Macronix International Co., Ltd.

Shaw-Hung Ku

Cheng-Hsien Cheng

Chih-Wei Lee

Wen-Jer Tsai

Atsuhiro Suzuki

Wen-Pin Lu

Yu-Hung Huang

Chun-Lien Su

Chih-Hsiung Lee

Chi-Pei Lu

Tzung-Ting Han

Ming-Shang Chen

Chih-Chieh Cheng

Chia-Wei Wu

Ta-wei Lin

Yin-Jen Chen

Chun-Chang Lu

Shih-Chin Lee

Shang-Wei Lin

Sheng-Kai Chen

Provided are a memory device and an operation method thereof. The memory device includes a plurality of word lines. The operation method comprising: performing a pre-fill operation on the word lines, in a first loop, applying a selected word line voltage on a first selected word line group and applying an unselected word line voltage on a first unselected word line group, and in a second loop, applying the selected word line voltage on a second selected word line group and applying the unselected word line voltage on a second unselected word line group, the first selected word line group being different from the second selected word line group, and the first unselected word line group being different from the second unselected word line group; performing an erase operation on the word lines; and performing a programming operation on the word lines.

Memory device and operation method thereof

A memory device includes: a first bit line located on a dielectric layer and a second bit line located over the dielectric layer; a first word line and a second word line located between the first bit line and the second bit line; a source line located between the first word line and the second word line; a channel pillar penetrating through the first word line and the source line and the second word line, and being connected to the first bit line, the source line and the second bit line; and a charge storage structure including an upper portion surrounding an upper sidewall of the channel pillar and located between the second word line and the channel pillar; and a lower portion surrounding a lower sidewall of the channel pillar and located between the first word line and the channel pillar.

Memory device and method of fabricating the same

A memory device and a programming method thereof are provided. The memory device includes a memory array, a plurality of word lines and a voltage generator. During a programming procedure, one of the word lines is at a selected state and others of the word lines are at a deselected state. Some of the word lines, which are at the deselected state, are classified into a first group and a second group. The first group and the second group are respectively located at two sides of the word line, which is at the selected state. The voltage generator provides a programming voltage to the word line, which is at the select state, during a programming duration. The voltage generator provides a first two-stage voltage waveform to the word lines in the first group and provides a second two-stage voltage waveform to the word lines in the second group.

Memory device and programming method thereof

Provided is an erase method for a multi-tier three-dimension (3D) memory including a plurality of tiers and a plurality of blocks, each of the tiers including a plurality of word lines. The erase method includes: in erasing a selected block among the plurality of blocks, in a current iteration, selecting at least one tier among the plurality of tiers to be erased by a first erase voltage; determining whether the at least one tier passes erase verification; and if the at least one tier passes erase verification, in a next iteration, inhibiting the at least tier which already passes erase verification from erase.

Multi-tier 3D memory and erase method thereof

A method for determining quick-pass-write (QPW) operation in increment-step-program-pulse (ISPP) operation is provided. The QPW operation is simultaneously applying a bit line voltage during the ISPP operation. The method includes, according to bit line voltages varying in a first range and voltage difference values varying in a second range with respect to a verified voltage, estimating a shrinkage quantity of threshold voltage distribution width at each bit line voltage and each voltage difference value, so as to obtain a shrinkage-quantity topographic contour. According to the bit line voltages and the voltage difference values, a program shot number as needed to achieve the verified voltage is estimated, so as to obtain a program-shot-number topographic contour. The shrinkage-quantity topographic contour and the program-shot-number topographic contour are overlapped to determine an operation region formed from an application range of the bit line voltage and an application range of the voltage difference value.

Method and system to determine quick pass write operation in increment step pulse programming operation

A 3D NAND memory on a single integrated circuit is described including a block of vertical NAND strings, including a plurality of sub-blocks. Sub-blocks in the plurality of sub-blocks each comprise an upper select line in an upper level; word lines in intermediate levels below the upper level; a first lower select line in a first lower level below the intermediate levels; a second lower select line in a second lower level below the first lower level. A reference conductor can be disposed below the block. Bit lines are disposed over the block. Control circuitry applies voltages to the upper select lines, to the word lines and to the first and second lower select lines in the plurality of sub-blocks in various combinations for memory operations.

3D memory having plural lower select gates

A method for programming a non-volatile memory and a memory system are provided. Each of multiple cells of the non-volatile memory stores data having at least 2 bits. The method includes the following steps. At least one programming pulse is provided for programming a target cell of the cells. At least one program-verify pulse is provided for verifying whether the target cell is successfully programmed. It is determined that whether a threshold voltage of the target cell is greater than or equal to a program-verify voltage. When the threshold voltage is greater than or equal to the program-verify voltage, the target cell is set as successfully programmed. Next, a post-verifying operation is performed to the successfully programmed cell. The post-verifying operation includes determining whether the threshold voltage of the target cell is greater than or equal to a post-verifying voltage.

