Simulating memory cell sensing for testing sensing circuitry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11699502-B2
Application number	US-202117550352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2021
Priority date	Dec 14, 2021
Publication date	Jul 11, 2023
Grant date	Jul 11, 2023

Abstract

Technology is disclosed herein for testing circuitry that controls memory operations in a memory structure having non-volatile memory cells. The testing of the circuitry can be performed without the memory structure. The memory structure may reside on one semiconductor die, with sense blocks and a control circuit on another semiconductor die. The control circuit is able to perform die level control of memory operations in the memory structure. The control circuit may control the sense blocks to simulate sensing of non-volatile memory cells in the memory structure even though the sense blocks are not connected to the memory structure. The control circuit verifies correct operation of the semiconductor die based on the simulated sensing. For example, the control circuit may verify correct operation of a state machine that controls sense operations at a die level. Thus, the operation of the semiconductor die may be tested without the memory structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a semiconductor die comprising a plurality of sense blocks and a control circuit in communication with the plurality of sense blocks, the sense blocks configured to be connected to a memory structure having non-volatile memory cells, wherein the control circuit is configured to:
control the plurality of sense blocks to simulate sensing of non-volatile memory cells in the memory structure when the sense blocks are not connected to the memory structure; and
verify correct operation of the semiconductor die based on the simulated sensing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
control the plurality of sense blocks to sense non-volatile memory cells in the memory structure when the sense blocks are connected to the memory structure; and
return data that results from sensing the non-volatile memory cells in the memory structure to a requestor external to the semiconductor die.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the control circuit comprises a state machine configured to control sense operations when the plurality of sense blocks are connected to the memory structure; and
the control circuit is configured to verify correct operation of the state machine based on the simulated sensing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to:
manipulate a voltage on respective sense nodes in the plurality of sense blocks to simulate sensing of non-volatile memory cells in the memory structure when the sense blocks are not connected to the memory structure, whereby sensing of non-volatile memory cells in the memory structure is simulated; and
verify correct operation of the semiconductor die based on the manipulated voltages on respective sense nodes.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the sense blocks contain a plurality of sets of sense blocks, each set of sense blocks comprises data latches and sense amplifiers, each set of sense blocks configured to sense a different plane of memory cells in a memory structure; and
the control circuit is configured to:
transfer a test data pattern to data latches of a target set of sense blocks that corresponds to a target plane; and
transfer the test data pattern from the data latches of the target set of sense blocks to sense nodes in the sense amplifiers of the target set of sense blocks that correspond to the target plane, whereby sensing of non-volatile memory cells in a target plane of a memory structure is simulated.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the control circuit is configured to:
load the test data pattern into data latches of one or more sets of the sense blocks that correspond to one or more of the planes other than the target plane; and
transfer the test data pattern from the data latches of one or more sets of the sense blocks that correspond to the other one or more planes to the data latches of the target set of sense blocks that corresponds to the target plane.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the sense blocks contain a plurality of sets of sense blocks, each set of sense blocks comprises data latches and sense amplifiers, each sense amplifier comprises a sense node, each set of sense blocks is configured to sense a different plane of memory cells in the memory structure; and
the control circuit is configured to:
pre-charge respective sense nodes in the sense amplifiers of a set of the sense blocks that corresponds to a target plane; and
selectively discharge the respective sense nodes of the set of the sense blocks that corresponds to the target plane to simulate sensing of non-volatile memory cells in the target plane of the memory structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the control circuit is configured to:
issue control signals that are timed to control when reference voltages for sensing non-volatile memory cells are applied to the memory structure; and
selectively discharge the respective sense nodes of the set of the sense blocks that corresponds to the target plane in accordance with timing of the control signals and a data state being simulated in each respective memory cell.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to:
simulate an error in results of the simulated sensing of non-volatile memory cells.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory semiconductor die comprising a memory structure having non-volatile memory cells, wherein:
the semiconductor die is attached to the memory semiconductor die; and
the sense blocks are connected to the memory structure of the attached memory semiconductor die.

11. A method of testing a semiconductor die, the method comprising:
establishing voltages on sense nodes in sense amplifiers on the semiconductor die when the sense amplifiers are not connected to a memory structure having non-volatile memory cells, wherein the voltages correspond to a data pattern that is simulated as being stored in the non-volatile memory cells;
verifying correct function of a sense operation of the semiconductor die based on the established voltages on the sense nodes;
controlling the sense amplifiers to sense non-volatile memory cells in the memory structure when the sense amplifiers are connected to the memory structure; and
providing data from sensing the non-volatile memory cells in the memory structure to a requestor external to the semiconductor die.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein verifying correct function of the sense operation of the semiconductor die based on the established voltages on the sense nodes comprises:
verifying correct operation of a state machine on the semiconductor die that controls the sense operation.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein establishing voltages on sense nodes in sense amplifiers on the semiconductor die when the sense amplifiers are not connected to the memory structure having non-volatile memory cells comprises:
transferring the data pattern into a first set of data latches on the semiconductor die; and
transferring the data pattern from the first set of data latches to the sense nodes.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
transferring the data pattern into a second set of data latches on the semiconductor die, wherein the first set of data latches are part of a first set of sense blocks configured to sense a first plane of memory cells in the memory structure, wherein the second set of data latches are part of a second set of sense blocks configured to sense a second plane of memory cells in the memory structure; and
transferring the data pattern into the first set of data latches on the semiconductor die comprises transferring the data pattern from the second set of data latches to the first set of data latches.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein establishing voltages on sense nodes in sense amplifiers on the semiconductor die when the sense amplifiers are not connected to the memory structure having non-volatile memory cells comprises:
pre-charging the sense nodes in the sense amplifiers; and
selectively discharging the sense nodes to simulate sensing the data pattern from the non-volatile memory cells when the sense amplifiers are not connected to the memory structure.

16. A control semiconductor die comprising:
a plurality of sense amplifiers, each sense amplifier configured to be connected to a bit line in a memory structure semiconductor die having a memory structure that comprises bit lines and non-volatile memory cells, each sense amplifier having a sense node configured to sense a physical condition of a memo

Assignees

• Sandisk Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Lu Iris
• Li Yan
• Kwon Ohwon

Classifications

• G11C29/54 Primary

  Arrangements for designing test circuits, e.g. design for test [DFT] tools · CPC title

• H01L25/0657

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G11C7/065

  Differential amplifiers of latching type · CPC title

• G01R31/3177

  Testing of logic operation, e.g. by logic analysers · CPC title

• H01L25/18

  Electricity · mapped topic