Method of operation of non-volatile memory device

• US 10,096,356 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation (Kioxia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kato, Koji, Kurosawa, Tomonori, Nakano, Takeshi, Kobayashi, Tsukasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Anthan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddique, Mushfique
• Application Number:
  US15/065,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20170162257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5628 Programming or writing circuits; Data input circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/0483 comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/10 Programming or data input circuits

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a first memory cell; a second memory cell; a first bit line connected to the first memory cell; a second bit line connected to the second memory cell; a first word line connected to the first memory cell and the second memory cell; a first circuit configured to control a connection between the first bit line and a first node; and a second circuit configured to control a connection between the second bit line and the first node.

Claims

1. A memory device comprising:

a first memory cell;

a second memory cell;

a first bit line connected to the first memory cell;

a second bit line connected to the second memory cell;

a first word line connected to the first memory cell and the second memory cell; and

a control circuit configured to, at a time of writing data to the first memory cell;

apply a first voltage to the second bit line,

apply a second voltage, which is lower than the first voltage, to the first bit line,

apply a third voltage, which is higher than the first voltage, to the first word line,

after the first word line is charged to the third voltage, apply the second voltage to the first word line, and

during a period after the first word line is charged to the third voltage and before the first word line drops to the second voltage, (i) maintain the first voltage on the second bit line, and (ii) apply a fourth voltage, which is higher than the second voltage, to the first bit line.

2. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to apply the fourth voltage to the first bit line until a voltage, which is applied to the first word line, varies from the third voltage to the second voltage.

3. The memory device according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit is configured to vary a potential of the first bit line and a potential of the second bit line from fourth voltage and the first voltage, respectively, to the second voltage, after the voltage, which is applied to the first word line, is varied to the second voltage.

4. The memory device according to claim 3, wherein the control circuit is configured to vary the potential of the first bit line and the potential of the second bit line from fourth voltage and the first voltage, respectively, to the second voltage, when the first bit line and the second bit line have become equal in potential.

5. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein the fourth voltage is the first voltage, or a fifth voltage at which a select transistor belonging to the same string as the second memory cell is capable of maintaining a cutoff state.

6. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to apply the fourth voltage to the first bit line and the first voltage to the second bit line until a voltage which is applied to the first word line varies from the third voltage to a sixth voltage, and to apply, thereafter, at a time of the first word line discharging from the sixth voltage to the second voltage, a seventh voltage, which is higher than the second voltage and is lower than the first voltage, to the first bit line and the second bit line.

7. The memory device according to claim 6, wherein the control circuit is configured to vary a potential of the first bit line and a potential of the second bit line from the seventh voltage to the second voltage, after the voltage, which is applied to the first word line, is varied to the second voltage.

8. The memory device according to claim 7, wherein the control circuit is configured to vary the potential of the first bit line and the potential of the second bit line from the seventh voltage to the second voltage, when the first bit line and the second bit line have become equal in potential.

9. The memory device according to claim 8, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine whether data was written to the first memory cell, after the first bit line and the second bit line are set to the second voltage.

10. The memory device according to claim 6, wherein the sixth voltage is a voltage which is capable of turning on the first and second memory cells, without erroneous write being executed to the first and second memory cells.

11. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to vary a potential of the first bit line to the first voltage, during the period after the first word line is charged to the third voltage and before the first word line drops to the second voltage.

12. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to, after the first bit line and the second bit line have become equal in potential, discharge the first and second bit lines to the second voltage.

13. The memory device according to claim 12, wherein the control circuit is configured to, after a potential of the first word line is dropped to the second voltage, discharge the first and second bit lines to the second voltage.

14. The memory device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transistor configured to connect the first bit line and a node,

wherein the control circuit is configured to apply the fourth voltage to the node, and to turn on the transistor, when the control circuit applies the fourth voltage to the first bit line.

15. A method for controlling a memory device, comprising:

applying, when writing data to a first memory cell which is connected to a first bit line and a first word line, a first voltage to a second bit line at a first timing;

applying a second voltage, which is lower than the first voltage, to the first bit line at the first timing;

applying a third voltage, which is higher than the first voltage, to the first word line at a second timing which is later than the first timing;

after the first word line is charged to the third voltage, applying the second voltage to the first word line at a third timing which is later than the second timing; and

during a period after the first word line is charged to the third voltage and before the first word line drops to the second voltage, (i) maintaining the first voltage on the second bit line, and (ii) applying a fourth voltage, which is higher than the second voltage, to the first bit line.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the applying the fourth voltage to the first bit line includes applying the fourth voltage to the first bit line until a voltage, which is applied to the first word line, varies from the third voltage to the second voltage.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising applying the second voltage to the first bit line and the second bit line, after the voltage, which is applied to the first word line, is varied to the second voltage.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the applying the second voltage to the first bit line and the second bit line is executed when the first bit line and the second bit line have become equal in potential.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the fourth voltage is the first voltage, or a fifth voltage at which a select transistor belonging to the same string as the second memory cell is capable of maintaining a cutoff state.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

applying the fourth voltage to the first bit line and the first voltage to the second bit line until a voltage, which is applied to the first word line, varies from the third voltage to a sixth voltage; and

applying, thereafter, at a time of the first word line discharging from the sixth voltage to the second voltage, a seventh voltage, which is higher than the second voltage and is lower than the first voltage, to the first bit line and the second bit line.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising applying the second voltage to the first bit line and the second bit line, after the voltage, which is applied to the first word line, is varied to the second voltage.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the applying the second voltage to the first bit line and the second bit line is executed when the first bit line and the second bit line have become equal in potential.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising determining whether data was written to the first memory cell, after the first bit line and the second bit line are set to the second voltage.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein the sixth voltage is a voltage which is capable of turning on the first memory cell, without erroneous write being executed to the first memory cell.