Macronix International Co., Ltd.

Kuo-Pin Chang

Hang-Ting Lue

Erh-Kun Lai

Wei-Chih Chien

Chih-Chang Hsieh

Teng-Hao Yeh

Yu-Wei Jiang

Yi-Chou Chen

Kuang-Yeu Hsieh

Chih-Shen Chang

Wen-Wei Yeh

Kuang Yeu Hsieh

Chih-Wei Hu

Shuo-Nan Hung

Ming-Chang Kuo

Hsiang-Pang Li

Yi-Hsuan Hsiao

Ti-Wen Chen

Chieh-Fang Chen

Yu-Ming Chang

Hung-Sheng Chang

Shih-Lin Huang

Cheng-Hung Tsai

Yung Chun Li

Disclosed herein is a method of forming a semiconductor structure. The method includes the steps of: forming a first dielectric layer having a first through hole on a precursor substrate, in which the first through hole passes through the first dielectric layer; filling a sacrificial material in the first through hole; forming a second dielectric layer having a second through hole over the first dielectric layer, in which the second through hole exposes the sacrificial material in the first through hole, and the second through hole has a bottom width less than a top width of the first through hole; removing the sacrificial material after forming the second dielectric layer having the second through hole; forming a barrier layer lining sidewalls of the first and second through holes; and forming a conductive material in the first and second through holes.

Via contact, memory device, and method of forming semiconductor structure

A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, conductive layers, dielectric layers, an isolation structure, a first memory structure, and a second memory structure. The conductive layers and the dielectric layers are interlaced and stacked on the substrate. The isolation structure is disposed on the substrate and through the conductive layers and the dielectric layers. Each of the first and second memory structures has a radius of curvature. The first and second memory structures penetrate through the conductive layers and the dielectric layers and are disposed on opposite sidewalls of the isolation structure. Each of the first and second memory structures includes protecting structures and a memory structure layer including a memory storage layer. The protecting structures are disposed at two ends of the memory storage layer, and an etching selectivity to the protecting structures is different from an etching selectivity to the memory storage layer.

Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method thereof

A memory device includes a channel element, a gate electrode layer and a memory element. The channel element has a U shape. The gate electrode layer is electrically coupled to the channel element. The memory element surrounds a sidewall channel surface of the channel element.

Memory device

A reading method for preventing a read disturbance and a memory using the same are provided. The reading method includes the following steps: At least one of a plurality of string select lines is selected and a predetermined string select voltage is applied to the selected string select line. Only one of a plurality of ground select lines is selected and a predetermined ground select voltage is applied to the selected ground select line.

Reading method for preventing read disturbance and memory using the same

A memory device and a control method of the memory device are provided. The memory device includes a decoding circuit, Q switching circuits and Q blocks. The decoding circuit generates Q select signals. A k-th select signal of the Q select signals has a first select voltage. The other (Q&#x2212;1) select signals have a second select voltage. The Q switching circuits receive an erase voltage, and generate Q common source line signals according to the Q select signals. A k-th common source line signal of the Q common source line signals generated by a k-th switching circuit of the Q switching circuits has the erase voltage. The Q blocks receive the Q common source line signals, respectively. A k-th block of the Q blocks is erased according to the k-th common source line signal.

Memory device and control method thereof

A memory device has a divided reference line structure which supports sub-block erase in NAND memory including a plurality of blocks. Each block in the plurality of blocks is coupled to a set of Y reference lines, where Y is two or more. Each block in the plurality of blocks includes a single reference select line (RSL), which is operable to connect each sub-block in the block to a corresponding reference line in the set of Y reference lines. A control circuit can be included on the device which is configured for an erase operation to erase a selected sub-block in a selected block.

3D non-volatile memory array with sub-block erase architecture

A multiple bits per cell memory is operated by applying a one-pass, multiple-level programming, using a single pulse sequence one time (or in one-pass), such as an incremental pulse program sequence, with program verify steps for multiple target program levels, to program multiple bits per cell in a plurality of memory cells. Using these techniques, the number of program pulses required, and the time required for programming the data can be reduced. As a result, an improvement in programming throughput and a reduction in disturbance conditions are achieved. Variants of the one-pass, multiple-level programming operation can be adopted for a variety of memory cell types, memory architectures, programming speeds, and data storage densities.

