Predictive thermal preconditioning and timing control for non-volatile memory cells

Abstract

Method and apparatus for using thermal preconditioning to write data to a non-volatile memory cell. In accordance with some embodiments, a semiconductor memory has an array of non-volatile memory cells, and a control circuit which stores a first write command from a host to write data to said array. A write circuit flows a write current through an unconditioned first selected cell having a first block address associated with the first write command to write the first selected cell to a selected data state, and concurrently passes a thermal preconditioning current through a second selected cell having a second block address associated with the first block address. The write circuit further passes a thermal preconditioning current through a third selected cell having a third block address associated with the second block address in response to receipt by the control circuit of a second write command from the host associated with the second block address.