Nonvolatile memory device, nonvolatile memory system, program method thereof, and operation method of controller controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9257185-B2
Application number	US-201213618605-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2012
Priority date	Jan 19, 2012
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

According to example embodiments, a nonvolatile memory device includes a first memory cell configured to store a first data pattern, a second memory cell configured to be programmed using a program voltage, and a coupling program control unit. The coupling program control unit may be configured to perform a verification operation for verifying whether the first memory cell is programmed with the first data pattern. The verification operation may provide to the first memory cell a verification voltage corresponding to the first data pattern. The coupling program control unit may be configured to end programming the second memory cell when the verification operation on the first memory cell indicates a pass.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nonvolatile memory device comprising:
a first memory cell configured to store a first data pattern;
a second memory cell configured to be programmed using a program voltage;
a first word line connected to the first memory cell;
a second word line connected to the second memory cell, the first word line being adjacent to the second word line; and
a coupling program control unit,
the coupling program control unit being configured to perform a verification operation for verifying whether the first memory cell is programmed with the first data pattern,
the verification operation providing to the first memory cell a verification voltage corresponding to the first data pattern,
the coupling program control unit being configured to shift a threshold voltage of the first memory cell by programming the second memory cell using the program voltage at a time when the first memory cell is not being programmed using the program voltage,
the coupling program control unit being configured to end programming the second memory cell when the verification operation on the first memory cell indicates a pass, wherein
during a first program period, the coupling program control unit is configured to apply a first level of the program voltage to the second word line and then apply the verification voltage to not the second word line, but the first word line,
the coupling program control unit is configured to apply a second level of the program voltage higher than the first level of the program voltage when the verification operation of the first memory cell following the first program period indicates a fail and apply the verification voltage to the first word line after applying the second level program voltage to the second word line.

2. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory controller connected to the first and second memory cells, wherein
the second memory cell is a dummy memory cell that does not have a data pattern provided from a memory controller.

3. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first data pattern has an uppermost threshold voltage of a multi-level data pattern.

4. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1 ,
the coupling program control unit is configured to perform the verification operation by applying the verification voltage to the first word line, and
the coupling program control unit is configured to shift the threshold voltage of the first memory cell by applying the first level of the program voltage to the second word line when the first level of the program voltage is not being applied to the first word line.

5. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of memory cells in the nonvolatile memory device, wherein
the plurality of memory cells include the first memory cell and the second memory cell,
the plurality of memory cells are arranged in a plurality of vertical strings, and
each one of the plurality of vertical strings includes some of the plurality of memory cells stacked on top of each other between a ground selection transistor and a string selection transistor.

6. A nonvolatile memory device comprising:
a first memory cell configured to store a first data pattern;
a second memory cell configured to be supplied with a program voltage;
a first word line connected to the first memory cell;
a second word line connected to the second memory cell, the first word line being adjacent to the second word line; and
a coupling program control unit configured to provide the second memory cell with the program voltage according to the first data pattern and a program state of the first memory cell, the coupling program control unit being configured to shift a threshold voltage of the first memory cell by programming the second memory cell using the program voltage at a time when the first memory cell is not being programmed using the program voltage, wherein
during a first program period, the coupling program control unit is configured to apply a first level of the program voltage to the second word line and then apply a verification voltage to not the second word line but the first word line, and
the coupling program control unit is configured to apply a second level of the program voltage higher than the first level of the program voltage when the verification operation of the first memory cell following the first program period indicates a fail and apply the verification voltage to the first word line after applying the second level of program voltage to the second word line.

7. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a memory controller connected to the first and second memory cell,
wherein the second memory cell is a dummy memory cell in which a data pattern provided from the memory controller is not stored.

8. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 6 , wherein
the coupling program control unit is further configured to perform a verification operation for verifying whether the first memory cell is programmed with the first data pattern,
the verification operation providing to the first memory cell a verification voltage corresponding to the first data pattern, and
the coupling program control unit is configured to provide the program voltage to the second memory cell when the verification operation on the first memory cell indicates a failure.

9. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 8 , wherein the first data pattern has an uppermost threshold voltage of a multi-level data pattern.

10. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 8 , wherein the first and second memory cells are adjacent to each other.

11. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 6 , wherein
the coupling program control unit is configured to perform the verification operation by applying the verification voltage to the first word line, and
the coupling program control unit is configured to shift the threshold voltage of the first memory cell by applying the first level of the program voltage to the second word line at the time when the first level of the program voltage is not being applied to the first word line.

12. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a plurality of memory cells in the nonvolatile memory device, wherein
the plurality of memory cells include the first memory cell and the second memory cell,
the plurality of memory cells are arranged in a plurality of vertical strings, and
each one of the plurality of vertical strings includes some of the plurality of memory cells stacked on top of each other between a ground selection transistor and a string selection transistor.

13. A nonvolatile memory device comprising:
an array of memory cells including a first memory cell adjacent to a second memory cell;
a first word line connected to the first memory cell;
a second word line connected to the second memory cell, the first word line being adjacent to the second word line; and
a control circuit connected to the array of memory cells,
the control circuit being configured to detect whether the first memory cell passes or fails a verification operation,
the control circuit being configured to shift a threshold voltage of the first memory cell by supplying a program voltage to the second memory cell when the first memory cell fails the verification operation, and
the control circuit being configured to supply the program voltage to the second memory cell at a time when the program voltage is not being supplied to the first memory cell, wherein

during a first program period, the control circuit is configured to apply a first level of the program voltage to the second word

Assignees

• Park Il Han
• Cho Yongsung
• Park Sang-Soo
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Il Han
• Cho Yongsung
• Park Sang-Soo

Classifications

• G11C16/3427

  Circuits or methods to prevent or reduce disturbance of the state of a memory cell when neighbouring cells are read or written · CPC title

• G11C16/24

  Bit-line control circuits · CPC title

• G11C16/10 Primary

  Programming or data input circuits · CPC title

• G11C16/34 Primary

  Determination of programming status, e.g. threshold voltage, overprogramming or underprogramming, retention · CPC title