Skip program verify for dynamic start voltage sampling

A multi-level cell (MLC) memory comprising:

• at least two pages of memory in a memory array arranged into sub-blocks;
• and
• circuitry to program the at least two pages of memory using a series of program pulses followed by a series of program verifies corresponding to multiple threshold voltage levels, including to:
• initiate a dynamic start voltage (DSV) sampling of a first sub-block of the sub-blocks of the memory array,
• skip all but one or more lower level program verifies in the series of program verifies during the DSV sampling to reduce a time until a minimum program pulse voltage is reached, the one or more lower level program verifies corresponding to one or more lower threshold voltage levels of the multiple threshold voltage levels, and
• resume the series of program verifies corresponding to all levels of the multiple threshold voltage levels;
• program the sub-blocks of the MLC memory, including to apply the minimum program pulse voltage as a start program voltage;
• and
• wherein to skip all but the one or more lower level program verifies in the series of program verifies during the DSV sampling reduces a latency of an operation to program the sub-blocks of the MLC memory.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• a multi-level cell (MLC) memory to store data;
• and
• memory access circuitry to:
• apply a series of program pulses with increasing magnitude of voltage to a sampling sub-block of a plurality of sub-blocks of the MLC memory,
• follow each program pulse with a series of program verifies applied to the sampling sub-block to compare a voltage level of cells in the sampling sub-block against corresponding program verify threshold voltage levels until a minimum program pulse voltage to start to program the plurality of sub-blocks is reached, and
• skip all but one or more lower level program verifies in the series of program verifies applied to the sampling sub-block to reduce a time until the minimum program pulse voltage is reached.