| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080266978 | Arrangements for operating a memory circuit - In one embodiment a method for programming memory cells is disclosed. The method can include applying a programming voltage to a selected memory cell during a lower page programming procedure, the selected memory cell can be part of a string of memory cells containing unselected memory cells, where the string of cells have a source side between the selected memory cell and a source line and have a drain side between the selected memory cell and bit line. The method can also include applying pass voltages to the unselected memory cells during the lower page programming procedure and applying pass voltages to the unselected memory cells during the upper cell programming procedure. The pass voltages can be higher during the upper page programming than during the lower page programming procedure. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080273385 | NAND step up voltage switching method - Methods and memories having switching points for changing Vstep increments according to a level of a multilevel cell being programmed include programming at a smaller Vstep increment in narrow threshold voltage situations and programming at a larger Vstep increment where faster programming is desired. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080286919 | TUNNEL AND GATE OXIDE COMPRISING NITROGEN FOR USE WITH A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND A PROCESS FOR FORMING THE DEVICE - A method used during semiconductor device fabrication comprises forming at least two types of transistors. A first transistor type may comprise a CMOS transistor comprising gate oxide and having a wide active area and/or a long channel, and the second transistor type may comprise a NAND comprising tunnel oxide and having a narrow active area and/or short gate length. The transistors are exposed to a nitridation ambient which, due to their differences in sizing, results in nitridizing the tunnel oxide in its entirely but only partially nitridizing the gate oxide. Various process embodiments and completed structures are disclosed. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20090103371 | MEMORY CELL OPERATION - Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, devices, modules, and systems for programming memory cells. One method includes determining a quantity of erase pulses used to place a group of memory cells of the array in an erased state, and adjusting at least one operating parameter associated with programming the group of memory cells at least partially based on the determined quantity of erase pulses. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090109743 | MULTILEVEL MEMORY CELL OPERATION - One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, devices, and systems for operating non-volatile multilevel memory cells. One method embodiment includes programming a memory cell to one of a number of different threshold voltage (Vt) levels, each level corresponding to a program state. The method includes programming a reference cell to a Vt level at least as great as an uppermost Vt level of the number of different Vt levels, performing a read operation on the reference cell, and determining a number of read reference voltages used to determine a particular program state of the memory cell based on the read operation performed on the reference cell. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090279359 | NAND WITH BACK BIASED OPERATION - Methods of programming, reading and erasing memory cells are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, program, sense, and erase operations in a memory are performed with back biased operation, such as to improve high voltage device isolation and cutoff in string drivers and bit line drivers, and no nodes of the circuitry are biased at zero volts | 11-12-2009 |
| 20090296471 | MEMORY CELL OPERATION - Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, devices, modules, and systems for operating memory cells. One method includes: performing an erase operation on a selected group of memory cells, the selected group including a number of reference cells and a number of data cells; performing a programming monitor operation on the number of reference cells as part of the erase operation; and determining a number of particular operating parameters associated with operating the number of data cells at least partially based on the programming monitor operation performed on the number of reference cells. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20100039862 | READ OPERATION FOR NAND MEMORY - Non-volatile memory devices utilizing a NAND architecture are adapted to perform read operations where a first potential is supplied to a source line selectively coupled to a bit line through a string of series-coupled non-volatile memory cells containing a memory cell targeted for reading, and where a second, different, potential is supplied to other source lines selectively coupled to the bit line through other strings of series-coupled non-volatile memory cells not containing the target memory cell. Supplying a different potential to the other source lines facilitates mitigation of current leakage between the other source lines and the bit line while sensing a data value of the target memory cell. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100091544 | COUPLINGS WITHIN MEMORY DEVICES - A memory device includes a first bit line coupled to a first source/drain region of a first multiplexer gate, a second bit line coupled to a first source/drain region of a second multiplexer gate, and a sensing device having an input coupled to a second source/drain region of the first multiplexer gate and a second source/drain region of the second multiplexer gate. The input of the sensing device is formed at a vertical level that is different than a vertical level at which at least one of the first and second bit lines is formed. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100099235 | Tunnel Dielectric Comprising Nitrogen For Use With A Semiconductor Device And A Process For Forming The Device - A method used during semiconductor device fabrication comprises forming at least two types of transistors. A first transistor type may comprise a CMOS transistor comprising gate oxide and having a wide active area and/or a long channel, and the second transistor type may comprise a NAND comprising tunnel oxide and having a narrow active area and/or short gate length. The transistors are exposed to a nitridation ambient. Various process embodiments and completed structures are disclosed. