Early ramp down of dummy word line voltage during read to suppress select gate transistor downshift

Abstract

Techniques for reducing a downshift in the threshold voltage of a select gate transistor of a memory device. Due to an electric field in a NAND string, holes can move in a charge-trapping layer from a dummy memory cell to a select gate transistor and combine with electrons in the transistor, reducing the threshold voltage. In one approach, the electric field is reduced at the end of a sensing operation by ramping down the voltage of the dummy memory cells before ramping down the voltage of the select gate transistors. The ramp down of the voltage of the selected memory cells can occur after ramping down the voltage of the dummy memory cells and before ramping down of the voltage of the select gate transistors. A further option involves elevating the voltage of the select gate transistors before it is ramped down.