Extended select gate lifetime

1. An electronic system comprising:

a memory device including two or more flash memory cells organized as a NAND string in a block of the memory device, and select gates coupled to the NAND string at opposite ends, wherein the select gates comprise flash cells;

a controller coupled to the memory device;

the memory device capable to:

provide information related to a voltage threshold of the select gates to the controller;

erase the select gates in response to a select gate erase command from the controller; and

program the select gates in response to a select gate program command from the controller;

the controller capable to:

send the select gate erase commend to the memory device if the information provided by the memory device indicates that the voltage threshold of at least one of the select gates is above a predetermined voltage level; and

send the select gate program command to the memory device if the information provided by the memory device indicates that the voltage threshold of at least one of the select gates is outside of a predetermined voltage range.

2. The electronic system of claim 1 , the memory device further capable to:

float control gates of the two or more flash memory cells during the erasing of the select gates, wherein the state of the NAND string is unchanged.

3. The electronic system of claim 1 , the memory device further capable to:

perform an operation to erase the NAND string in response to a block erase command from the controller; and

provide block erase status information that includes the information related to the voltage threshold of the select gates, to the controller in response to the block erase command;

the controller further capable to:

send the block erase command to the memory device;

receive the block erase status information; and

retire the block of the memory device if the block erase status information includes an indication that the voltage threshold of at least one of the select gates is outside of the predetermined voltage range.

4. The electronic system of claim 3 , the controller further capable to retire the block of the memory device if the block erase status information indicates that an array erase failure occurred.

5. The electronic system of claim 3 , the memory device further capable to:

program the block of the memory device including the two of more flash memory cells in response to a block program command from the controller;

the controller further capable to:

send a block program command to the memory device and then retire the block of the memory device, if the block erase status information indicates that an array erase failure occurred.

6. A method to extend select gate lifetime for a memory device including two or more flash memory cells organized as a NAND string in a block of the memory device, the method comprising:

providing information related to a voltage threshold of the select gates to a controller coupled to the memory device;

erasing the select gates in response to a select gate erase command from the controller if the information provided by the memory device indicates that the voltage threshold of at least one of the select gates is above a predetermined voltage level; and

programming the select gates in response to a select gate program command from the controller if the information provided by the memory device indicates that the voltage threshold of at least one of the select gates is outside of a predetermined voltage range.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

floating control gates of the two or more flash memory cells during the erasing of the select gates, wherein the state of the NAND string is unchanged.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

performing an operation to erase the NAND string in response to a block erase command from the controller;

providing block erase status information that includes the information related to the voltage threshold of the select gates, to the controller in response to the block erase command; and

receiving the block erase command from the controller, wherein the controller retires the block of the memory device if the block erase status information includes an indication that the voltage threshold of at least one of the select gates is outside of the predetermined voltage range.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the controller retires the block of the memory device if the block erase status information indicates that an array erase failure occurred.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

programming the block of the memory device including the two of more flash memory cells in response to a block program command from the controller;

receiving a block program command from the controller and wherein the controller retires the block of the memory device if the block erase status information indicates that an array erase failure occurred.

11. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed, result in extending select gate lifetime for a memory device including two or more flash memory cells organized as a NAND string in a block of the memory device, by:

providing information related to a voltage threshold of the select gates to a controller coupled to the memory device;

erasing the select gates in response to a select gate erase command from the controller if the information provided by the memory device indicates that the voltage threshold of at least one of the select gates is above a predetermined voltage level; and

programming the select gates in response to a select gate program command from the controller if the information provided by the memory device indicates that the voltage threshold of at least one of the select gates is outside of a predetermined voltage range.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in extending select gate lifetime for the memory device by:

floating control gates of the two or more flash memory cells during the erasing of the select gates, wherein the state of the NAND string is unchanged.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in extending select gate lifetime for the memory device by:

performing an operation to erase the NAND string in response to a block erase command from the controller;

providing block erase status information that includes the information related to the voltage threshold of the select gates, to the controller in response to the block erase command; and

receiving the block erase command from the controller, wherein the controller retires the block of the memory device if the block erase status information includes an indication that the voltage threshold of at least one of the select gates is outside of the predetermined voltage range.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13 , wherein the controller retires the block of the memory device if the block erase status information indicates that an array erase failure occurred.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, if executed, further result in extending select gate lifetime for the memory device by:

programming the block of the memory device including the two of more flash memory cells in response to a block program command from the controller;

receiving a block program command from the controller and wherein the controller retires the block of the memory device if the block erase status information indicates that an array erase failure occurred.