Sandisk Technologies Inc.

Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Minna Li

Liang Li

Ke Zhang

Xiang Yang

Muhammad Masuduzzaman

Chin-Yi Chen

Xiaojia Jia

Li Liang

Linnan Chen

Jenny Qin

A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected to word lines and disposed in memory holes coupled to bit lines. A control means successively applies each of a series of pulses of a program voltage to selected ones of the word lines while simultaneously applying one of a bit line program voltage and a bit line inhibit voltage to ones of the bit lines coupled to the memory holes containing groups of the memory cells connected to the selected ones of the plurality of word lines to program the groups of the memory cells with data. The control means maintains a voltage applied to ones of the plurality of bit lines as the bit line inhibit voltage in response to the ones of the plurality of bit lines remaining unselected when programming a next one of the groups of the memory cells.

Active current consumption save mode for non-volatile memory using fast programming

The memory device includes a controller that is configured to program a plurality of memory cells of a selected word line in a plurality of programming loops and count the number of programming loops to complete programming. The controller is also configured to compare the number of programming loops to complete programming of the memory cells of the selected word line to at least one of a predetermined upper limit and a predetermined lower limit to determine if a plane containing the selected word line is at an elevated risk for read failure. In response to the controller making a determination that the plane containing the selected word line is at an elevated risk for read failure, the controller is configured to conduct a post write read operation at least one word line of the plurality of word lines.

Post-write read techniques to improve programming reliability in a memory device

A memory apparatus and operating method are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected to word lines and disposed in memory holes and configured to retain a threshold voltage. The memory holes are organized in rows grouped in strings. A control means is coupled to the word lines and the memory holes and programs the memory cells associated with a first one of the strings in a program operation and acquire a smart verify programming voltage in a smart verify operation including smart verify loops. The control means discards the smart verify programming voltage and determines another smart verify programming voltage in another smart verify operation on the memory cells associated with a second one of the strings in response to a quantity of the smart verify loops needed to complete programming of the memory cells associated with the first one of the strings being outside a predetermined threshold criteria.

Self-diagnostic smart verify algorithm in user mode to prevent unreliable acquired smart verify program voltage

Alignment of a first wafer bonded to a second wafer can be determined using electrical wafer alignment methods. A wafer stack can be formed by overlaying a second wafer over a first wafer such that second metal bonding pads of the second wafer contact first metal bonding pads of the first wafer. A leakage current or a capacitance measurement step is performed between first alignment diagnostic structures in the first wafer and second alignment diagnostic structures in the second wafer for multiple mating pairs of first semiconductor dies in the first wafer and second semiconductor dies in the second wafer to determine the alignment.

Electrical overlay measurement methods and structures for wafer-to-wafer bonding

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Shanghai, China

Minna Li