Memory device, operating method thereof, and verification result generator

A method of operating a memory device, the method comprising:

• performing a verification on a target program state, among a plurality of program states to which a plurality of memory cells are to be programmed;
• performing a sensing operation on a plurality of page buffers, respectively connected to the memory cells, through bit lines in units of a plurality of chunks, each chunk including two or more page buffers, among the plurality of page buffers, to acquire a verification result of the target program state;
• outputting a sensing result of each of the plurality of chunks;
• outputting chunk group verification signals representing whether a verify operation on a plurality of chunk groups, each chunk group including one or more of the plurality of chunks, has passed;
• and
• outputting a final verification result, representing a verification result of the target program state, based on the chunk group verification signals.

A verification result generator comprising:

• a sensing circuit configured to perform a sensing operation on a plurality of page buffers respectively connected to a plurality of memory cells in units of a plurality of chunks, each chunk including two or more page buffers, among the plurality of page buffers, and configured to output a sensing result of each of the plurality of chunks;
• a plurality of first logic gates configured to output chunk group verification signals of respective chunk groups, each chunk group including one or more chunks, by combining the sensing results of the chunks for each of the chunk groups;
• and
• a second logic gate configured to, when at least one chunk group verification signal, among the chunk group verification signals, represents pass, output a final verification result representing pass by combining the chunk group verification signals.