Nonvolatile memory device and related wordline driving method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9251878-B2
Application number	US-201414257072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2014
Priority date	Aug 26, 2013
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A nonvolatile memory device comprises multiple memory blocks each comprising multiple memory cells arranged at intersections of wordlines and bitlines, an address decoder configured to electrically connect first lines to wordlines of one of the memory blocks in response to an address, a line selection switch circuit configured to electrically connect the first lines to second lines in different configurations according to the address, a first line decoder configured to provide the second lines with wordline voltages needed for driving, and a voltage generator configured to generate the wordline voltages.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nonvolatile memory device, comprising:
multiple memory blocks each comprising multiple memory cells arranged at intersections of wordlines and bitlines;
an address decoder configured to electrically connect first lines to wordlines of one of the memory blocks in response to an address;
a line selection switch circuit configured to electrically connect the first lines to second lines in different configurations according to the address;
a source interface decoder configured to provide the second lines with wordline voltages; and
a voltage generator configured to generate the wordline voltages,
wherein the address decoder comprises multiple block selection transistors for connecting one of the first lines and one of the wordlines, and at least two of the block selection transistors share a source region connected to one of the first lines.

2. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the multiple memory blocks share the bitlines.

3. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the at least two block selection transistors comprise a first block selection transistor and a second block selection transistor,
wherein the first block selection transistor has a gate region connected to a first block selection wordline, a drain region connected to a first wordline of a first memory block and the source region, and
wherein the second block selection transistor has a gate region connected to a second block selection wordline different from the first block selection wordline, a drain region connected to a second wordline of a second memory block different from the first memory block and the source region.

4. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the line selection switch circuit comprises multiple line selection switches, each line selection switch including;
a first transistor connecting one of the second lines and one of the first lines in response to a first line enable signal;
a second transistor connecting one of remaining second lines other than the one first line and the one first line in response to a second line enable signal;
a pull-up transistor connecting a power supply voltage to the one first line in response to a first line power signal; and
a pull-down transistor connecting a ground voltage to the one first line in response to a first line ground signal,
wherein the first line enable signal and the second line enable signal are generated based on the address.

5. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 4 , wherein bodies of the first and second transistors and the pull-up and pull-down transistors are connected to a negative voltage terminal.

6. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the line selection switch circuit comprises multiple line selection switches, each line selection switch including;
three or more transistors connecting one of three or more of the second lines to one of the first lines in response to line enable signals;
a pull-up transistor connecting a power supply voltage to the one first line in response to a first line power signal; and
a pull-down transistor connecting a ground voltage to the one first line in response to a first line ground signal,
wherein the line enable signals are generated based on the address.

7. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the line selection switch circuit comprises:
a first line selection circuit connected to wordlines of even-numbered memory blocks of the memory blocks; and
a second line selection circuit connected to wordlines of odd-numbered memory blocks of the memory blocks.

8. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the memory blocks constitute at least two mats, and each of the mats shares a common source line through multiple metal lines.

9. A nonvolatile memory device, comprising:
multiple memory blocks each comprising multiple memory cells arranged at intersections of wordlines and bitlines;
a first address decoder configured to electrically connect first lines to wordlines of one of even-numbered memory blocks of the memory blocks according to an address;
a second address decoder configured to electrically connect the first lines to wordlines of one of odd-numbered memory blocks of the memory blocks according to the address;
a first line selection switch circuit configured to electrically connect the first lines of the first address decoder to second lines;
a second line selection switch circuit configured to electrically connect second lines of the second address decoder to the second lines;
a line converter configured to electrically connect the second lines to third lines in different configurations according to the address;
a source interface decoder configured to provide the third lines with wordline voltages; and
a voltage generator configured to generate the wordline voltages.

10. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second line selection switch circuits comprises multiple line selection switches, each line selection switch including;
a transistor connecting one of the second lines and one of the first lines in response to line enable signals;
a pull-up transistor connecting a power supply voltage to the one first line in response to a first line power signal; and
a pull-down transistor connecting a ground voltage to the one first line in response to a first line ground signal.

11. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 9 , wherein the line converter comprises multiple line conversion switches, each line conversion switch including at least two transistors connecting one of at least two of the third lines to one of the second lines in response to line enable signals.

12. A method of operating a nonvolatile memory device, comprising:
generating wordline voltages;
applying the wordline voltages to source lines;
electrically connecting the source lines to source interface lines in different configurations according to whether an address is an even-numbered address or an odd-numbered address; and
connecting the source interface lines to wordlines of different memory blocks corresponding to the different addresses.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein when the address is the even-numbered address, the source lines are electrically connected to the source interface lines in forward order, and when the address is the odd-numbered address, the source lines are electrically connected to the source interface lines in reverse order.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
applying a power supply voltage to source interface lines of a memory block unselected by the address.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
connecting the source interface lines to a ground voltage in response to a ground enable signal.

Assignees

• Kim Su-Yong
• Lee Jinyub
• Lee Seungjae
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Su-Yong
• Lee Jinyub
• Lee Seungjae

Classifications

• G11C16/08 Primary

  Address circuits; Decoders; Word-line control circuits · CPC title

• G11C8/08 Primary

  Word line control circuits, e.g. drivers, boosters, pull-up circuits, pull-down circuits, precharging circuits, for word lines · CPC title

• G11C11/4085

  Word line control circuits, e.g. word line drivers, - boosters, - pull-up, - pull-down, - precharge · CPC title

• G11C16/30

  Power supply circuits · CPC title