# US 12,190,954 B2 · Memory device and program method of ground select transistors

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- Number: US 12,190,954 B2
- Document ID: US12190954B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/817,408
- Filed: 2022-08-04
- Published: 2023-03-30
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2021-09-27
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hanjun Lee; Byungsoo Kim; Sangwan Nam
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12190954B2

## CPC

- G11C 16/10: Programming or data input circuits
- G11C 16/12: Programming voltage switching circuits
- G11C 16/0483: {comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series}
- G11C 16/20: Initialising; Data preset; Chip identification
- G11C 16/3459: {Circuits or methods to verify correct programming of nonvolatile memory cells}
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

A program method includes applying a first voltage to a plurality of bit lines, applying a second voltage to a common source line (CSL), and performing a program loop by applying a program voltage and a verify voltage to each of a plurality of ground selection lines (GSLs) positioned between one bit line among the plurality of bit lines and the CSL. The program loop is performed on both a program completed cell in which a program is completed by applying the program voltage and a program target cell.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A program method, comprising:
applying a first voltage to a plurality of bit lines;
applying a second voltage to a common source line (CSL);
performing a program loop by applying a program voltage and a verify voltage to each of a plurality of ground selection lines (GSLs) positioned between one bit line among the plurality of bit lines and the CSL,
wherein the program loop is performed on both a program completed cell in which a program is completed by applying the program voltage and a program target cell;
determining whether GSL cells respectively connected to the GSLs pass; and
increasing the program voltage when there is at least one fail cell among the GSL cells, and repeatedly performing the program loop on the plurality of GSLs based on the increased program voltage by applying the first voltage to an inhibit bit line connected to a pass cell among the GSL cells and to a program bit line connected to at least one fail cell among the GSL cells without distinguishing between the inhibit bit line and the program bit line.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The program method of claim 1, wherein the first and second voltages each comprise a ground voltage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The program method of claim 1, wherein the first voltage comprises a ground voltage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The program method of claim 1, wherein the second voltage comprises a ground voltage.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The program method of claim 1, wherein repeatedly performing the program loop comprises:
applying the verify voltage to a first GSL of a first cell string and a second GSL of a second cell string, respectively, with respect to the first cell string and the second cell string connected to the plurality of bit lines.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The program method of claim 5, wherein repeatedly performing the program loop comprises:
simultaneously applying the increased program voltage to the first and second GSLs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The program method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining first pass cells and first fail cells among the GSL cells based on a result of repeatedly performing the program loop;
applying a third voltage to an inhibit bit line connected to the first pass cells;
applying the first voltage to a program bit line connected to the first fail cells;
applying a fourth voltage to the CSL; and
performing the program loop on the first fail cells.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The program method of claim 7, wherein the first voltage and the second voltage each comprise a ground voltage.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the third voltage comprises a power supply voltage.