Boosted channel programming of memory

1. A method of operating a memory, comprising:

boosting a channel voltage of a first memory cell selected for programming to a first voltage level for a particular programming pulse, and boosting a channel voltage of a second memory cell selected for programming to a second voltage level for the particular programming pulse;

boosting the channel voltage of the first memory cell selected for programming to a third voltage level, greater than the first voltage level, for a subsequent programming pulse, and boosting the channel voltage of the second memory cell selected for programming to a fourth voltage level, greater than the second voltage level, for the subsequent programming pulse; and

boosting the channel voltage of the first memory cell selected for programming to a fifth voltage level, greater than the third voltage level, for a next subsequent programming pulse, and boosting the channel voltage of the second memory cell selected for programming to a sixth voltage level, greater than the fourth voltage level, for the next subsequent programming pulse;

wherein the sixth voltage level is greater than the fifth voltage level;

wherein a difference between the third voltage level and the first voltage level is the same as a difference between the fifth voltage level and the third voltage level;

wherein a difference between the fourth voltage level and the second voltage level is the same as a difference between the sixth voltage level and the fourth voltage level;

wherein the second memory cell is selected for programming to a data state corresponding to a range of threshold voltages less than a range of threshold voltages corresponding to a data state to which the first memory cell is selected for programming; and

wherein the difference between the third voltage level and the first voltage level is different than the difference between the fourth voltage level and the second voltage level.

2. A method of operating a memory, comprising:

applying a programming pulse to a plurality of memory cells selected for programming in a programming operation, establishing a first voltage level across memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming to a first data state and establishing a second voltage level across memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming to a second data state;

applying a subsequent programming pulse to the plurality of memory cells in the programming operation, establishing a third voltage level across memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming to the first data state and establishing a fourth voltage level across memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming to the second data state; and

applying a next subsequent programming pulse to the plurality of memory cells in the programming operation, establishing a fifth voltage level across memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming to the first data state and establishing a sixth voltage level across memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming to the second data state, wherein a difference between the third voltage level and the first voltage level is different than a difference between the fourth voltage level and the second voltage level and wherein a difference between the fifth voltage level and the third voltage level is different than a difference between the sixth voltage level and the fourth voltage level.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the difference between the third voltage level and the first voltage level and the difference between the fifth voltage level and the third voltage level are the same, and wherein the difference between the fourth voltage level and the second voltage level and the difference between the sixth voltage level and the fourth voltage level are the same.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein establishing a particular voltage level across memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming to a particular data state while applying a particular programming pulse comprises establishing the particular voltage level across the memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming to the particular data state during a program voltage level of the particular programming pulse.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the programming operation has N defined data states each corresponding to a respective range of threshold voltages, wherein N is an integer value greater than two, wherein the difference between the third voltage level and the first voltage level is less than the difference between the fourth voltage level and the second voltage level, and wherein the second data state corresponds to a range of threshold voltages greater than a range of threshold voltages corresponding to the first data state.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

performing a first program verify operation between applying the programming pulse and applying the subsequent programming pulse; and

performing a second program verify operation between applying the programming pulse and applying the subsequent programming pulse.

7. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

establishing a seventh voltage level across memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming to a third data state while applying the programming pulse to the plurality of memory cells;

establishing an eighth voltage level across memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming to the third data state while applying the subsequent programming pulse to the plurality of memory cells; and

establishing a ninth voltage level across memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming to the third data state while applying the next subsequent programming pulse to the plurality of memory cells.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the programming operation has N defined data states each corresponding to a respective range of threshold voltages, wherein N is an integer value greater than three, wherein the difference between the third voltage level and the first voltage level is less than the difference between the fourth voltage level and the second voltage level, and wherein the second data state corresponds to a range of threshold voltages greater than a range of threshold voltages corresponding to the first data state.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the difference between the eighth voltage level and the seventh voltage level is different than the difference between the third voltage level and the first voltage level, and wherein the range of threshold voltages corresponding to the first data state and the range of threshold voltages corresponding to the second data state are each different than a range of threshold voltages corresponding to the third data state.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the difference between the eighth voltage level and the seventh voltage level is the same as the difference between the third voltage level and the first voltage level, and wherein the range of threshold voltages corresponding to the first data state and the range of threshold voltages corresponding to the second data state are each different than a range of threshold voltages corresponding to the third data state.