Micron Technology Incorporated

Sandisk Technologies Inc.

Intel Corporation

Avalanche Technology, Inc.

Uday Chandrasekhar

Mark Alan Helm

Ebrahim Abedifard

Nian Niles Yang

Jianmin Huang

Dean K Nobunaga

Pranav Kalavade

Erwin E Yu

Frederick Jaffin

Steven Theodore Sprouse

Xinde Hu

Allahyar Vahidimowlavi

Luyen Tien Vu

Matthew Goldman

William Kammerer

Ali Khakifirooz

Masaaki Higashitani

Yiming Huai

Rajiv Yadav Ranjan

Krishna Kumar Parat

Richard M Fastow

Ting Luo

Chris Avila

Chang Wan Ha

Aliasgar S Madraswala

William S Wu

Sung-Yong Chung

Purval Shyam Sule

Yichao Huang

Alexandra Bauche

Trupti Bemalkhedkar

Xin Sun

Camila Jaramillo

An apparatus and/or system is described including a memory device or a controller to perform programming and verification operations including application of a shared voltage level to verify two program voltage levels of a multi-level cell device. For example, in embodiments, the control circuitry performs a program operation to program a memory cell and performs a verification operation by applying a single or shared verify voltage level to verify that the memory cell is programmed to a corresponding program voltage level. In embodiments, the program voltage level is one of two consecutive program voltage levels of a plurality of program voltage levels to be verified by application of the shared verify voltage. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Program verification time reduction in non-volatile memory devices

A controller for a NAND memory array is presented. In embodiments, the controller may include circuitry to provide bias voltages to a NAND memory array that includes two or more decks of memory cells, and an output interface coupled to the circuitry and to wordlines (WLs) of the memory array. In embodiments, the circuitry, in a deck erase operation may: apply a first set of bias voltages via the output interface to active WLs of at least a first deck of the two or more decks of memory cells to be erased; and apply a second set of bias voltages via the output interface to active WLs of at least a second deck of the two or more decks of memory cells not to be erased, wherein the first set of bias voltages is lower than the second set of bias voltages.

Block by deck operations for NAND memory

A memory device having features of the present invention comprises a reprogrammable memory portion including therein a first plurality of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) whose resistance is switchable; and a one-time-programmable (OTP) memory portion including therein a second plurality of MTJs whose resistance is switchable and a third plurality of MTJs whose resistance is fixed. Each MTJ of the first, second, and third plurality of MTJs includes a magnetic free layer having a magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to a layer plane thereof and a magnetic reference layer having a fixed magnetization direction substantially perpendicular to a layer plane thereof. The second plurality of MTJs represents one of two logical states and the third plurality of MTJs represents the other one of the two logical states.

Programming of non-volatile memory subjected to high temperature exposure

This disclosure concerns memory cell sensing. One or more methods include determining a data state of a first memory cell coupled to a first data line, determining a data state of a third memory cell coupled to a third data line, transferring determined data of at least one of the first and the third memory cells to a data line control unit corresponding to a second data line to which a second memory cell is coupled, the second data line being adjacent to the first data line and the third data line, and determining a data state of the second memory cell based, at least partially, on the transferred determined data.

Memory cell sensing

Methods and devices for data sensing are disclosed. One such method includes performing a number of successive sense operations on a number of memory cells using a number of different sensing voltages, determining a quantity of the number memory cells that change states between consecutive sense operations of the number of successive sense operations, and determining, based at least partially on the determined quantity of the number of memory cells that change states between consecutive sense operations, whether to output hard data corresponding to one of the number of successive sense operations.

Methods, devices, and systems for data sensing

Memory devices and methods are disclosed, such as those facilitating data line shielding by way of capacitive coupling with data lines coupled to a memory string source line. For example, alternating data lines are sensed while adjacent data lines are coupled to a common source line of the data lines being sensed. Data line shielding methods and apparatus disclosed can reduce effects of source line bounce occurring during a sense operation of a memory device.

