Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Pan-suk Kwak

Doo-youl Lee

Suk-Joo Lee

Dae-Seok Byeon

Gi-Sung Yeo

Han-Ku Cho

Cha-Won Koh

Hong-soo Kim

Moo-sung Kim

Ji-young Lee

Jung-hyeon Lee

Sung-Gon Jung

Min-jong Hong

A method of reading data of a multi-level cell (MLC) flash memory device is disclosed. The method includes reading a least significant bit (LSB) and a most significant bit (MSB) of the data programmed to a plurality of memory cells. Reading each of the LSB and MSB includes; reading a MSB flag indicating whether or not the MSB for memory cells in a page of memory cells has been programmed, performing a first read with respect to a plurality of first bit lines, setting a target voltage in view of the read value of the MSB flag, applying the target voltage to a plurality of second bit lines, and performing a second read with respect to the plurality of second bit lines.

Multi-level cell flash memory device and read method

Provided is a semiconductor device comprising: a plurality of bit line patterns; a plurality of pad patterns that are respectively connected to the plurality of bit line patterns; and at least one contact that is formed on each of the plurality of pad patterns, wherein the pitch of the plurality of pad patterns is greater than the pitch of the plurality of bit line patterns. The bit line patterns may be formed using a double patterning technology (DPT).

Semiconductor device and layout method for the semiconductor device

Provided is a flash memory device including a plurality of page buffer high voltage transistors. The plurality of high voltage transistors are operatively associated with a page buffer circuit, wherein each high voltage transistor includes; a gate pattern separating a first pattern from a second pattern. The first and second patterns extend in parallel and serve as respective source/drain regions, and the first pattern is floated and the second pattern receives an erase voltage during an erase operation. A first set of high voltage transistors is series connected in a columnar arrangement, such that column adjacent high voltage transistors are laid out with alternating source/drain symmetry in the columnar direction.

Flash memory device and layout method of the flash memory device

A method of forming fine patterns on a semiconductor substrate includes forming a first pattern, including first line patterns having a feature size F and an arbitrary pitch P, and forming a second pattern, including second line patterns disposed between adjacent first line patterns, to form a fine pattern having a half pitch P/2, the first and second line patterns being repeated in the first direction. A gap is formed in at least one first line pattern in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, to connect second line patterns positioned on each side of the first line pattern through the gap. At least one jog pattern, extending in the first direction, is formed from at least one first line pattern adjacent to the connected second line patterns. The jog pattern causes a gap in at least one of the connected second line patterns in the second direction.

Method of forming fine patterns of semiconductor device

In a NAND flash memory device, a dummy NAND string is arranged between a plurality of normal NAND strings. A dummy bit line connected to the dummy NAND string is formed and/or controlled such that when program voltages are applied to the normal NAND strings, memory cells within the dummy NAND string are not programmed.

Flash memory device adapted to prevent read failures due to dummy strings

A method for forming fine patterns of a semiconductor device includes forming an etching film on a substrate having first and second areas, forming first mask patterns on the substrate to have a first pattern density in the first area and a second pattern density in the second area, forming first capping patterns between the first mask patterns, forming second capping patterns between the first mask patterns, such that recess areas are formed between second capping patterns, and such that a first etching pattern is defined to include the first and second capping patterns, forming second mask patterns in the recess areas to include the first and second mask patterns, removing one of the first and second etching patterns, such that a single etching pattern is remaining on the substrate, and etching the etching film using the remaining etching pattern as an etch mask to form etching film patterns.

Method for forming fine patterns of a semiconductor device using a double patterning process

A semiconductor memory device having a double-patterned memory cell array that includes a plurality of first bit lines spaced apart from each other and having a first pattern, a plurality of second bit lines spaced apart from each other and having a second pattern, the second bit lines being between the first bit lines to define an alternating array of first and second bit lines, the first and second patterns being different from each other, a first main memory cell array defined by a first portion of the alternating array, a second main memory cell array defined by a second portion of the alternating array, bit lines in the first main memory cell array having a substantially same regularity as bit lines in the second main memory cell array, and a dummy array between the first main memory cell array and the second main memory cell array.

Semiconductor memory device and method of forming a layout of the same

Provided are a flash memory device having an improved bit-line layout and a layout method for the flash memory device. The flash memory device in which bit lines are disposed based on double patterning technology (DPT), may include at least one main bit line connected to a cell string including a memory cell storing data, at least one dummy bit line disposed parallel to the at least one main bit line, and a common source line transferring a common source voltage, and disposed on a different layer from a layer on which the at least one main bit line and the at least one dummy bit line are disposed, wherein the at least one dummy bit line may include a first dummy bit line transferring a first voltage and a second dummy bit line transferring a second voltage.

Flash memory device having improved bit-line layout and layout method for the flash memory device

Provided are a flash memory device and a method of manufacturing the same. The flash memory device includes strings. Each of the strings has a string selection line, a ground selection line, and an odd number of word lines formed between the string selection line and the ground selection line.

Flash memory device using double patterning technology and method of manufacturing the same

A NAND flash memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of page buffers, and an isolation circuit connected between the memory cell array and the plurality of page buffers. The isolation circuit comprises a high voltage transistor adapted to disconnect a first bit line connected to the memory cell array from a second bit line connected to the one of the page buffers during an erase operation of the NAND flash memory device. During the read operation, a third bit line arranged in parallel with the second bit line and connected to one of the page buffers is discharged to prevent the page buffer from being damaged due to coupling capacitance between the second and third bit lines.

NAND flash memory device having page buffer adapted to discharge bit line voltage during erase operation

A lock-out device is provided that determines whether to lock out a chip or not according to the result of operation voltage drop detected at a plurality of positions in a semiconductor integrated circuit device. As a result, unnecessary lock-out operations can be prevented and a program operation or an erase operation in a semiconductor memory device can be executed stably.

Lock-out device and semiconductor integrated circuit device including the same

A high voltage generation circuit includes a pump clock generation unit configured to generate a pump clock signal in response to a pumping enable signal, a charge pump configured to generate a high voltage on an output in response to the pump clock signal, and a switching unit to selectively couple the output of the charge pump to an output node in response to the pumping enable signal.

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Hwaseong-si, South Korea

Pan-suk Kwak