and is configured to successively apply one of a series of pulses of a program voltage to each selected one of the word lines to program the memory cells connected thereto during a program operation. The control means is also configured to utilize a time of a preliminary period of the program operation based on the one of the series of pulses of the program voltage being applied. The preliminary period of the program operation is before the series of pulses of the program voltage are applied to each selected one of the plurality of word lines.

Abstract: A memory system comprises a monolithic integration of a NAND die, a MRAM die and one or more control dies positioned in a same semiconductor package for high speed and high density non-volatile data storage. The MRAM die can be operated as a cache for the NAND die or to provide long term data storage for data not cached for the NAND die. In one embodiment, the NAND die comprises a plurality of NAND strings. The MRAM die comprises a MRAM structure. The one or more control dies comprise one or more control circuits for operating the NAND die and the MRAM die.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory system goes into a low-power standby sleep mode to reduce power consumption if a host command is not received within delay period. The duration of this delay period is adjustable. In one set of embodiments, host commands can specify the delay value, the operation types to which it applies, and whether the value is power the current power session or to be used to reset a default value as well. In other aspects, the parameters related to the delay value are kept in a host resettable parameter file. In other embodiments, the memory system monitors the time between host commands and adjusts this delay automatically.

Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for refreshing threshold switching selectors in programmable resistance memory cells in cross-point memory arrays. The Vt of the threshold switching selector may drift over time. The memory system resets the Vt of the threshold switching selectors with a selector refresh operation and uses a separate data refresh operation to refresh data in programmable resistance memory elements. The data refresh operation itself may also refresh the selector. However, the threshold switching selector refresh operation is faster than the data refresh operation. Moreover, the selector refresh operation consumes much less power and/or current then the data refresh operation. The selector refresh operation may thus be performed at a higher rate than the data refresh operation.

Abstract: A command/address sequence associated with a read/write operation for a memory device utilizes various existing command/address clock signals in a novel way that obviates the need to utilize the I/O bus. As such, the command/address sequence can be performed in parallel with the DIN/DOUT operations, thereby removing the performance bottleneck that would otherwise be caused by the command and address sequencing. The command/address sequence encodes bit information on first and second enable signals and utilizes rising or falling edges of a clock signal to latch the encoded bit information, which can then be decoded to determine corresponding command and address codes. A chip select sequence is also disclosed that enables a memory chip configuration to be employed in which each chip in a package shares a common connection to a controller but does not require hard-coded pins for performing chip select.

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.