Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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).

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The storage device includes a non-volatile memory with control circuitry and 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 which include applying a programming pulse to a selected word line to program at least one memory cell of the selected word line to a programmed data state. The programming loops also include simultaneously applying a verify pulse to the selected word line to verify a data state being programmed, applying a first voltage to at least one unselected word line that has not been programmed, and applying a second voltage to at least one unselected word line that has already been programmed. The first voltage is determined as a function of the programmed data state to reduce a voltage threshold distribution across the memory cells.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: In a memory array with a cross-point structure, at each cross-point junction a programmable resistive memory element, such as an MRAM memory cell, is connected in series with a threshold switching selector, such as an ovonic threshold switch. The threshold switching selector switches to a conducting state when a voltage above a threshold voltage is applied. When powered down for extended periods, the threshold voltage can drift upward. If the drift is excessive, this can make the memory cell difficult to access and can disturb stored data values when accessed. Techniques are presented to determine whether excessive voltage threshold drift may have occurred, including a read based test and a time based test. Techniques are also presented for initializing a cross-point array, for both first fire and cold start, by using voltage levels shifted from half-select voltage levels used in a standard memory access.

Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for a memory system having a dynamic supply voltage to sense amplifiers. In an aspect, the supply voltage has a higher magnitude when charging inhibited bit lines during a program operation and a lower magnitude when verifying/sensing memory cells. Reducing the magnitude of the supply voltage saves power and/or current. However, if the lower magnitude were used when the inhibited bit lines are charged during the program operations, some of the memory cells that should be inhibited from programming might experience at least some programming. Using the higher magnitude supply voltage during bit line charging of the program operation assures that the inhibited bit lines are charged to a sufficient voltage to keep drain side select gates of NAND strings off so that the NAND channel will boost properly to inhibit programming of such memory cells.

Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation is provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected to word lines. The memory cells are disposed in memory holes and grouped into a plurality of tiers. The memory cells are configured to retain a threshold voltage corresponding to one of a plurality of data states to store one bit as single-level cells and a plurality of bits as multi-level cells. The apparatus also includes a control means coupled to the word lines and the memory holes and configured to select a predetermined strobe quantity of the plurality of tiers of the memory cells separately for the memory cells operating as the single-level cells and the memory cells operating as the multi-level cells. The control means is also configured to trigger sensing of the predetermined strobe quantity of the plurality of tiers of the memory cells during a verify operation.

Abstract: In a memory array with a cross-point structure, at each cross-point junction a programmable resistive memory element, such as an MRAM memory cell, is connected in series with a threshold switching selector, such as an ovonic threshold switch. The threshold switching selector switches to a conducting state when a voltage above a threshold voltage is applied. When powered down for extended periods, the threshold voltage can drift upward. If the drift is excessive, this can make the memory cell difficult to access and can disturb stored data values when accessed. Techniques are presented to determine whether excessive voltage threshold drift may have occurred, including a read based test and a time based test.

Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected to one of a plurality of word lines and arranged in strings and configured to retain a threshold voltage. A control means is coupled to the plurality of word lines and the strings. The control means is configured to apply a primary predetermined voltage to a primary location of the memory apparatus following an erase operation of the memory cells while simultaneously applying a secondary predetermined voltage being lower than the primary predetermined voltage to a secondary location of the memory apparatus and measuring a leak current at the primary location. The control means then determines the erase operation passed in response to the leak current measured not being greater than a predetermined leak threshold.

Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation is provided. The apparatus includes memory cells each connected to one of a plurality of word lines. The memory cells are disposed in strings coupled to one of a plurality of bit lines and are configured to retain a threshold voltage corresponding to one of a plurality of data states. A control means is configured to read each of the memory cells in a read operation. For each one of the memory cells, the control means is also configured to offset at least one of a bit line settling time and a kick voltage during the read operation based on a probability of at least one neighboring one of the plurality of bit lines being coupled to the memory cells retaining the threshold voltage corresponding to a different one of the plurality of data states than the one of the memory cells.

Abstract: The memory device includes a plurality of memory cells that are arranged in a plurality of word lines. A controller is provided, and the controller is configured to program the memory cells to respective threshold voltages in a programming operation. The controller is configured to, in the programming operation, apply a first voltage to a control gate of a selected word line of the plurality of word lines. The controller is also configured to continuously ramp a voltage applied to the control gate of the selected word line from the first voltage to a programming voltage over a first duration. The controller is further configured to hold the voltage applied to the control gate of the selected word line at the programming voltage over a second duration that is less than the first duration.

Abstract: A method for programming a non-volatile memory structure, comprises initiating a two-dimensional fractional number of bits-per-cell programming scheme of a plurality of memory cells, wherein the memory structure comprises: (1) a first memory array comprising a first population of memory cells and the associated peripheral circuitry disposed below the first population of cells, (2) a second memory array positioned above the first memory array and comprising a second population of memory cells and associated peripheral circuitry disposed above the second population of cells, and (3) a data bus tap electrically coupling the first and second memory arrays. Further, the method comprises: (1) storing input data in data latches associated with the first array and with the second array. Additionally, the method comprises converting the stored data using data conversion logic implemented by a data path circuit of the first and second arrays and rewriting the converted data to the latches.