Non-volatile memory and method with control gate compensation for source line bias errors

• US 7,170,784 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Woden Technologies Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk Corporation (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Chan, Siu Lung, Cernea, Raul-Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarabian; Amir
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEINBERG, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US11/097,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20060221694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 365/185, 365/185.12, 365/185.03, 365/220, 365/238.5
• US Class Current: 365/185.12
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/08 Address circuits; Decoders; Word-line control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/3418 Disturbance prevention or evaluation; Refreshing of disturbed memory data
• 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 2216/14 Circuits or methods to write a page or sector of information simultaneously into a nonvolatile memory, typically a complete row or word line in flash memory

Abstract

Source line bias is an error introduced by a non-zero resistance in the ground loop of the read/write circuits. During sensing the source of a memory cell is erroneously biased by a voltage drop across the resistance and results in errors in the applied control gate and drain voltages. This error is minimized when the applied control gate and drain voltages have their reference point located as close as possible to the sources of the memory cells. In one preferred embodiment, the reference point is located at a node where the source control signal is applied. When a memory array is organized in pages of memory cells that are sensed in parallel, with the sources in each page coupled to a page source line, the reference point is selected to be at the page source line of a selected page via a multiplexor.

Claims

1. In a non-volatile memory device having individual pages of memory cells to be sensed in parallel, each memory cell having a source, a drain, a charge storage unit and a control gate for controlling a conduction current along said drain and source, a method of sensing a page of memory cells, comprising:

providing a page source line to each individual page;

coupling the source of each memory cell of said page to said page source line;

coupling the page source lines of individual pages to an aggregate node for connection to a source voltage control circuit for sensing operation;

coupling the control gate of each memory cell of said page to a word line; and

providing a predetermined word line voltage to the word line of each memory cell of said page for sensing operation, wherein said predetermined word line voltage is referenced with respect to said aggregate node so as not to be affected by any voltage differences between said aggregate node and a ground reference.

2. The method of sensing as in claim 1, wherein said page source line is at a higher potential than that of said source voltage control circuit.

3. The method of sensing as in claim 1, wherein said source voltage control circuit is referenced with respect to said ground reference.

4. The method of sensing as in claim 1, wherein said providing a predetermined word line voltage further comprises:

providing a regulated reference voltage;

providing a DAC-controlled potential divider; and

generating the predetermined word line voltage by dividing said regulated reference voltage using the DAC-controlled potential divider.

5. The method as in any one of claims 1–

4, wherein each of said memory cells stores one bit of data.

6. The method as in any one of claims 1–

4, wherein each of said memory cells stores more than one bit of data.

7. In a non-volatile memory device having individual pages of memory cells to be sensed in parallel, each memory cell having a source, a drain, a charge storage unit and a control gate for controlling a conduction current along said drain and source, said memory device, comprising:

a page source line coupled to the source of each memory cell in a page;

an aggregate node coupled to individual page source lines;

a source voltage control circuit coupled via said aggregate node to a page source line of a selected page for memory operation;

a word line coupling to the control gate of each memory cell of said page; and

a word line voltage supply for providing a predetermined word line voltage to the word line of each memory cell of said page for sensing operation, wherein said predetermined word line voltage is referenced with respect to said aggregate node so as not to be affected by any voltage differences between said aggregate node and a ground reference.

8. The memory device as in claim 7, wherein said page source line is at a higher potential than that of said source voltage control circuit.

9. The memory device as in claim 7, wherein said source voltage control circuit is referenced with respect to said ground reference.

10. The memory device as in claim 7, wherein said word line voltage supply further comprises:

a regulated reference voltage;

a DAC-controlled potential divider; and

an output predetermined word line voltage given by dividing said regulated reference voltage using the DAC-controlled potential divider.

11. The memory device as in any one of claims 7–

10, wherein each of said memory cells stores one bit of data.

12. The memory device as in any one of claims 7–

10, wherein each of said memory cells stores more than one bit of data.

13. In a non-volatile memory device having individual pages of memory cells to be sensed in parallel, each memory cell having a source, a drain, a charge storage unit and a control gate for controlling a conduction current along said drain and source, a method of sensing a page of memory cells, comprising:

providing a page source line to each individual page;

coupling the source of each memory cell of said page to said page source line;

switching said page source line via an intermediate node to a source voltage control circuit for sensing operation;

coupling the control gate of each memory cell of said page to a word line; and

providing a predetermined word line voltage to the word line of each memory cell of said page for sensing operation, wherein said predetermined word line voltage is referenced with respect to said intermediate node so as not to be affected by any voltage differences between said intermediate node and a ground reference.

14. The method of sensing as in claim 13, wherein said page source line is at a higher potential than that of said source voltage control circuit.

15. The method of sensing as in claim 13, wherein said source voltage control circuit is referenced with respect to said ground reference.

16. The method of sensing as in claim 13, wherein said providing a predetermined word line voltage further comprises:

providing a regulated reference voltage;

providing a DAC-controlled potential divider; and

generating the predetermined word line voltage by dividing said regulated reference voltage using the DAC-controlled potential divider.

17. The method as in any one of claims 13–

16, wherein each of said memory cells stores one bit of data.

18. The method as in any one of claims 13–

16, wherein each of said memory cells stores more than one bit of data.

19. In a non-volatile memory device having individual pages of memory cells to be sensed in parallel, each memory cell having a source, a drain, a charge storage unit and a control gate for controlling a conduction current along said drain and source, said memory device, comprising:

a page source line coupled to the source of each memory cell in a page;

a page source line multiplexor;

a source voltage control circuit coupled via an intermediate node to said page source line multiplexor to a page source line of a selected page for memory operation;

a word line coupling to the control gate of each memory cell of said page; and

a word line voltage supply for providing a predetermined word line voltage to the word line of each memory cell of said page for sensing operation, wherein said predetermined word line voltage is referenced with respect to said intermediate node so as not to be affected by any voltage differences between said intermediate node and a ground reference.

20. The memory device as in claim 19, wherein said page source line is at a higher potential than that of said source voltage control circuit.

21. The memory device as in claim 19, wherein said source voltage control circuit is referenced with respect to said ground reference.

22. The memory device as in claim 19, wherein said word line voltage supply further comprises:

a regulated reference voltage;

a DAC-controlled potential divider; and

an output predetermined word line voltage given by dividing said regulated reference voltage using the DAC-controlled potential divider.

23. The memory device as in any one of claims 19–

22, wherein each of said memory cells stores one bit of data.

24. The memory device as in any one of claims 19–

22, wherein each of said memory cells stores more than one bit of data.