Non-volatile semiconductor memory device

A voltage control method for a writing process in a non-volatile semiconductor memory device including a plurality of NAND strings, each having a plurality of electrically erasable programmable memory cells connected in series, and a selection gate transistor connected to an end on a bit line side of the NAND string, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a first predetermined voltage from a first bit line to a selected NAND string, and applying a program inhibit voltage from a second bit line to a non-selected NAND string which shares control gate electrodes with the selected NAND string;
• setting a gate voltage of the selection gate transistor to a predetermined potential;
• and
• raising a control gate voltage of a selected memory cell in the selected NAND string to a first potential, raising a control gate voltage of at least one memory cells adjacent to the selected memory cell and located on both sides of the selected memory cell to a second potential, and raising a control gate voltage of each of the memory cells in the selected NAND string, other than the selected memory cell and the adjacent memory cells located on both sides of the selected memory cell, to a third potential, wherein the first potential is greater than the third potential which is greater than the second potential which is greater than the predetermined potential.

A voltage control method for a writing process in a non-volatile semiconductor memory device including a plurality of NAND strings, each having a plurality of electrically erasable programmable memory cells connected in series, and a selection gate transistor connected to an end on a bit line side of the NAND string, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a first predetermined voltage from a first bit line to a selected NAND string, and applying a program inhibit voltage from a second bit line to a non-selected NAND string which shares control gate electrodes with the selected NAND string;
• setting a gate voltage of the selection gate transistor to a predetermined potential;
• raising a control gate voltage of a selected memory cell in the selected NAND string, a control gate voltage of at least one of the memory cells adjacent to the selected memory cell and located on both sides of the selected memory cell, and a control gate voltage of each of the memory cells in the selected NAND string, other than the selected memory cell and the adjacent memory cells located on both sides of the selected memory cell, to a common potential which is greater than the predetermined voltage;
• and
• raising the control gate voltage of the selected memory cell from the common potential to a first potential, holding the control gate voltage of at least one of the adjacent memory cells located on both sides of the selected memory cell at the common potential as a second potential, and raising the control gate voltage of each of the memory cells in the selected NAND string, other than the selected memory cell and the adjacent memory cells located on both sides of the selected memory cell, from the common potential to a third potential, wherein the first potential is greater than the third potential, which is greater than the second potential, which is greater than the predetermined potential.

A voltage control method for a writing process in a non-volatile semiconductor memory device including a plurality of NAND strings, each having a plurality of electrically erasable programmable memory cells connected in series, and a selection gate transistor connected to an end on a bit line side of the NAND string, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a first predetermined voltage from a first bit line to a selected NAND string, and applying a program inhibit voltage from a second bit line to a non-selected NAND string which shares control gate electrodes with the selected NAND string;
• setting a gate voltage of the selection gate transistor to a predetermined potential;
• raising a control gate voltage of a selected memory cell in the selected NAND string, a control gate voltage of at least one of the memory cells adjacent to the selected memory cell and located on both sides of the selected memory cell, and a control gate voltage of each of the memory cells in the selected NAND string, other than the selected memory cell and the adjacent memory cells located on both sides of the selected memory cell, to a common potential which is greater than the predetermined voltage;
• and
• raising the control gate voltage of the selected memory cell from the common potential to a first potential, lowering the control gate voltage of at least one of the adjacent memory cells located on both sides of the selected memory cell from the common potential to a second potential, and holding the control gate voltage of each of the memory cells in the selected NAND string, other than the selected memory cell and the adjacent memory cells located on both sides of the selected memory cell, at the common potential as a third potential, wherein the first potential is greater than the third potential, which is greater than the second potential, which is greater than the predetermined potential.

A voltage control method for a writing process in a non-volatile semiconductor memory device including a plurality of NAND strings, each having a plurality of electrically erasable programmable memory cells connected in series, and a selection gate transistor connected to an end on a bit line side of the NAND string, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a first predetermined voltage from a first bit line to a selected NAND string, and applying a program inhibit voltage from a second bit line to a non-selected NAND string which shares control gate electrodes with the selected NAND string;
• setting a gate voltage of the selection gate transistor to a predetermined potential;
• raising a control gate voltage of a selected memory cell in the selected NAND string to a first potential, raising a control gate voltage of at least one of the memory cells adjacent to the selected memory cell and located on both sides of the selected memory cell to a second potential which is equal to the predetermined potential, and raising a control gate voltage of each of the memory cells in the selected NAND string, other than the selected memory cell and the adjacent memory cells located on both sides of the selected memory cell, to a third potential, wherein the first potential is greater than the third potential, which is greater than the second potential;
• and
• lowering the gate voltage of the selection gate transistor to a voltage which is lower than the predetermined potential.

A voltage control method for a writing process in a non-volatile semiconductor memory device including a plurality of NAND strings, each having a plurality of electrically erasable programmable memory cells connected in series, and a selection gate transistor connected to an end on a bit line side of the NAND string, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a first predetermined voltage from a first bit line to a selected NAND string, and applying a program inhibit voltage from a second bit line to a non-selected NAND string which shares control gate electrodes with the selected NAND string;
• setting gate voltage of the selection gate transistor to a predetermined potential;
• lowering the gate voltage of the selection gate transistor to a voltage which is lower than the predetermined potential;
• and
• raising a control gate voltage of a selected memory cell in the selected NAND string to a first potential, raising a control gate voltage of at least one of the memory cells adjacent to the selected memory cell and located on both sides of the selected memory cell to a second potential which is equal to the predetermined potential, and raising a control gate voltage of each of the memory cells in the selected NAND string, other than the selected memory cell and the adjacent memory cells located on both sides of the selected memory cell, to a third potential, wherein the first potential is greater than the third potential, which is greater than the second potential.

A voltage control method for an erasing process in a non-volatile semiconductor memory device including a plurality of NAND strings, each having a plurality of electrically erasable programmable memory cells connected in series, a first selection gate transistor connected to a first end on a bit line side of the NAND string, and a second selection gate transistor connected to a second end on a source line side of the NAND string, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a program inhibit voltage from a first bit line to a selected NAND string, and applying a first predetermined voltage from a second bit line to a non-selected NAND string which shares control gate electrodes with the selected NAND string;
• raising a gate voltage of the selection gate transistor, a control gate voltage of a selected memory cell in the selected NAND string, and a control gate voltage of a non-selected memory cell to a common potential;
• and
• lowering the control gate voltage of the selected memory cell from the common potential to a first potential, and raising the control gate voltage of the non-selected memory cell to a second potential, a polarity of the first potential being different from a polarity of the second potential,
• wherein at least a channel region of a memory cell between the selected memory cell and the second selection gate is raised to a potential high enough to cause a tunnel current in the selected memory cell.