Programming in a memory device
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsViolante Moschiano, Marco-Domenico Tiburzi, Giovanni Santin, Giulio G. Marotta
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Abstract
Methods for programming a memory device and memory devices are provided. According to at least one such method, a selected memory cell is programmed by a series of programming pulses. The series of programming pulses are configured in sets of programming pulses where each set has the same quantity of pulses and each programming pulse in the set has substantially the same amplitude (i.e., programming voltage). The amplitude of the programming pulses of subsequent sets is increased by a step voltage from the previous amplitude.
Claims20
A method for programming a memory cell, the method comprising:
- applying a plurality of sets of programming pulses to a control gate of the memory cell wherein each of the plurality of sets of programming pulses comprises a plurality of programming pulses and each set of programming pulses has an equal number of programming pulses and all programming pulses within a set have a same amplitude that is different from an amplitude of programming pulses of other sets of programming pulses;
- and
- determining if the memory cell has reached a positive, target threshold voltage between each of the plurality of programming pulses.
A method for programming a memory device, the method comprising:
- erasing a plurality of memory cells coupled to a selected access line;
- applying at least one programming pulse to the selected access line, the at least one programming pulse is part of a set of a plurality of programming pulses, each programming pulse in the set having a same voltage and the set comprises a quantity of programming pulses, wherein the at least one programming pulse moves a respective threshold voltage of each memory cell from a negative threshold voltage to a positive, target threshold voltage;
- performing a program verify operation on the selected access line after the at least one programming pulse;
- and
- applying additional programming pulses to the selected access line if the program verify operation indicates at least one memory cell coupled to the selected access line is not programmed to its respective target threshold voltage, wherein the additional programming pulses are part of additional sets of programming pulses, each set of programming pulses comprising the quantity of programming pulses and each programming pulse in a respective set of programming pulses has substantially the same voltage that is different than a voltage of programming pulses in other sets of programming pulses.
A memory device comprising:
- an array of memory cells;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the array of memory cells and configured to control operation of the array of memory cells, the control circuitry further configured to control generation of a plurality of sets of programming pulses wherein each set of programming pulses comprises a same quantity of a plurality of programming pulses and each programming pulse in a respective one of the sets is generated at a substantially equal voltage as the other programming pulses in the respective set wherein the plurality of sets of programming pulses are configured to move a threshold voltage of a selected memory cell of the array of memory cells from a negative threshold voltage to a positive, target threshold voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.