Semiconductor memory device and memory system configured to perform tracking read on first memory cells followed by shift read on second memory cells using read voltage correction value determined during the tracking read

• US 10,163,517 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation (Kioxia Corporation)
• Inventors: Konno, Hayato, Harada, Yoshikazu, Yanagidaira, Kosuke, Nakai, Jun, Kami, Hiroe, Utsunomiya, Yuko
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, David
• Application Number:
  US15/822,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20180090212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5642 Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/0483 comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/08 Address circuits; Decoders; Word-line control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/10 Programming or data input circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/26 Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/3427 Circuits or methods to prevent or reduce disturbance of the state of a memory cell when neighbouring cells are read or written
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1063 Control signal output circuits, e.g. status or busy flags, feedback command signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A semiconductor memory device includes first, second, and third memory cells, and first, second, and third word lines that are respectively connected to gates of the first, second, and third memory cells. A control circuit executes first, second, and third read operations in response to first, second, and third command sets, respectively. The first read operation includes a first read sequence, in which the control circuit reads data by applying first to third voltages to the first word line. In the second read operation, the control circuit reads data by applying a second read voltage that is set based on a result of the first read sequence, to the second word line. In the third read operation, the control circuit reads data from the third memory cells by applying a second read voltage that is set independently of the result of the first read sequence, to the third word line.

Claims

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a memory cell array including first memory cells, second memory cells and third memory cells;

a first word line connected to gates of the first memory cells;

a second word line connected to gates of the second memory cells;

a third word line connected to gates of the third memory cells; and

a control circuit configured to execute a first read operation in response to a first command set, a second read operation in response to a second command set following the first command set, and a third read operation in response to a third command set following the first command set, wherein

the first read operation includes a first read sequence, in which the control circuit applies at least first to third voltages which are different from each other, to the first word line,

in the second read operation, the control circuit reads data from the second memory cells by applying a first read voltage that is set based on the result of the first read sequence of the first read operation, to the second word line, and

in the third read operation, the control circuit reads data from the third memory cells by applying a second read voltage that is set independently of the result of the first read sequence, to the third word line.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the third command set includes a read command that is to be read by the control circuit prior to reading address information that is also included in the third command set.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the first command set includes a first special command and a read command, the first special command to be read by the control circuit prior to reading the read command in the first command set, and the read command in the first command set to be read by the control circuit prior to reading address information that is also included in the first command set, and

the second command set includes a second special command and a read command, the second special command to be read by the control circuit prior to reading the read command in the second command set, and the read command in the second command set to be read by the control circuit prior to reading address information that is also included in the second command set.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first read operation includes a second read sequence, in which the control circuit reads the data from the first memory cells by applying a third read voltage that is set based on the result of the first read sequence.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising

a fourth word line connected to gates of fourth memory cells of the memory cell array;

and

a fifth word line connected to gates of fifth memory cells of the memory cell array, wherein

the control circuit is configured to execute a fourth read operation in response to a fourth command set, and a fifth read operation in response to a fifth command set following the fourth command set,

the fourth read operation including a third read sequence, in which the control circuit applies at least fourth to sixth voltages which are different from each other, to the fourth word line, and

in the fifth read operation, the control circuit reading data from the fifth memory cells by applying a third read voltage that is set based on the result of the third read sequence of the fourth read operation, to the fifth word line.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the third read voltage is different from the second read voltage.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein

the first and fourth command sets each include a first special command and the second and fifth command sets each include a second special command, and

the first special command is to be read by the control circuit prior to reading a read command that is also included in the fourth command set, and the second special command is to be read by the control circuit prior reading a read command that is also included in the fifth command set.

8. A memory system comprising a controller and a semiconductor memory device of claim 1.

9. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a memory cell array including first memory cells, second memory cells, third memory cells and fourth memory cells;

a first word line connected to gates of the first memory cells;

a second word line connected to gates of the second memory cells;

a third word line connected to gates of the third memory cells;

a fourth word line connected to gates of the fourth memory cells; and

a control circuit is configured to execute a first read operation in response to a first command set, a second read operation in response to a second command set following the first command set, a third read operation in response to a third command set following the second command set and a fourth read operation in response to a fourth command set following the third command set;

wherein

the first read operation includes a first read sequence, in which the control circuit applies at least first to third voltages which are different from each other, to the first word line,

in the second read operation, the control circuit reads data from the second memory cells by applying a first read voltage, to the second word line,

the third read operation includes a third read sequence, in which the control circuit applies at least fourth to sixth voltages which are different from each other, to the third word line, and

in the fourth read operation, the control circuit reads data from the fourth memory cells by applying a second read voltage, to the fourth word line, wherein

the second command set and the fourth command set each include a special command and a read command that is to be read by the control circuit prior to reading address information also included in the respective second or fourth command set, and

the first read voltage is different from the second read voltage.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the first command set and the third command set each include a special command and a read command that is to be read by the control circuit prior to reading address information also included in the respective first or third command set.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the first read operation includes a second read sequence, in which the control circuit reads the data from the first memory cells by applying a third read voltage that is set based on the result of the first read sequence, and

the third read operation includes a fourth read sequence, in which the control circuit reads the data from the third memory cells by applying a fourth read voltage that is set based on the result of the third read sequence.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the first read voltage is set based on the third read voltage and the second read voltage is set based on the fourth read voltage.

13. A memory system comprising a controller and a semiconductor memory device of claim 9.

14. A method of performing a read operation in a semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array including first memory cells, second memory cells and third memory cells, a first word line connected to gates of the first memory cells, a second word line connected to gates of the second memory cells, and a third word line connected to gates of the third memory cells, said method comprising:

in response to a first command set, executing a first read sequence during which at least first to third voltages which are different from each other are applied to the first word line;

in response to a second command set following the first command set, reading data from the second memory cells by applying a first read voltage that is set based on the result of the first read sequence, to the second word line; and

in response to a third command set following the first command set, reading data from the third memory cells by applying a second read voltage that is set independently of the result of the first read sequence, to the third word line.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the third command set includes a read command that is to be read prior to reading address information that is also included in the third command set.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first command set includes a first special command and a read command, the first special command to be read prior to reading the read command in the first command set, and the read command in the first command set to be read prior to reading address information that is also included in the first command set, and

the second command set includes a second special command and a read command, the second special command to be read prior to reading the read command in the second command set, and the read command in the second command set to be read prior to reading address information that is also included in the second command set.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

in response to the first command set and after executing the first read sequence, executing a second read sequence during which data from the first memory cells are read by applying a third read voltage that is set based on the result of the first read sequence.