Memory device and operating method thereof
AssigneeSK hynix Inc.
InventorHee Youl Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There are provided a memory device and an operating method thereof. The memory device includes: a memory block including a plurality of memory cells; and a peripheral circuit for performing a program operation and an erase operation on the memory block. The program operation is performed by using a hole injection method, and the erase operation is performed by using an electron charging method. The plurality of memory cells are programmed when a threshold voltage of each of at least some of the plurality of memory cells is decreased to be less than a set level in the program operation, and are erased when the threshold voltage of each of the plurality of memory cells is increased to be the set level or higher in the erase operation.
Claims15
A memory device comprising:
- a memory block including a plurality of memory cells;
- and
- a peripheral circuit configured to perform a program operation and an erase operation on the memory block, wherein the program operation is performed by using a hole injection method, and the erase operation is performed by using an electron charging method,
- wherein the plurality of memory cells are programmed when a threshold voltage of each of at least some of the plurality of memory cells is decreased to be less than a set level in the program operation, and are erased when the threshold voltage of each of the plurality of memory cells is increased to be the set level or higher in the erase operation,
- wherein a first program operation voltage and a second program operation voltage are sequentially applied to a selected word line among a plurality of word lines coupled to the memory block and the first program operation voltage is applied to unselected word lines among the plurality of word lines in the program operation, and
- wherein the first program operation voltage is higher than a voltage applied to bit lines coupled to the memory block.
A method for operating a memory device, the method comprising:
- programming memory cells from an erase state, which are coupled to a selected word line in a memory block, wherein a threshold voltage of each of the memory cells is decreased to be less than a set level by using a hole injection method;
- wherein each of the memory cells in the erase state has the threshold voltage greater than or equal to the set level,
- wherein the programming of the memory cells by using the hole injection method includes:
- applying a first program operation voltage to the selected word line among a plurality of word lines coupled to the memory block;
- applying a program allow voltage to selected bit lines among bit lines of the memory block and applying a program inhibit voltage to unselected bit lines among the bit lines;
- and
- applying a second program operation voltage to the selected word line, after the first program operation voltage is applied to unselected word lines among the plurality of word lines, and
- wherein the first program operation voltage is higher than the program allow voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.