Method for operating memory array

The disclosure relates to a method for operating a memory array, and particularly to a method for operating a NAND flash memory array.

As critical dimensions of devices in integrated circuits shrink toward perceived limits of manufacturing technologies, designers have been looking to techniques to achieve greater storage capacity, and to achieve lower costs per bit. Technologies being pursued include a NAND memory and an operation performed therefor. However, state characteristics of adjacent memory cells would be affected by disturbance from each other. Especially, the problem becomes serious as a size and a pitch for memory cells shrink with a technical trend.

The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a memory array.

According to an embodiment, a method for operating a memory array is disclosed. The memory array comprises a first memory cell, a second memory cell and a third memory cell sharing a gate and arranged along an extending direction of the gate in order. The method comprises the following steps. A first bias is applied to a channel of the first memory cell to program the first memory cell. A second bias is applied to a channel of the second memory cell to inhibit programming of the second memory cell. A third bias is applied to a channel of the third memory cell to program or inhibit programming of the third memory cell. The first bias and the third bias are different.

According to an embodiment, a method for operating a memory array is disclosed, which comprises the following steps. A first bit line bias is applied to program a first memory cell of a first memory string. A second bit line bias is applied to inhibit programming a second memory cell of a second memory string. A third bit line bias is applied to program or inhibit programming a third memory cell of a third memory string. The first bit line bias is different from the third bit line bias. The first memory cell, the second memory cell and the third memory cell are arranged in a page of the memory array in sequence.

The above and other embodiments of the disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description of the non-limiting embodiment(s). The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a memory array according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion structure of a memory array according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates an operating method according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates an operating method according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates an operating method according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates an operating method according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates an operating method of a comparative example.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an operating method for a memory array, which can improve characteristics of a device.

The illustrations may not be necessarily drawn to scale, and there may be other embodiments of the present disclosure which are not specifically illustrated. Thus, the specification and the drawings are to be regard as an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense. Moreover, the descriptions disclosed in the embodiments of the disclosure such as detailed construction, manufacturing steps and material selections are for illustration only, not for limiting the scope of protection of the disclosure. The steps and elements in details of the embodiments could be modified or changed according to the actual needs of the practical applications. The disclosure is not limited to the descriptions of the embodiments. The illustration uses the same/similar symbols to indicate the same/similar elements.

In embodiments, one of two memory cells on opposing sides of a memory cell in a program inhibited state, in the same page (for example along an extending direction of a gate or word line), has a higher channel bias which can boost a channel potential of the memory cell in the program inhibited state and thus stabilize the program inhibited state. For example, one of two memory cells on opposing sides of a memory cell in a program inhibited state is set to be in a program inhibited state, while the other of two memory cells is set to be in a programmed state. Otherwise, the two memory cells on opposing sides of a memory cell in a program inhibited state are set to be in programmed states respectively with different channel/bit line biases wherein one of the biases is higher than the other.

The following embodiments are taken to illustrate the operating method for the memory array. For easy and clear understanding, discussed elements are named according to portions of the memory array, biases applied thereto, and/or states of memory cells in the operating method. For example, a bias V 1 may be also referred to as a first bias or a first bit line bias, and a memory cell corresponding to the bias V 1 may be also referred to as a first memory cell or a first memory cell corresponding to a first memory string and so forth.

FIG. 1 illustrates a memory array according to an embodiment. For example, NAND strings correspond bit lines (or channels) 102 , 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 , respectively. Memory cells (such as 404 , 406 , 408 , 410 , 412 , etc) are defined at cross-points between the bit lines 102 , 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 and gates 222 , 224 , 226 , 228 . Two opposing sides of a string of the memory cells of the NAND strings may be coupled to string select transistors corresponding to gates 330 , 350 . Ends of the NAND strings opposing to the bit lines 102 , 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 may be coupled to a source 352 .

FIG. 2 illustrates the memory cells 404 , 406 , 408 , 410 , 412 of a portion of the memory array in FIG. 1 , which are in the same page and arranged along an extending direction of the commonly used gate 224 . The memory cells 404 , 406 , 408 , 410 , 412 are defined at cross-points between the gate 224 and the bit lines 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 . The memory array may comprise a dielectric (such as a memory film, not shown) disposed between the gate 224 , and the bit lines 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 and floating gate 504 , 506 , 508 , 510 , 512 . The dielectric (or the memory film) may comprise silicon oxide, silicon nitride, such as an ONO memory structure, or an ONONO memory structure, or other suitable materials or structures.

FIG. 7 illustrates an operating method of a comparative example. The memory cell 404 and the memory cell 408 are in a programmed state P by biases (0V) applied to the bit line/channel. The memory cell 406 in a program inhibited state I by a bias (3.3V) applied to the bit line/channel is affected by the two adjacent side memory cell 404 and memory cell 408 in the programmed state P by the lower bias 0V, and thus have a lower boosted degree of a channel potential. As shown in the figure, a ground-biased equal-potential line is shallow, and it would compress a depletion depth and enhance an electric field, and thus increase a current leakage and lower the boosted channel potential. Therefore, the inhibited state would be unstable. Moreover, capacitances between the bit lines would further decrease the boosted degree of the potential.

