System and method for controlling semiconductor memory device including multiple charge storage regions

Abstract

An example semiconductor device includes: n conductive layers including first to nconductive layers stacked in a first direction; a first semiconductor region of a first conductive type; a second semiconductor region of a second conductive type closer to the nconductive layer than the first semiconductor region; a semiconductor layer provided between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region, extending in the first direction, penetrating the n conductive layers, and having an impurity concentration lower than a first conductive impurity concentration of the first region and a second conductive impurity concentration of the second region; n charge storage regions including first to ncharge storage regions provided between the n conductive layers and the semiconductor layer, and a control circuit that controls a voltage applied to the n conductive layers to always prevent charges from being stored in at least one of the n charge storage regions.