Skhynix Inc.

Hynix Semiconductor Inc.

Beom Sik Kim

Young Soo Park

A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array configured to include a plurality of memory blocks, a voltage generator configured to output operating voltages for data input and output to global lines, and a row decoder configured to transfer the operating voltages to local lines of a memory block, selected from among the plurality of memory blocks, and supply a ground voltage to local lines of unselected memory blocks in response to address signals.

Semiconductor memory device

In a method of erasing a nonvolatile memory device, an erase operation is performed on memory cells of a selected block. A first soft program operation is performed on the cells on which the erase operation has been performed. The erase operation and the first soft program operation are repeatedly performed by increasing an erase voltage by a first step voltage until a threshold voltage of the memory cells becomes lower than a first erase verify voltage. When the threshold voltage of the memory cells becomes lower than the first erase verify voltage, a second soft program operation is performed. The second soft program operation is repeatedly performed by increasing a soft program voltage by a second step voltage until a cell is programmed to have a soft program verify voltage.

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Seoul, South Korea

Beom Sik Kim