IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,597,469
Granted Patent B2
US 12,597,469 · App. 18/367,677 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Nonvolatile memory device, storage device including the same, and method of testing nonvolatile memory device

Inventors: Gangmin Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Jaehue Shin (Suwon-si, KR); Daeseok Byeon (Suwon-si, KR); Yongsung Cho (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
G11C16/0491G11C16/0483G11C16/24G11C16/26G11C16/30G11C29/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,597,469
App. No.
18/367,677
Granted
Apr 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A nonvolatile memory device may include a page buffer, a control signal generator, and a current mirror. The page buffer may be connected to a bitline and may allow a replicated current to flow through a ground terminal in response to a first control signal and a second control signal. The control signal generator may output the first control signal and the second control signal to the page buffer. The current mirror may output, in a virtual cell mode, a control voltage corresponding to a bias current. The control voltage may correspond to the first control signal.

Claims (54)

1 . A nonvolatile memory device comprising:

a page buffer connected to a bitline, and configured to allow a replicated current to flow through a ground terminal in response to a first control signal and a second control signal;

a control signal generator configured to output the first control signal and the second control signal to the page buffer; and

a current mirror configured to output a control voltage corresponding to a bias current in a virtual cell mode,

wherein the control voltage corresponds to the first control signal.

2 . The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1 , wherein the page buffer includes:

a first transistor including a source connected to the ground terminal, a drain, and a gate configured to receive the first control signal;

a second transistor including a source connected to the drain of the first transistor, a drain, and a gate configured to receive the second control signal; and

a third transistor including a source connected to the drain of the second transistor, a drain connected to a sensing node, and a gate configured to receive a bitline connection control signal.

3 . The nonvolatile memory device of claim 2 , wherein the page buffer further includes:

a fourth transistor including a source connected to the bitline, a drain connected to the drain of the first transistor, and a gate configured to receive a bitline selection signal.

4 . The nonvolatile memory device of claim 2 , wherein the control signal generator includes:

a switch configured to output the control voltage as the first control signal to the gate of the first transistor in the virtual cell mode; and

a signal generator configured to generate the second control signal such that a voltage of the drain of the first transistor is equal to the control voltage in the virtual cell mode.

5 . The nonvolatile memory device of claim 4 , wherein a difference between a level of the second control signal and a level of the voltage of the drain of the first transistor corresponds to a threshold voltage of the second transistor in the virtual cell mode.

6 . The nonvolatile memory device of claim 4 , wherein the current mirror includes:

a current source configured to output the bias current; and

a diode transistor connected between the current source and the ground terminal, the diode transistor having a gate connected to a drain of the diode transistor, the gate configured to output the control voltage.

7 . The nonvolatile memory device of claim 2 , wherein the control signal generator includes:

a bitline shielding control signal generator configured to generate a bitline shielding control signal;

a bitline shut-off control signal generator configured to generate a bitline shut-off control signal;

a first switch configured to output, as the first control signal, one of the control voltage and the bitline shielding control signal; and

a second switch configured to output, as the second control signal, one of the bitline shielding control signal and the bitline shut-off control signal.

8 . The nonvolatile memory device of claim 7 , wherein the current mirror is configured to force the bias current from an internal circuit of the nonvolatile memory device.

9 . The nonvolatile memory device of claim 7 , wherein the current mirror is configured to force the bias current from a pad connected to an external device.

10 . The nonvolatile memory device of claim 7 , wherein the current mirror includes:

a comparator configured to compare a voltage of a first node connected to the first switch with a voltage of a second node;

a fourth transistor including a drain connected to a pad and the first node, a source connected to the ground terminal, and a gate connected to the first node;

a fifth transistor including a drain connected to a current source, a source connected to the ground terminal, and a gate configured to receive an output voltage of the comparator;

a sixth transistor including a source connected to a power terminal, a drain connected to the second node, and a gate configured to output a bitline shut-off input signal to the bitline shut-off control signal generator and connected to the drain of the fifth transistor; and

a seventh transistor including a drain connected to the second node, a source connected to the ground terminal, and a gate connected to the first node.

11 . A storage device comprising:

a nonvolatile memory package including at least one nonvolatile memory device; and

a controller configured to control the nonvolatile memory package,

wherein the at least one nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of page buffers connected to a memory cell array through a plurality of bitlines, and

wherein the at least one nonvolatile memory device is configured to allow, in a virtual cell mode, a replicated current flowing through each of the plurality of page buffers by using a current mirror connected to a pad, and

wherein the replicated current corresponds to a cell current of each memory cell in the memory cell array flowing through each of the plurality of bitlines.

12 . The storage device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one nonvolatile memory device is configured to replicate, in the virtual cell mode, a subthreshold current to a first control transistor of each of the plurality of page buffers.

13 . The storage device of claim 12 , wherein the current mirror is configured to output a gate voltage to a gate of the first control transistor.

14 . The storage device of claim 13 , wherein a drain of the first control transistor is configured to be indirectly biased using a control voltage corresponding to the replicated current.

15 . The storage device of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of page buffers further includes:

a second control transistor including a gate configured to receive, in the virtual cell mode, the control voltage such that the biasing of the drain of the first control transistor is adjusted.

16 . A method of testing a nonvolatile memory device including a memory cell array connected to a page buffer through a bitline, the method comprising:

electrically connecting, in a virtual cell mode, a current mirror bias to a gate of a first control transistor of the page buffer; and

applying a test signal, corresponding to the current mirror bias, to a gate of a second control transistor of the page buffer so as to bias a drain of the first control transistor.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

receiving a bias current, corresponding to the current mirror bias, from a pad connected to an external device.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

generating a bias current, corresponding to the current mirror bias, from an internal circuit of the nonvolatile memory device.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

generating the test signal corresponding to the current mirror bias.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

in the virtual cell mode, performing a sensing operation corresponding to the bitline,

wherein the performing of the sensing operation is performed without a memory cell of the memory cell array.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2023
From: LEE, GANGMIN; SHIN, JAEHUE; BYEON, DAESEOK; CHO, YONGSUNG
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065330/0419 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2023-0040340 · Mar 28, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240331774A1 · Oct 3, 2024
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