Non-real time reprogramming of non-volatile memory to achieve tighter distribution of threshold voltages

• US 7,633,802 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk Corporation (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Mokhlesi, Nima
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Michael T
• Application Number:
  US12/344,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20090103356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• Field of Search: 365/185.18, 365/185.24
• US Class Current: 365/185.18
• 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 16/08 Address circuits; Decoders; Word-line control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/12 Programming voltage switching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/3404 Convergence or correction of memory cell threshold voltages; Repair or recovery of overerased or overprogrammed cells
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/3418 Disturbance prevention or evaluation; Refreshing of disturbed memory data
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2211/5621 Multilevel programming verification
• 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

A set of non-volatile storage elements undergoes initial programming, after which a reprogramming, with higher verify levels, is performed in non-real time, such as when a control enters a standby mode, when no other read or write tasks are pending. The reprogramming can program pages in the set one at a time, stopping at a page boundary when another read or write task is pending, and restarting when the control become available again. Status flags can be provided to identify whether a page and/or the set has completed the reprogramming. In another aspect, a higher pass voltage is applied to unselected word lines during the reprogramming. In another aspect, an error count is determined using a default set of read voltages, and an alternative set of read voltages is selected if the count exceeds a threshold.

Claims

1. A method for operating non-volatile storage, comprising:

programming a block of non-volatile storage elements via a plurality of word lines in an initial programming, the initial programming is performed in a word line order staffing from a first word line of the block and proceeding successively to each next word line until a last word line of the block is reached; and

after the initial programming of the block is completed, performing further programming of at least some of the non-volatile storage elements, the further programming is performed in the word line order of the initial programming, staffing from the first word line of the block and proceeding successively to each next word line until the last word line of the block is reached;

where;

the first word line is a source side word line of the block;

the last word line is a drain side word line of the block;

the initial programming proceeds one word line at a time from the source side word line to the drain side word line; and

the further programming proceeds one word line at a time from the source side word line to the drain side word line.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining when the initial programming has been completed for the last word line; and

responsive to the determining, storing programming status information for the block that indicates that the initial programming has been completed for the block.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the initial programming uses a first set of different threshold voltage verify levels, and the further programming uses a second set of different threshold voltage verify levels, each threshold voltage verify level in the second set is higher than a corresponding voltage verify level in the first set.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the initial programming and before the further programming, storing programming status information that indicates that the further programming has not yet been completed for the block; and

after the further programming, storing programming status information that indicates that the further programming has been completed for the block.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the block is not erased after the initial programming and before the further programming.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

temporarily stopping, implementing a wait, and later restarting the further programming multiple times before the further programming is completed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the further programming programs an integer number of pages of data before temporarily stopping, implementing a wait and later restarting to further program a next page of data.

8. A method for operating non-volatile storage, comprising:

programming a block of non-volatile storage elements via a plurality of word lines in an initial programming, including;

selecting one word line at a time, applying program voltages to the selected word line during the initial programming, applying a first set of verifying voltages to the selected word line during the initial programming, and applying pass voltages to unselected word lines while applying the program voltages during the initial programming; and

after the initial programming of the block is completed, performing further programming of at least some of the non-volatile storage elements, including;

selecting one word line at a time, applying program voltages to the selected word line during the further programming, applying a second set of verifying voltages to the selected word line during the further programming, and applying pass voltages to unselected word lines while applying the program voltages during the further programming, a level of the pass voltages differs between the initial programming and the further programming.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

the level of the pass voltages is higher during the further programming than during the initial programming.

10. A non-volatile storage system, comprising:

a block of non-volatile storage elements;

one or more circuits for programming the block of non-volatile storage elements via a plurality of word lines in an initial programming, the initial programming is performed in a word line order starting from a first word line of the block and proceeding successively to each next word line until a last word line of the block is reached, and after the initial programming of the block is completed, the one or more circuits perform further programming of at least some of the non-volatile storage elements, the further programming is performed in the word line order of the initial programming, starting from the first word line of the block and proceeding successively to each next word line until the last word line of the block is reached, the initial programming uses a first set of different threshold voltage verify levels, and the further programming uses a second set of different threshold voltage verify levels, each threshold voltage verify level in the second set is higher than a corresponding voltage verify level in the first set.

11. The non-volatile storage system of claim 10, wherein:

the one or more circuits determine when the initial programming has been completed for the last word line, and responsive to the determining, the one or more circuits store programming status information for the block that indicates that the initial programming has been completed for the block.

12. The non-volatile storage system of claim 10, wherein:

the first word line is a source side word line of the block;

the last word line is a drain side word line of the block;

the initial programming proceeds one word line at a time from the source side word line to the drain side word line; and

the further programming proceeds one word line at a time from the source side word line to the drain side word line.

13. The non-volatile storage system of claim 10, wherein:

after the initial programming and before the further programming, the one or more circuits store programming status information that indicates that the further programming has not yet been completed for the block; and

after the further programming, the one or more circuits store programming status information that indicates that the further programming has been completed for the block.

14. The non-volatile storage system of claim 10, wherein:

the block is not erased after the initial programming and before the further programming.

15. The non-volatile storage system of claim 10, wherein:

the one or more circuits temporarily stop, implement a wait and later restart the further programming multiple times before the further programming is completed.

16. The non-volatile storage system of claim 10, wherein:

the one or more circuits perform the further programming by programming an integer number of pages of data before temporarily stopping, implementing a wait, and later restarting to further program a next page of data.