Three-dimensional flash memory device including dummy word line

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9496038-B1
Application number	US-201615091843-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 6, 2016
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A three-dimensional flash memory device includes a plurality of cell strings arranged in a direction perpendicular to a substrate. The three-dimensional flash memory includes a first dummy word line disposed between a ground selection line and a main word line, and a second dummy word line disposed between the main word line and a string selection line and being asymmetric with respect to the first dummy word line. Voltages of different levels are respectively applied to the first and second dummy word lines during a read operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A three-dimensional flash memory device which includes a plurality of cell strings arranged in a direction perpendicular to a substrate, the three-dimensional flash memory comprising:
a first dummy word line disposed between a ground selection line and a main word line; and
a second dummy word line disposed between the main word line and a string selection line, and being asymmetric with respect to the first dummy word line, wherein
voltages of different levels are respectively applied to the first and second dummy word lines during a read operation, wherein
the first and second dummy word lines are asymmetric in that: (1) the number of word lines assigned to the first dummy word line differs from the number of word lines assigned to the second dummy word line, (2) the distance between the first dummy word line and the ground selection line differs from the distance between the second dummy word line and the string selection line, or (3) the width of the first dummy word line differs from the width of the second dummy word line.

2. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a voltage generator generating first and second dummy word line voltages to be applied to the first and second dummy word lines, respectively; and
a control logic controlling the voltage generator, wherein
during the read operation, the control logic sets the first and second dummy word line voltages to different voltage levels such that a difference between an electric field, formed between a channel of the main word line and the ground selection line, and an electric field, formed between a channel of the main word line and the string selection line, is reduced.

3. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the first dummy word line and the ground selection line and the distance between the second dummy word line and the string selection line are set to be different from each other.

4. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 1 , wherein the number of word lines appointed as the first dummy word line is different from the number of word lines appointed as the second dummy word line.

5. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 1 , wherein the width of the first dummy word line is different from the width of the second dummy word line.

6. A three-dimensional flash memory device which includes a plurality of cell strings arranged in a direction perpendicular to a substrate, the three-dimensional flash memory comprising:
a memory cell array comprising upper and lower dummy word lines being asymmetric in structure;
a voltage generator generating voltages to be applied to the upper and lower dummy word line; and
a control logic controlling the memory cell array and the voltage generator, wherein the control logic controls the memory cell array and the voltage generator such that voltages of different levels are applied to the upper and lower dummy word lines, respectively, wherein
the upper and lower dummy word lines are asymmetric in that: (1) the number of word lines assigned to the upper dummy word line differs from the number of word lines assigned to the lower dummy word line, (2) the distance between the lower dummy word line and the ground selection line differs from the distance between the upper dummy word line and the string selection line, or (3) the width of the upper dummy word line differs from the width of the lower dummy word line.

7. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 6 , wherein the memory cell array further comprises:
a plurality of cell strings connected between a bit line and a common source line; and
a plurality of string selection lines selecting a cell string, in which a read operation is performed, from among the cell strings, wherein
the control logic adjusts a difference between a voltage to be applied to the upper dummy word line and a voltage to be applied to the lower dummy word line based on the number of bits of data stored in each of memory cells included in a cell string, in which the read operation is not performed, from among the cell strings.

8. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 6 , wherein the memory cell array further comprises:
a plurality of cell strings connected between a bit line and a common source line; and
a plurality of string selection lines selecting a cell string, in which a read operation is performed, among the cell strings, wherein
the control logic adjusts a difference between a voltage to be applied to the upper dummy word line and a voltage to be applied to the lower dummy word line based on a program/erase cycle of memory cells included in a cell string, in which the read operation is not performed, from among the cell strings.

9. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 6 , wherein the control logic adjusts a difference between a voltage to be applied to the upper dummy word line and a voltage to be applied to the lower dummy word line based on a change in an external temperature.

10. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 6 , wherein the control logic adjusts a difference between a voltage to be applied to the upper dummy word line and a voltage to be applied to the lower dummy word line based on a location of a memory block in which a read operation is performed.

11. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 10 , wherein the memory cell array further comprises:
a plurality of cell strings connected between a bit line and a common source line; and
a plurality of string selection lines selecting a cell string, in which a read operation is performed, from among the cell strings, wherein
the control logic adjusts the difference between the voltage to be applied to the upper dummy word line and the voltage to be applied to the lower dummy word line based on the number of bits of data stored in each of memory cells included in a cell string, in which the read operation is not performed, from among the cell strings.

12. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 10 , wherein the memory cell array further comprises:
a plurality of cell strings connected between a bit line and a common source line; and
a plurality of string selection lines selecting a cell string, in which a read operation is performed, from among the cell strings, wherein
the control logic adjusts the difference between the voltage to be applied to the upper dummy word line and the voltage to be applied to the lower dummy word line based on a program/erase cycle of memory cells included in a cell string, in which the read operation is not performed, from among the cell strings.

13. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 10 , wherein the control logic adjusts the difference between the voltage to be applied to the upper dummy word line and the voltage to be applied to the lower dummy word line based on a change in an external temperature.

14. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 10 , wherein the control logic adjusts the difference between the voltage to be applied to the upper dummy word line and the voltage to be applied to the lower dummy word line based on a location of a memory block in which a read operation is performed.

15. The three-dimensional flash memory device of claim 10 , wherein the number of word lines appointed as the upper dummy word line is different from the number of word lines appointed as the lower dummy word line.

16. A three-dimensional non-volatile memory device comprising:
a substrate;
a cell string disposed perpendicular to the substrate; and
a plur

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kwak Donghun
• Nam Sang-Wan
• Byeon Daeseok
• Yoon Chiweon

Classifications

• G11C16/28

  using differential sensing or reference cells, e.g. dummy cells · CPC title

• G11C16/26

  Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits · CPC title

• G11C16/0483 Primary

  comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series · CPC title

• G11C7/14

  Dummy cell management; Sense reference voltage generators · CPC title

• G11C16/3418

  Disturbance prevention or evaluation; Refreshing of disturbed memory data · CPC title