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100128529 | NAND STEP VOLTAGE SWITCHING METHOD - Methods and memories having switching points for changing Vstep increments according to a level of a multilevel cell being programmed include programming at a smaller Vstep increment in narrow threshold voltage situations and programming at a larger Vstep increment where faster programming is desired. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100142274 | MULTILEVEL MEMORY CELL OPERATION - One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, devices, and systems for operating non-volatile multilevel memory cells. One method embodiment includes programming a memory cell to one of a number of different threshold voltage (Vt) levels, each level corresponding to a program state. The method includes programming a reference cell to a Vt level at least as great as an uppermost Vt level of the number of different Vt levels, performing a read operation on the reference cell, and determining a number of read reference voltages used to determine a particular program state of the memory cell based on the read operation performed on the reference cell. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100220528 | NAND WITH BACK BIASED OPERATION - Methods of programming, reading and erasing memory cells are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, program, sense, and erase operations in a memory are performed with back biased operation, such as to improve high voltage device isolation and cutoff in string drivers and bit line drivers, and no nodes of the circuitry are biased at zero volts | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100232234 | MEMORY DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED PROGRAMMING OPERATION - Some embodiments include methods and devices having a module and memory cells. The module is configured to reduce the amount of electrons in the sources and drains of the memory cells during a programming operation. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100232235 | Memory Device Having Buried Boosting Plate and Methods of Operating the Same - Memory devices are disclosed, such as those that include a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) NAND memory array having a boosting plate. The boosting plate may be disposed in an insulator layer of the SOI substrate such that the boosting plate exerts a capacitive coupling effect on a p-well of the memory array. Such a boosting plate may be used to boost the p-well during program and erase operations of the memory array. During a read operation, the boosting plate may be grounded to minimize interaction with p-well. Systems including the memory array and methods of operating the memory array are also disclosed. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20110058424 | DATA LINE MANAGEMENT IN A MEMORY DEVICE - Memory devices and methods are disclosed, such as devices configured to apply a first program inhibit bias to data lines during a first portion of a program operation and to apply a second program inhibit bias to data lines during a second portion of the program operation. The second program inhibit bias is greater than the first program inhibit bias. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110090739 | INDEPENDENT WELL BIAS MANAGEMENT IN A MEMORY DEVICE - Methods for programming a memory device, memory devices configured to perform the disclosed programming methods, and memory systems having a memory device configured to perform the disclosed programming methods, for example, are provided. According to at least one such method, multiple independent semiconductor well regions each having strings of memory cells are independently biased during a programming operation performed on a memory device. Reduced charge leakage may be realized during a programming operation in response to independent well biasing methods. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110128782 | REDUCING EFFECTS OF ERASE DISTURB IN A MEMORY DEVICE - Methods for programming and memory devices are disclosed. One such method for programming includes initially biasing a subset of a plurality of control gates of a string of memory cells with a negative voltage, wherein the subset is less than all of the plurality of control gates of the string. The control gate of a selected memory cell is subsequently biased with a programming voltage during a programming phase. | 06-02-2011 |
| 20110134697 | DYNAMIC PASS VOLTAGE FOR SENSE OPERATION IN A MEMORY DEVICE - Methods for sensing and memory devices are disclosed. One such method for sensing uses a dynamic pass voltage on at least one adjacent memory cell that is adjacent to a selected memory cell for programming. If the adjacent memory cell is not programmed, the pass voltage is reduced on the adjacent memory cell. The adjacent memory cell can be on the drain side, the source side, or both drain and source sides of the selected memory cell. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110149654 | NAND Programming Technique - A NAND memory array is programmed applying a programming voltage Vpgm as a double pulse programming pulse if a data pattern associated with memory cells that are to be programmed form a two-sided column-stripe (CS | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110149659 | ERASE OPERATIONS AND APPARATUS FOR A MEMORY DEVICE - Erase operations and apparatus configured to perform the erase operations are suitable for non-volatile memory devices having memory cells arranged in strings. One such method includes biasing select gate control lines of a string of memory cells to a first bias potential, biasing access lines of a pair of the memory cells to a second bias potential and biasing access lines of one or more remaining memory cells to a third potential. A ramping bias potential is applied to channel regions of the string of memory cells substantially concurrently with or subsequent to biasing the select gate control lines and the access lines, and floating the select gate control lines in response to the ramping bias potential reaching a release bias potential between an initial bias potential of the ramping bias potential and a target bias potential of the ramping bias potential. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110164455 | MEMORY CELL OPERATION - Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, devices, modules, and systems for programming memory cells. One method includes determining a quantity of erase pulses used to place a group of memory cells of the array in an erased state, and adjusting at least one operating parameter associated with programming the group of memory cells at least partially based on the determined quantity of erase pulses. | 07-07-2011 |