Referring to FIG. 3 , in an operating method according to an embodiment, the (first) memory cell 404 is programmed to be in a programmed state P with a bias V 1 (first bias or first bit line bias) providing to the bit line 104 (corresponding to a channel of a first memory string or a first bit line). The (second) memory cell 406 is inhibited as being in a program inhibited state I with a bias V 2 (second bias or second bit line bias) providing to the bit line 106 (corresponding to a channel of a second memory string or a second bit line). The (third) memory cell 408 is programmed to be in a programmed state P′ with a bias V 3 (third bias or third bit line bias) providing to the bit line 108 (corresponding to a channel of a third memory string or a third bit line). The bias V 3 is different from the bias V 1 . In an embodiment, for example, the bias V 2 is higher than the bias V 1 and the bias V 3 , and the bias V 3 is higher than the bias V 1 . The bias V 1 may be a positive voltage or 0V. In an embodiment, for example, the bias V 1 is 0V, the bias V 2 is a Vcc, such as 3.3V, and the bias V 3 is 1V. The memory cell 408 in the programmed state P′ with the bias V 3 higher than the bias V 1 increases a depth of a ground-biased equal-potential line of the neighboring the memory cell 406 , and thus boost a channel potential of the memory cell 406 to have a program inhibited state more stable than the comparative example.

Referring to FIG. 4 , in an operating method according to an embodiment, the memory cell 404 is in a programmed state P. The memory cell 406 is in a program inhibited state I. The memory cell 408 is in a program inhibited state I. In an embodiment, for example, the bias V 2 applied to inhibit programming of the memory cell 406 is equal to the bias V 3 applied to inhibit programming of the memory cell 408 , and is higher than the bias V 1 applied to program the memory cell 404 . The bias V 1 may be a positive voltage or 0V. In an embodiment, for example, the bias V 1 is 0V, and the bias V 2 and the bias V 3 are Vcc such as 3.3V. The memory cell 408 in the program inhibited state I with the bias V 3 higher than the bias V 1 increases a depth of a ground-biased equal-potential line of the neighboring the memory cell 406 , and thus boost a channel potential of the memory cell 406 to have a program inhibited state more stable than the comparative example.

Referring to FIG. 5 , in an operating method according to an embodiment, the (first) memory cell 406 is programmed to be in a programmed state P with a bias V 1 (first bias or first bit line bias) providing to the bit line 106 (corresponding to a channel of a first memory string or a first bit line). The (second) memory cell 408 is inhibited as being in a program inhibited state I with a bias V 2 (second bias or second bit line bias) providing to the bit line 108 (corresponding to a channel of a second memory string or a second bit line). The (third) memory cell 410 is programmed to be in a programmed state P′ with a bias V 3 (third bias or third bit line bias) providing to the bit line 110 (corresponding to a channel of a third memory string or a third bit line). The bias V 3 is different from the bias V 1 . In an embodiment, for example, the bias V 2 is higher than the bias V 1 and the bias V 3 , and the bias V 3 is higher than the bias V 1 . The bias V 1 may be a positive voltage or 0V. In an embodiment, for example, the bias V 1 is 0V, the bias V 2 is a Vcc, such as 3.3V, and the bias V 3 is 1V. The memory cell 410 in the programmed state P′ with the bias V 3 higher than the bias V 1 increases a depth of a ground-biased equal-potential line of the neighboring the memory cell 408 , and thus boost a channel potential of the memory cell 408 to have a program inhibited state more stable than (the memory cell 406 in FIG. 7 of) the comparative example.

Referring to FIG. 6 , in an operating method according to an embodiment, the (first) memory cell 410 is in a programmed state P′. The (second) memory cell 408 is in a program inhibited state I. The (third) memory cell 406 is in a program inhibited state I. In an embodiment, for example, the bias V 2 applied to inhibit programming of the memory cell 408 is equal to the bias V 3 applied to inhibit programming of the memory cell 406 , and is higher than the bias V 1 applied to program the memory cell 410 . The bias V 1 may be a positive voltage or 0V. In an embodiment, for example, the bias V 1 is 1 V, and the bias V 2 and the bias V 3 are Vcc such as 3.3V. The memory cells 410 and 406 , respectively in the programmed state P′ and the program inhibited state I with the biases V 1 , V 3 higher than a normal bias applied to program a memory cell to be in a programmed state P, increase a depth of a ground-biased equal-potential line of the neighboring the memory cell 408 , and thus boost a channel potential of the memory cell 408 to have a program inhibited state more stable than (the memory cell 406 in FIG. 7 of) the comparative example.

According to the operating methods of embodiments, a middle memory cell of which a channel potential can be boosted to a higher level is in a more stable program inhibited state, compared to the comparative example.

In embodiments, the bit lines through which the biases V 1 , V 2 , V 3 are provided belong to different groups of bit line respectively. For example, the bit lines may be designed with an arrangement of 3n+1, 3n+2, 3n+3, or an arrangement of 4n+1, 4n+2, 4n+3, 4n+4, wherein n=0, 1, 2 or other continuous positive integers. The bit lines of the same group are coupled to a common bit line or voltage source.

The operating method according to embodiments can be applied to a selected page in a memory array of a 2D NAND memory string or a 3D memory string.

Accordingly, the operating method according to embodiments can improve the characteristics of the memory array.

While the disclosure has been described by way of example and in terms of the exemplary embodiment(s), it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.