Method of operating nonvolatile memory device

Abstract

In a method of operating a nonvolatile memory device having a substrate and first through n-th word lines stacked in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, first through k-th word line voltages are applied to first through k-th word lines, respectively, which are formed adjacent to the substrate, among the first through n-th word lines. (k+1)-th through n-th word line voltages are applied to (k+1)-th through n-th word lines, respectively, which are formed above the first through k-th word lines, among the first through n-th word lines. An erase voltage, which is higher than the first through n-th word line voltages, is applied to the substrate, where n represents an integer equal to or greater than two, and k represents a positive integer smaller than n. Each of the (k+1)-th through n-th word line voltages is lower than each of the first through k-th word line voltages.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.