Methods and apparatuses including a string of memory cells having a first select transistor coupled to a second select transistor

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of data lines;
• a source;
• and
• a plurality of strings of memory cells, each string of the plurality of strings of memory cells including:
• a first select transistor coupled to a data line of the plurality of data lines;
• a plurality of serially coupled memory cells, the serially coupled memory cells including a first memory cell at a first end thereof and a second memory cell at a second end thereof, the first select transistor coupled between the first memory cell and a respective data line of the plurality of data lines;
• a second select transistor coupled between the second memory cell and the source;
• a third select transistor coupled between the second select transistor and the source;
• and
• a drive transistor having a drain coupled to both:
• the gate of the first select transistor;
• and
• the gate of the second select transistor or the gate of the third select transistor.

A method of performing a read operation comprising:

• precharging channels of strings of memory cells to a precharge voltage;
• driving gates of a plurality of select transistors of an unselected string of memory cells with a single drive transistor to cut-off the channel of the unselected string of memory cells;
• driving a gate of a selected memory cell of a selected string of memory cells to a read voltage;
• and
• determining a stored data value of the selected memory cell based on a signal on a data line.

A method of performing a program operation comprising:

• precharging channels of strings of memory cells to at voltage selected from the group comprising at least of a program enable voltage and a program inhibit voltage;
• driving gates of a plurality of select transistors of an unselected string of memory cells with a single drive transistor to cut-off the channel of the unselected string of memory cells;
• and
• driving a gate of a selected memory cell of a selected string of memory cells to a program voltage to program the selected memory cell.