IP Library Granted Patent US 10,325,656
Granted Patent B2
US 10,325,656 · App. 15/447,116 · Granted Jun 18, 2019

Semiconductor memory device

Inventor: Sanad Bushnaq (Yokohama Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
G11C16/0483G11C16/08G11C16/30H01L23/528H01L27/1157H01L27/11556H01L27/11582
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,325,656
App. No.
15/447,116
Granted
Jun 18, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor memory device comprises a memory string that includes a plurality of memory cells electrically connected in series, the memory cells including first to fourth memory cells, first to fourth word lines that are electrically connected to gates of the first to fourth memory cells, respectively, a voltage generation circuit configured to generate a first voltage, a first circuit configured to output the first voltage to one of first and second wires, a second circuit configured to connect the first and second wires to the first and second word lines, respectively, and a third circuit configured to connect the first and second wires to the third and fourth word lines, respectively.

Claims (24)

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a memory string that includes a plurality of memory cells electrically connected in series, the memory cells including first to fourth memory cells;

first to fourth word lines that are electrically connected to gates of the first to fourth memory cells, respectively;

a voltage generation circuit configured to generate a first voltage;

a first circuit configured to output the first voltage to one of first and second wires according to selection signals;

a second circuit configured to connect the first and second wires to the first and second word lines, respectively; and

a third circuit configured to connect the first and second wires to the third and fourth word lines, respectively.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of memory cells include N memory cells and the first and third memory cells are separated by (N/2−1) memory cells and the second and fourth memory cells are separated by (N/2−1) memory cells.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first circuit outputs the first voltage to the first wire if one of the first and third memory cells is selected, and outputs the first voltage to the second wire if one of the second and fourth memory cells is selected.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first memory cell is located above a substrate, the second memory cell above the first memory cell, the third memory cell above the second memory cell, and the fourth memory cell above the third memory cell.

5. The device according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a fifth word line connected to a gate of a fifth memory cell of the plurality of memory cells, wherein the fifth memory cell is between the substrate and the first memory cell; and

a sixth word line connected to a gate of a sixth memory cell of the plurality of memory cells, wherein the sixth memory cell is above the fourth memory cell, wherein

the voltage generation circuit is further configured to generate second and third voltages;

the first circuit is configured to output the second and third voltages to third and fourth wires, respectively, according to the selection signals; and

the second circuit connects the third wire to the fifth word line if one of the first and second memory cells is selected and the third circuit connects the fourth wire to the sixth word line if one of the third and fourth memory cells is selected.

6. The device according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a fourth circuit configured to output the second and third voltages to fifth and sixth wires, respectively, wherein

the second circuit connects the fifth wire to the fifth word line if one of the third and fourth memory cells is selected and the third circuit connects the sixth wire to the sixth word line if one of the first and second memory cells is selected.

7. The device according to claim 6 , wherein

the fourth circuit is further configured to output a fourth voltage to a seventh wire, and

the second circuit connects the seventh wire to each of the first to sixth word lines if a selected memory cell is in a block of memory cells that does not include the memory string.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: K.K. PANGEA
Reel/Frame 055659/0471 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0401 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2017
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043194/0647 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2017
From: BUSHNAQ, SANAD
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 042283/0942 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-181994 · Sep 16, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180082743A1 · Mar 22, 2018