Flash memory device

• US 6,654,294 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Jeong, Weon Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, VU ANH
• Application Number:
  US10/006,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 365/189.09, 365/189.11, 365/185.18, 365/185.23
• US Class Current: 365/189.09
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/12 Programming voltage switching circuits

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flash memory device. The flash memory device comprises a flash memory cell array; a multiplexer for selecting bit lines of said flash memory cell array; a decoder for selecting word lines of said flash memory cell array depending on global word line signals, a control signal, local word line signals and pre-decoding signals; an internal voltage generator for generating a given internal voltage; and a source control unit for applying the internal voltage from said internal voltage generator to sources of a not-selected flash memory cell depending on the global word line signals, a sector program signal, a sector coding signal and a readout signal. Therefore, the present invention can increase the threshold voltage of a not-selected cell and can compensate for reduction in the threshold voltage of the not-selected cell by a drain coupling depending on a drain voltage supplied to bit lines of a selected cell. Thus, the present invention can reduce the chip size and improve the program speed.

Claims

1. A flash memory device, comprising:

a flash memory cell array;

a multiplexer for selecting bit lines of the flash memory cell array;

a decoder for selecting word lines of the flash memory cell array depending on global word line signals, a control signal, local word line signals, and pre-decoding signals;

an internal voltage generator for generating an internal voltage; and

a source control unit for applying the internal voltage from the internal voltage generator to sources of an unselected flash memory cell depending on the global word line signals, a sector program signal, a sector coding signal and a readout signal.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the decoder includes a plurality of decoding blocks driven by the global word line signals, and wherein the decoding blocks include a plurality of decoding circuit units driven by the local word line signals.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the decoding blocks include:

first and second switching means for controlling a potential of a first node depending on the global word line signals and the control signal;

an inverting means for inverting the control signal; and

a plurality of decoding circuits for selecting the word lines of the flash memory cell array selected by the local word line signals and the pre-decoding signals depending on the potential of the first node.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the first switching means includes a PMOS transistor driven by the global word line signals.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the second switching means includes a NMOS transistor, driven by the control signal, connected between the first node and a ground terminal.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of decoding circuits include:

a first switching means for supplying the local word line signals to the word line depending on the potential of the first node;

a second switching means for controlling a potential of the word lines depending on an output signal of the inverting means; and

a third switching means for controlling the potential of the word lines depending on the pre-decoding signals.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the first switching means includes a PMOS transistor, driven by the potential of the first node, connected between an input terminal of the local word line signals and the word line.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the second switching means includes a triple NMOS transistor, driven by the output signal of the inverting means, connected between the word line and a negative high voltage input terminal.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the third switching means includes a triple NMOS transistor, driven by the pre-decoding signals, connected between the word line and a negative high voltage input terminal.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the source control unit includes a plurality of source control means dependent upon the sector coding signal.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of source control means include:

a first logic means for logically combining the sector program signal and the sector coding signal;

a second logic means for logically combining an output signal of the first logic means and the readout signal;

a first switching means for supplying the internal voltage generated in the internal voltage generator to a source of the flash memory cell array depending an output signal of the second logic means;

a second switching means for controlling a potential of a source terminal depending on the global word line signals; and

a third switching means for controlling the potential of the source terminal depending on the readout signal.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the first logic means includes a NAND gate.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein the second logic means includes a NOR gate.

14. The device according to claim 11, wherein the first switching means includes a NMOS transistor connected between the internal voltage generator and the source terminal of the flash memory cell array.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein the second switching means includes a NMOS transistor, driven by the global word line signals, connected between the source terminal of the flash memory cell array and a ground terminal.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein the third switching means includes a NMOS transistor, driven by the readout signal, connected between the source terminal of the flash memory cell array and a ground terminal.

17. A flash memory device, comprising:

a flash memory cell array;

a multiplexer for selecting bit lines of the flash memory cell array;

a decoder for selecting word lines of the flash memory cell array depending on global word line signals, a control signal, local word line signals and pre-decoding signals;

an internal voltage generator for generating an internal voltage; and

a source control unit for applying the internal voltage from the internal voltage generator to sources of an unselected flash memory cell depending on a sector program signal and a potential of the word lines.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the decoder includes a plurality of decoding blocks driven by the global word line signals, and wherein the decoding blocks include a plurality of decoding circuit units driven by the local word line signals.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of decoding blocks include:

first and second switching means for controlling a potential of a first node dependent upon the global word line signals and the control signal;

an inverting means for inverting the control signal; and

a plurality of decoding circuits for selecting the word lines of the flash memory cell array selected by the local word line signals and the pre-decoding signals depending on the potential of the first node.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the first switching means includes a PMOS transistor that is driven by the global word line signals.

21. The device according to claim 19, wherein the second switching means includes a NMOS transistor, driven by the control signal, connected between the first node and a ground terminal.

22. The device according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of decoding circuits include:

a first switching means for supplying the local word line signals to the word line depending on the potential of the first node;

a second switching means for controlling the potential of the word lines depending on an output signal of the inverting means; and

a third switching means for controlling the potential of the word lines depending on the pre-decoding signals.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the first switching means includes a PMOS transistor, driven by the potential of the first node, connected between an input terminal of the local word line signals and the word line.

24. The device according to claim 22, wherein the second switching means includes a triple NMOS transistor, driven by the output signal of the inverting means, connected between the word line and a negative high voltage input terminal.

25. The device according to claim 22, wherein the third switching means includes a triple NMOS transistor, driven by the pre-decoding signals, connected between the word line and a negative high voltage input terminal.

26. The device according to claim 17, wherein the source control unit includes a plurality of source control means dependent upon the sector coding signal.

27. The device according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of source control means include:

a first switching means for supplying the internal voltage from the internal voltage generator to source terminals of the flash memory cell array depending on the sector program signal;

a second switching means for controlling a potential of the source terminals of the flash memory cell array depending on the potential of the word lines; and

a third switching means for controlling the potential of the word lines depending on the potential of the source terminals of the flash memory cell array.

28. The device according to claim 27, wherein the first switching means includes a NMOS transistor, driven by the sector program signal, connected between the internal voltage generator and the source terminals of the flash memory cell array.

29. The device according to claim 27, wherein the second switching means includes a NMOS transistor, driven by the potential of the word lines, connected between the source terminals of the flash memory cell array and a ground terminal.

30. The device according to claim 27, wherein the third switching means includes a NMOS transistor, driven by the source terminal of the flash memory cell array, connected between the word lines and a ground terminal.