Micron Technology Incorporated

Intel Corporation

Satoru Tamada

Tetsuji Manabe

Toru Tanzawa

Koichi Kawai

Krishna Kumar Parat

Neal R Mielke

Apparatuses and methods involving accessing memory cells are described. In one such method, chunks of memory cells in a memory array are enabled to be accessed and then one or more of the chunks are disabled from being accessed. In one such apparatus, an array includes chunks of memory cells and a chunk selector circuit coupled to each chunk to enable the memory cells in the respective chunk to be accessed. Additional embodiments are described.

Enable/disable of memory chunks during memory access

Chunks of memory cells in a memory array are enabled to be accessed and then one or more of the chunks are disabled from being accessed. In one such apparatus, an array includes chunks of memory cells and a chunk selector circuit coupled to each chunk to enable the memory cells in the respective chunk to be accessed.

At least one data-line pair has a first data line aligned with a first column of memory cells and a second data line aligned with a second column of memory cells. The first data line is coupled to the second column of memory cells and the second data line is coupled to the first column of memory cells.

Memory array with inverted data-lines pairs

Memory devices and methods are disclosed to facilitate utilization of a multi level inhibit programming scheme. In one such embodiment, isolated channel regions having boosted channel bias levels are formed across multiple memory cells and are created in part and maintained through capacitive coupling with word lines coupled to the memory cells and biased to predetermined bias levels. Methods of manipulation of isolated channel region bias levels through applied word line bias voltages affecting a program inhibit effect, for example, are also disclosed.

Multi level inhibit scheme

Methods for small unit internal verify read operation and a memory device are disclosed. In one such method, expected data is programmed into a grouping of columns of memory cells (e.g., memory block). Mask data is loaded into a third dynamic data cache of three dynamic data caches. The expected data is loaded into a second data cache. After a read operation of programmed columns of memory cells, the read data is compared to the expected data and error bit indicators are stored in the second data cache in the error bit locations. The second data cache is masked with the mask data so that only those error bits that are unmasked are counted. If the number of unmasked error bit indicators is greater than a threshold, the memory block is marked as unusable.

Small unit internal verify read in a memory device

A flash memory array and a method for performing read operation therein are disclosed. The flash memory array comprises a plurality of memory segment, a data cache and a plurality of data handlers coupled between a pair of memory segment and between a memory segment and the data cache. A read operation of selected bitlines of a selected memory segment is performed by a segment data handler coupled to the selected memory segment locally and the read data is transmitted to the data cache. A segment data handler is configured to get read data from the selected bitlines by first pre-charging the bitlines and sensing the bitlines. Further, the read data is transmitted to the data cache through all of the segment data handlers in a sequential manner, if present between the selected memory segment and the data cache.

Divided bitline flash memory array with local sense and signal transmission

Memory array with inverted data-line pairs

Disclosed are methods, systems and devices, one such device being a memory device configured to concurrently assert a first pulse pattern through a plurality of conductors disposed on both a source side and a drain side of a floating-gate transistor, wherein a source side of the first pulse pattern has a different median voltage than a drain side of the first pulse pattern.

Systems and devices including memory resistant to program disturb and methods of using, making, and operating the same

A method and device using bitline-bitline capacitance between adjacent bitlines to boost seed voltage in a memory device are provided. The method may include a precharge phase, a boost phase, an equalize phase, and a lock in phase. In one embodiment, the method may include boosting the seed voltage twice. The bitlines may be divided into one or more segments.

Growing community of inventors

Kamakura, Japan

Satoru Tamada