Programming multibit memory cells

A method is provided for operating a NAND array that includes a plurality of blocks of memory cells. A block of memory cells in the plurality of blocks includes a plurality of NAND strings having channel lines between first string select switches and second string select switches. The plurality of NAND strings shares a set of word lines between the first and second string select switches. A channel-side erase voltage is applied to the channel lines through the first string select switches in a selected block. Word line-side erase voltages are applied to a selected subset including more than one member of the set of word lines shared by NAND strings in the selected block to induce tunneling in memory cells coupled to the selected subset, while tunneling is inhibited in memory cells coupled to an unselected subset including more than one member of the set of word lines.

Sub-block erase

A NAND array includes blocks of memory cells. A block of memory cells includes a plurality of strings having channel lines between first and second string select switches. The strings share a set of word lines between the first and second string select switches. A channel-side voltage can be applied to the channel lines. A control voltage can be applied to a selected subset of the first string select switches. The channel lines can be floated at ends of the second string select switches. Tunneling in memory cells coupled to an unselected subset of the first string select switches can be inhibited. Word line-side erase voltages can be applied to word lines in the set of word lines in the block to induce tunneling in memory cells coupled to the word lines and coupled to the selected subset of the first string select switches.

Sub-block page erase in 3D p-channel flash memory

A memory device includes a plurality of strings of memory cells. A plurality of stacks of conductive strips includes first upper strips configured as first string select lines for the strings in the plurality of strings, second upper strips configured as second string select lines for the strings in the plurality of strings, and intermediate strips configured as word lines for the strings in the plurality of strings. The memory device includes control circuitry coupled to the first string select lines and the second string select lines, and configured to select a particular string in the plurality of strings by applying a first turn-on voltage to a first string select line in the first string select lines coupled to the particular string, and a second turn-on voltage to a second string select line in the second string select lines coupled to the particular string.

And-type SGVC architecture for 3D NAND flash

A memory device includes: a plurality of conductive stacked structures including at least a string select line, a plurality of word lines and at least a ground select line; a plurality of memory cells formed in the conductive stacked structures; a plurality of bit lines, formed on the conductive stacked structures; and at least an odd common source line and at least an even common source line, formed on the conductive stacked structures. The odd common source line is coupled to a plurality of odd bit lines of the bit lines. The even common source line is coupled to a plurality of even bit lines of the bit lines.

Memory device and reading method thereof

A method is provided for operating a NAND array that includes a plurality of blocks of memory cells. A block of memory cells includes a plurality of NAND strings having channel lines between first string select switches and second string select switches. The plurality of NAND strings shares a set of word lines between the first and second string select switches. A channel-side erase voltage is applied to the channel lines through the first string select switches in a selected block. Word line-side erase voltages are applied to a selected subset of the set of word lines in the selected block to induce tunneling in memory cells coupled to the selected subset. Word line-side inhibit voltages are applied to an unselected subset of the set of word lines in the selected block to inhibit tunneling in memory cells coupled to the unselected subset.

Forced-bias method in sub-block erase

A memory device and an erase method for the memory device are provided. The memory device includes plural blocks and a controller. The plural blocks include at least one first block and at least one second block. The erase method is controlled by the controller and includes the following steps. A first stage erase operation and a second stage erase operation are sequentially performed on the at least one first block in a first time interval and a second time interval. The first stage erase operation and the second stage erase operation are sequentially performed on the at least one second block in the second time interval and a third time interval.

Memory device and associated erase method

Common problems when programming 3D NAND Flash memory having alternating page orientation include the back-pattern effect and pattern-induced program disturb. Improved programming techniques may substantially reduce these problems and, in turn, increase precision when setting memory cells' threshold voltages. Provided are exemplary techniques that combine aspects of 'by-word-line' programming and 'by-page' programming. As such, each page may be programmed beginning with the memory cells that are closest to string select structures, and memory cells on multiple even or odd pages may be programmed substantially simultaneously.

Systems and methods for reduced program disturb for 3D NAND flash

A memory device comprises a first memory string and a second memory string. The first memory string is coupled to a first bit line and a plurality of word lines, and the second memory string is coupled to a second bit line and the word lines. When an erasing voltage is applied to the word lines, a first voltage is applied to the first bit line to erase data stored in the first memory string, and a second voltage is applied to the second bit line to set the second memory string to be floating.

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Miaoli County, Taiwan

Kuo-Pin Chang