Electronically coupling a data line to a source for biasing regardless of states of memory cells coupled to the data line

This disclosure concerns memory kink checking. One embodiment includes selectively applying one of a plurality of voltages to a first data line according to a programming status of a first memory cell, wherein the first memory cell is coupled to the first data line and to a selected access line. An effect on a second data line is determined, due at least in part to the voltage applied to the first data line and a capacitive coupling between at least the first data line and the second data line, wherein the second data line is coupled to a second memory cell, the second memory cell is adjacent to the first memory cell, and the second memory cell is coupled to the selected access line. A kink correction is applied to the second data line, responsive to the determined effect, during a subsequent programming pulse applied to the second memory cell.

Memory kink checking

A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory and a controller. A method includes receiving first data and second data from a host device. A first error-correcting code (ECC) codeword associated with the first data is written to a first word line of the non-volatile memory, and a second ECC codeword associated with the second data is written to a second word line of the non-volatile memory. The first ECC codeword includes a first bit and a second bit, and the second ECC codeword includes a third bit and a fourth bit. The method further includes writing parity information to a parity storage portion of the non-volatile memory that is distinct from the first word line and from the second word line. The parity information includes a parity bit that is based on the first bit, the second bit, the third bit, and the fourth bit.

Method and device for write abort protection

A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory that includes a three-dimensional (3D) memory. A method includes receiving first data and second data from a host device. A first error-correcting code (ECC) codeword associated with the first data is written to a first word line of the non-volatile memory, and a second ECC codeword associated with the second data is written to a second word line of the non-volatile memory. The first ECC codeword includes a first bit and a second bit, and the second ECC codeword includes a third bit and a fourth bit. The method further includes writing parity information to a parity storage portion of the non-volatile memory that is distinct from the first word line and from the second word line. The parity information includes a parity bit that is based on the first bit, the second bit, the third bit, and the fourth bit.

In a flash memory, erase blocks containing shorted or broken word lines may be used, at least in part, to store user data. Such blocks may use different parameters to those used by non-defective blocks, may be subject to different wear leveling, and may store data selected to reduce the number of access operations.

Defective block management

Methods, devices, and systems for data sensing in a memory system can include performing a number of successive sense operations on a number of memory cells using a number of different sensing voltages, determining a quantity of the number memory cells that change states between consecutive sense operations of the number of successive sense operations, and determining, based at least partially on the determined quantity of the number of memory cells that change states between consecutive sense operations, whether to output hard data corresponding to one of the number of successive sense operations.

Disclosed is a technology to change the parameters by which a read operation is performed in a block with a broken word line. The first method is for reading a broken word line, which may involve changing the voltage on word lines neighboring the broken word line to let the voltage on the broken word line reach the appropriate magnitude through capacitive coupling between word lines. The first method may also involve increasing the time delay before memory cells connected to the broken word line are sensed to allow the voltage on the word line to settle due to increased RC delay. The second method is for reading an unbroken word line in a block with a broken word line, which involves increasing the time delay before memory cells connected to the unbroken word line are sensed while raising the voltages on the word lines neighboring the broken word line.

Sensing parameter management in non-volatile memory storage system to compensate for broken word lines

Memory device biasing method and apparatus

Methods for preventing corruption of lower page data due to a write abort occurring during programming of upper page data by applying an adaptive double pulse programming scheme to non-volatile storage elements are described. In some embodiments, the programming of a first set of non-volatile storage elements to one or more lower-level programming states associated with upper page data (e.g., an A state) may be delayed until a second set of non-volatile storage elements intended to be programmed to one or more upper-level programming states associated with the upper page data (e.g., B or C states) reaches a trigger voltage. Once the trigger voltage has been reached or an appropriate programming delay has passed, then both the first set of non-volatile storage elements and the second set of non-volatile storage elements may be programmed during a common programming phase using double programming pulses.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Uday Chandrasekhar