Method for programming non-volatile memory and memory system

An erase-verify method for a three-dimensional (3D) memory and a memory system are provided. The 3D memory includes at least one memory cell string including a plurality of memory cells, and the memory cells include a first group of memory cells and a second group of memory cells. Each of the memory cells is coupled to a word line. The method comprises the following steps. A first erase-verify operation is performed on the first group of memory cells. After performing the first erase-verify operation on the first group of memory cells, a second erase-verify operation is performed on the second group of memory cells in condition that the first group of memory cells are verified as erased successfully.

Erase-verify method for three-dimensional memories and memory system

Methods and apparatuses are contemplated herein for enhancing the program performance of nonvolatile memory devices. In an example embodiment, a nonvolatile memory device comprises a 3D array of nonvolatile memory cells including a plurality of layers, each layer comprising NAND strings of nonvolatile memory cells, the NAND strings coupled to a bit line, and a plurality SSLs and word lines, the SSLs and the word lines arranged orthogonally to the NAND strings, the word lines establishing the nonvolatile memory cells at cross-points between surfaces of the plurality of NAND strings and the word lines, each of the NAND strings further comprising a plurality of SSL transistors coupling the SSLs to the NAND strings, wherein at least a first SSL being configured to receive a first voltage and a second SSL configured to receive at second voltage, and wherein the second SSL being nearer to the word lines.

Non-volatile memory device having multiple string select lines

Provided are improved semiconductor memory devices and methods for manufacturing such semiconductor memory devices. A method may incorporate the formation of a p-n junction in a conductive layer. The method may allow for the production of semiconductor memory devices of reduced size.

Semiconductor device with a P-N junction for reduced charge leakage and method of manufacturing the same

Embodiments of the present invention provide improved three-dimensional memory cells, arrays, devices, and/or the like and associated methods. In one embodiment, a three-dimensional memory cell is provided. The three-dimensional memory cell comprises a first conductive layer; a third conductive layer spaced apart from the first conductive layer; a channel conductive layer connecting the first conductive layer and the third conductive layer to form an opening having internal surfaces; a dielectric layer disposed along the internal surfaces of the opening surrounded by the first conductive layer, the channel conductive layer and the third conductive layer; and a second conductive layer interposed and substantially filling a remaining open portion formed by the dielectric layer. The first conductive layer, the dielectric layer, and the second conductive layer are configured to form a staircase structure.

Structure and method of operation for improved gate capacity for 3D NOR flash memory

Methods and apparatuses are contemplated herein for enhancing the efficiency of nonvolatile memory devices. In an example embodiment, a nonvolatile memory device comprises a substrate and 3D array of nonvolatile memory cells, the 3D array including a plurality of conductive layers, separated from each other by insulating layers, the plurality of conductive layers comprising a top layer, the top layer comprising n string select lines (SSLs) and one or more bottom layers, the top layer further comprises n&#x2212;1 cuts, each cut electrically separating two SSLs, wherein each cut is cut to a depth of the top layer and not extending into the bottom layers and a plurality of vertical channels arranged orthogonal to the plurality of layers, each of the plurality of channels comprising a string of memory cells, each of plurality of strings coupled to a bit line, an SSL and one or more word lines.

Memory device having only the top poly cut

The present invention provides methods and associated devices for controlling the voltage threshold distribution corresponding to performing a function on cells of non-volatile memory device. In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method may comprise providing the non-volatile memory device. The device comprises one or more strings, each string comprising a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells comprising a first cell and a second cell. The method further comprises performing a function of the non-volatile memory device by applying a first function voltage to the first cell and a second function voltage to the second cell. The first function voltage and the second function voltage are different.

Device and method for improved threshold voltage distribution for non-volatile memory

A three-dimensional memory, which includes memory cell stacked structures. The memory cell stacked structures are stacked by a plurality of memory cell array structures and insulation layers alternatively, and each memory cell array structure includes word lines, active layers, composite layers and sources/drains. The word lines, the active layers and the composite layers extend along a Y direction. The active layers are disposed between the adjacent word lines. The composite layers are disposed between the adjacent word lines and the adjacent active layers, and each composite layer includes a first dielectric layer, a charge storage layer and a second dielectric layer in sequence from the active layers. The sources/drains are disposed in the active layers at equal intervals. A memory cell includes two adjacent sources/drains, the active layer between the two adjacent sources/drains, the first dielectric layer, the charge storage layer and the second dielectric layer on the active layer, and the word lines.

Three-dimensional memory

The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a non-volatile memory including forming a gate dielectric layer on a substrate; forming a floating gate on the gate dielectric layer; forming a first charge blocking layer on the floating gate; forming a nitride layer on the first charge blocking layer; forming a second charge blocking layer on the nitride layer; forming a control gate on the second charge blocking layer; and performing a treatment to the nitride layer to get a higher dielectric constant.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Shaw-Hung Ku