Faster programming of higher level states in multi-level cell flash memory

A non-volatile storage system, comprising:

• a set of non-volatile storage elements;
• and
• one or more control circuits in communication with said set of non-volatile storage elements, said one or more control circuits program said set of non-volatile storage elements by:
• applying a program voltage signal to said set of non-volatile storage elements,
• programming a first subset of said set of non-volatile storage elements to a first target state by increasing said program voltage signal by a first increment value until each non-volatile storage element of said first subset reaches said first target state, and
• programming a second subset of said set of non-volatile storage elements to a second target state, said programming said second subset includes said increasing said program voltage signal by said first increment value until each non-volatile storage element of said first subset reaches said first target state and increasing said program voltage signal by a second increment value after each non-volatile storage element of said first subset reaches said first target state.

A method for programming non-volatile storage, comprising:

• programming a set of non-volatile storage elements by applying a program voltage signal to said set of non-volatile storage elements;
• determining whether a first subset of said set of non-volatile storage elements has reached a first target state;
• determining whether a second subset of said set of non-volatile storage elements has reached a second target state;
• increasing said program voltage signal by a first increment value if said first subset has not reached said first target state;
• repeating said determining whether a first subset, determining whether a second subset, and increasing said program voltage by a first increment value until said first subset reaches said first target state;
• increasing said program voltage signal by a second increment value after said first subset has reached said first target state and said second subset has not reached said second target state;
• and
• repeating said step of determining whether a second subset of said set of non-volatile storage elements has reached a second target state and said step of increasing said program voltage signal by a second step size until said second subset reaches said second target state.

A method of programming non-volatile storage, comprising:

• determining whether a set of non-volatile storage elements includes at least a minimum number of fast programming non-volatile storage elements, said set includes a first subset of non-volatile storage elements to be programmed to a first target state and a second subset of non-volatile storage elements to be programmed to a second target state;
• if said set of non-volatile storage elements includes at least said minimum number of fast programming non-volatile storage elements, programming said set of non-volatile storage elements with a control gate voltage signal having a first increment value until said first subset of non-volatile storage elements is verified as having reached said first target state, and programming said set of non-volatile storage elements with said control gate voltage signal having a second increment value until said second subset of non-volatile storage elements is verified as having reached said second target state;
• and
• if said set of non-volatile storage elements does not include at least said minimum number of fast programming non-volatile storage elements, programming said set of non-volatile storage elements with said control gate voltage signal having a third increment value until a portion of non-volatile storage elements in said set reaches a first level, then programming said set with said control gate voltage signal having said first increment value until said first subset of non-volatile storage elements is verified as having reached said first target state, and then programming said set of non-volatile storage elements with said control gate voltage signal having said second increment value until said second subset of non-volatile storage elements is verified as having reached said second target state;
• wherein said minimum number of fast programming non-volatile storage elements is less than all non-volatile storage elements of said set of non-volatile storage elements that are successfully programmed.