IP Library Granted Patent US 8,111,552
Granted Patent B2
US 8,111,552 · App. 12/822,546 · Granted Feb 7, 2012

Offset non-volatile storage

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,111,552
App. No.
12/822,546
Granted
Feb 7, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plurality of non-volatile storage elements on a common active layer are offset from neighbor non-volatile storage elements. This offsetting of non-volatile storage elements helps reduce interference from neighbor non-volatile storage elements. A method of manufacture is also described for fabricating the offset non-volatile storage elements.

Claims (20)

1. A non-volatile storage apparatus, comprising:

a first set of groups of non-volatile storage elements, each group of non-volatile storage elements of the first set includes adjacent non-volatile storage elements positioned on a surface of an active layer that is at a first height;

a second set of groups of non-volatile storage elements, each group of non-volatile storage elements of the second set includes adjacent non-volatile storage elements positioned on a surface of the active layer that is at a second height that is different than the first height, the first set of groups of non-volatile storage elements are interleaved with the second set of groups of non-volatile storage elements so that a particular non-volatile storage element in the first set of groups is offset in two perpendicular directions from neighbor non-volatile storage elements in the second set of groups.

2. A non-volatile storage apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more managing circuits in communication with said first set of groups of non-volatile storage elements and said second set of groups of non-volatile storage elements.

3. A non-volatile storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the active layer includes substrate material patterned into a first set of active areas and a second set of active areas interleaved with said first set of active areas, said first set of active areas have a first depth and said second set of active areas have a second depth, the first set of groups of non-volatile storage elements are positioned on the first set of active areas, the second set of groups of non-volatile storage elements are positioned on the second set of active areas.

4. A non-volatile storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

each group of non-volatile storage elements of the first set includes all of its non-volatile storage elements at the first height; and

each group of non-volatile storage elements of the second set includes all of its non-volatile storage elements at the second height.

5. A non-volatile storage apparatus, comprising:

a first set of NAND strings, each NAND string of the first set includes adjacent non-volatile storage elements at a first height; and

a second set of NAND strings, each NAND string of the second set includes adjacent non-volatile storage elements at a second height that is different than the first height, the first set of NAND strings are interleaved with the second set of NAND strings so that a particular non-volatile storage element in the first set of NAND strings is offset in two perpendicular directions from neighbor non-volatile storage elements in the second set of NAND strings.

6. A non-volatile storage apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:

one or more managing circuits in communication with the first set of NAND strings and the second set of NAND strings.

7. A non-volatile storage apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:

first set of NAND strings and the second set of NAND strings are on a common active layer, the common active layer includes substrate material patterned into a first set of active areas and a second set of active areas interleaved with said first set of active areas, said first set of active areas have a first depth and said second set of active areas have a second depth, the first set of NAND strings are positioned on the first set of active areas, the second set of NAND strings are positioned on the second set of active areas.

8. A non-volatile storage apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:

each NAND string of the first set of NAND strings includes all of its non-volatile storage elements at the first height; and

each NAND string of the second set of NAND strings includes all of its non-volatile storage elements at the second height.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071050/0001 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTERESTS Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 071382/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 069796/0423 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 25, 2016
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 038807/0850 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2011
From: SANDISK CORPORATION
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 026270/0627 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2010
From: LUTZE, JEFFREY W.; LEE, DANA
To: SANDISK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024601/0980 →