# US 12,002,522 B2 · Memory device and operation method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,002,522 B2 - Document ID: US12002522B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/743,493 - Filed: 2022-05-13 - Published: 2023-11-16 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-13 - Assignees: Macronix International Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Macronix International Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Tao-Yuan Lin; I-Chen Yang; Yao-Wen Chang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002522B2 ## CPC - G11C 16/08: Address circuits; Decoders; Word-line control circuits - G11C 16/3427: {Circuits or methods to prevent or reduce disturbance of the state of a memory cell when neighbouring cells are read or written} - G11C 11/5628: {Programming or writing circuits; Data input circuits} - G11C 11/5642: {Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits} - G11C 16/0483: {comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series} - G11C 16/10: Programming or data input circuits - G11C 16/28: using differential sensing or reference cells, e.g. dummy cells - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) ## Abstract A memory device and an operation method thereof are provided. The operation method includes: in a programming operation, programming a plurality of threshold voltages of a plurality of switches on a plurality of string select lines and a plurality of ground select lines as a first reference threshold voltage, and programming a plurality of threshold voltages of a plurality of dummy memory cells on a plurality of dummy word lines as being gradually increased along a first direction or a second direction, and the threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells being higher than the first reference threshold voltage; wherein the first direction being from the string select lines to a plurality of word lines and the second direction being from the ground select lines to the word lines. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operation method for a memory device including a plurality of ground select lines, a plurality of string select lines, a plurality of word lines, a plurality of dummy word lines, a first part of the dummy word lines adjacent the string select lines and a second part of the dummy word lines adjacent the ground select lines, the word lines being between the first part of the dummy word lines and the second part of the dummy word lines, the operation method including: in a programming operation, programming a plurality of threshold voltages of a plurality of switches on the string select lines and the ground select lines as a first reference threshold voltage, and programming a plurality of threshold voltages of a plurality of dummy memory cells on the dummy word lines, each of the plurality of threshold voltages being gradually increased along a first direction or a second direction, and the threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells being higher than the first reference threshold voltage; wherein the first direction being from the string select lines to the word lines and the second direction being from the ground select lines to the word lines. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The operation method for the memory device according to claim 1, wherein on the first direction, the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the first part of the dummy word lines are gradually increased and higher than the first reference threshold voltage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The operation method for the memory device according to claim 2, wherein the first part of the dummy word lines at least includes a first dummy word line, a second dummy word line and a third dummy word line, the first dummy word line being adjacent to the string select lines; the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the first dummy word line are programmed to have a second reference threshold voltage higher than the first reference threshold voltage; the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the second dummy word line are programmed to have a third reference threshold voltage higher than the second reference threshold voltage; and the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the third dummy word line are programmed to have a fourth reference threshold voltage higher than the third reference threshold voltage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The operation method for the memory device according to claim 3, wherein on the second direction, the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the second part of the dummy word lines are gradually increased and higher than the first reference threshold voltage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The operation method for the memory device according to claim 4, wherein the second part of the dummy word lines at least includes a fourth dummy word line, a fifth dummy word line and a sixth dummy word line, the fourth dummy word line being adjacent to the ground select lines; the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the fourth dummy word line are programmed to have the second reference threshold voltage; the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the fifth dummy word line are programmed to have the third reference threshold voltage; and the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the sixth dummy word line are programmed to have the fourth reference threshold voltage. ### Claim 6 A memory device including: a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of ground select lines, a plurality of first switches being on intersection of the bit lines and the ground select lines; a plurality of string select lines, a plurality of second switches being on intersection of the bit lines and the string select lines; a plurality of word lines, a plurality of memory cells being on intersection of the bit lines and the word lines; and a plurality of dummy word lines, a plurality of dummy memory cells being on intersection of the bit lines and the dummy word lines; wherein a first part of the dummy word lines are adjacent the string select lines; a second part of the dummy word lines are adjacent the ground select lines; the word lines are between the first part of the dummy word lines and the second part of the dummy word lines; a plurality of threshold voltages of a plurality of switches on the string select lines and the ground select lines are programmed to have a first reference threshold voltage, and a plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the dummy word lines are programmed, each of the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the dummy word lines gradually increased along a first direction or a second direction, and the threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells are higher than the first reference threshold voltage; wherein the first direction being from the string select lines to the word lines and the second direction being from the ground select lines to the word lines. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The memory device according to claim 6, wherein on the first direction, the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the first part of the dummy word lines are gradually increased and higher than the first reference threshold voltage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The memory device according to claim 7, wherein the first part of the dummy word lines at least includes a first dummy word line, a second dummy word line and a third dummy word line, the first dummy word line being adjacent to the string select lines; the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the first dummy word line are programmed to have a second reference threshold voltage higher than the first reference threshold voltage; the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the second dummy word line are programmed to have a third reference threshold voltage higher than the reference threshold voltage; and the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the third dummy word line are programmed to have a fourth reference threshold voltage higher than the third second reference threshold voltage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The memory device according to claim 8, wherein on the second direction, the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the second part of the dummy word lines are gradually increased and higher than the first reference threshold voltage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The memory device according to claim 9, wherein the second part of the dummy word lines at least includes a fourth dummy word line, a fifth dummy word line and a sixth dummy word line, the fourth dummy word line being adjacent to the ground select lines; the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the fourth dummy word line are programmed to have the second reference threshold voltage; the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the fifth dummy word line are programmed to have the third reference threshold voltage; and the plurality of threshold voltages of the dummy memory cells on the sixth dummy word line are programmed to have the fourth reference threshold voltage.