Low pass through voltage on lower tier wordlines for read disturb improvement

A memory device comprising:

• a memory array comprising a plurality of memory cells arranged in one or more tiers;
• and
• control logic, operatively coupled with the memory array, wherein the control logic is configured to:
• initiate a read operation on one or more memory cells of the plurality of memory cells;
• cause a read voltage to be applied to a selected wordline coupled to the one or more memory cells during the read operation;
• cause a first pass through voltage to be applied to a first set of unselected wordlines coupled to memory cells in a first tier of the one or more tiers during the read operation;
• and
• cause a second set of unselected wordlines coupled to memory cells in a second tier of the one or more tiers to be biased to a second pass through voltage during the read operation, wherein the second pass through voltage is less than the first pass through voltage, and wherein first set of unselected wordlines are positioned further away from a source end of the memory array than the second set of unselected wordlines in a vertical direction.

A method comprising:

• initiating a read operation on one or more memory cells of a plurality of memory cells in a memory array arranged in one or more tiers;
• causing a read voltage to be applied to a selected wordline coupled to the one or more memory cells during the read operation;
• causing a first pass through voltage to be applied to a first set of unselected wordlines coupled to memory cells in a first tier of the one or more tiers during the read operation;
• and
• causing a second pass through voltage to be applied to a second set of unselected wordlines coupled to memory cells in a second tier of the one or more tiers during the read operation, wherein the second pass through voltage is less than the first pass through voltage, and wherein first set of unselected wordlines are positioned further away from a source end of the memory array than the second set of unselected wordlines in a vertical direction.