Programming non-volatile memory with reduced program disturb by removing pre-charge dependency on word line data
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method performed as part of programming non-volatile storage, comprising:
- pre-charging a group of unselected non-volatile storage elements prior to applying a program signal to a particular non-volatile storage element of said group, said group includes a first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements on a drain side of said group with respect to said particular non-volatile storage element and a second set of two or more non-volatile storage elements, said first set has been subjected to partial programming, said pre-charging includes applying one or more first pre-charge enable signals to said first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements and applying one or more second pre-charge enable signals to said second set of two or more non-volatile storage elements, said one or more first pre-charge enable signals are at higher voltages than said one or more second pre-charge enable signals; and
applying said program signal to said particular non-volatile storage element after pre-charging said group of unselected non-volatile storage elements.
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Abstract
Unselected groups of non-volatile storage elements are boosted during programming to reduce or eliminate program disturb for targeted, but unselected memory cells connected to a selected word line. Prior to applying a program voltage to the selected word line and boosting the unselected groups, the unselected groups are pre-charged to further reduce or eliminate program disturb by providing a larger boosted potential for the unselected groups. During pre-charging, one or more pre-charge enable signals are provided at higher voltages for certain memory cells that may have undergone partial programming.
98 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method performed as part of programming non-volatile storage, comprising:
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pre-charging a group of unselected non-volatile storage elements prior to applying a program signal to a particular non-volatile storage element of said group, said group includes a first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements on a drain side of said group with respect to said particular non-volatile storage element and a second set of two or more non-volatile storage elements, said first set has been subjected to partial programming, said pre-charging includes applying one or more first pre-charge enable signals to said first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements and applying one or more second pre-charge enable signals to said second set of two or more non-volatile storage elements, said one or more first pre-charge enable signals are at higher voltages than said one or more second pre-charge enable signals; and applying said program signal to said particular non-volatile storage element after pre-charging said group of unselected non-volatile storage elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of operating non-volatile storage, comprising:
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subjecting a first subset of a set of non-volatile storage elements to partial programming; subjecting a second subset of said set of non-volatile storage elements to partial programming after subjecting said first subset to partial programming; completing programming of said first subset after subjecting said second subset to partial programming; and pre-charging unselected groups of non-volatile storage elements of said set as part of said completing programming of said first subset, said pre-charging includes applying a first voltage to said second subset and applying a second voltage to a third subset of said set of non-volatile storage elements while applying said first voltage, said second voltage is less than said first voltage.
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21. A method performed as part of programming non-volatile storage, comprising:
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applying a pre-charge voltage to a group of non-volatile storage elements having a bit line side and a source line side; applying a first voltage to a first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements of said group while applying said pre-charge voltage, said first set is on said bit line side with respect to a particular non-volatile storage element of said group and has been subjected to partial programming; applying a second voltage to a second set of two or more non-volatile storage elements of said group while applying said pre-charge voltage, said second voltage is lower than said first voltage; applying a program voltage to said particular non-volatile storage element of said group; applying a third voltage to said first set while applying said program voltage, said third voltage is different from said first voltage; and applying a fourth voltage to said second set while applying said program voltage, said fourth voltage is different from said second voltage. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of operating non-volatile storage, comprising:
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applying a first pre-charge enable voltage to a first unselected word line for a set of NAND strings, said first unselected word line is next to a selected word line for said set of NAND strings, said first unselected word line is subjected to partial programming after subjecting said selected word line to partial programming but prior to completing programming for said selected word line; applying one or more different pre-charge enable voltages to a set of one or more other unselected word lines for said set of NAND strings; applying a pre-charge voltage to unselected NAND strings of said set while applying said first pre-charge enable voltage and said one or more different pre-charge enable voltages, wherein applying said pre-charge voltage, said first pre-charge enable voltage and said one or more different pre-charge enable voltages causes at least a portion of said unselected NAND strings to be pre-charged; and applying a program voltage to said selected word line while applying one or more boosting voltages to at least a portion of said other unselected word lines. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of operating non-volatile storage, comprising:
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erasing a plurality of non-volatile storage elements; subjecting a first subset of non-volatile storage elements to partial programming after erasing said plurality of non-volatile storage elements; subjecting a second subset of non-volatile storage elements to partial programming after subjecting said first subset of non-volatile storage elements to partial programming; completing programming of said first subset after subjecting said second subset to partial programming; pre-charging unselected groups of non-volatile storage elements of said plurality as part of said completing programming of said first subset of non-volatile storage elements, said pre-charging includes applying a first voltage to said second subset and applying a second voltage to a third subset of non-volatile storage elements while applying said first voltage, said second voltage is less than said first voltage; and boosting said groups of non-volatile storage elements as part of said completing programming after said pre-charging, said boosting includes applying a third voltage to said second subset while applying a program voltage to said first subset. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification