IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,537,060
Granted Patent B2
US 12,537,060 · App. 18/666,063 · Granted Jan 27, 2026

Programming delay scheme for in a memory sub-system based on memory reliability

Inventors: Yu-Chung Lien (San Jose, CA); Zhenming Zhou (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C16/102G11C16/08G11C16/26G11C16/32
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,537,060
App. No.
18/666,063
Granted
Jan 27, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a memory device and a processing device operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device is to receive a programming command with respect to a set of memory cells. The processing device is further to determine a value of a metric reflecting reliability of a subset of the set of memory cells. The processing device is further to determine a delay based on the value of the metric. The processing device is further to perform a two-pass programming operation with respect to the subset of memory cells. The two-pass programming operation includes the delay.

Claims (55)

1 . A system comprising:

a memory device; and

a processing device operatively coupled with the memory device, the processing device to:

receive a programming command with respect to a set of memory cells of the memory device;

determine a value of a metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions of the set of memory cells;

determine a delay based on the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions;

determine, based on the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions, a subset of the set of memory cells for programming using a two-pass programming operation comprising the delay;

determine a program sequence of the two-pass programming operation based on the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions; and

perform the two-pass programming operation with respect to the subset, wherein the two-pass programming operation comprises the delay.

2 . The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the program sequence of the two-pass programming operation comprises:

a first first pass of the two-pass programming operation to be performed on a first set of sub-blocks;

a second first pass of the two-pass programming operation to be performed on a second set of sub-blocks; and

a first second pass of the two-pass programming operation to be performed on the first set of sub-blocks.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the subset of the set of memory cells comprises determining wordlines in a wordline group corresponding to the subset of the set of memory cells.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the delay is determined further based on a threshold value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the two-pass programming operation uses one of a source to drain program sequence or a drain to source program sequence.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further to:

compare the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions to a threshold value of the metric, wherein the delay is determined based on the comparison.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the delay reflects a difference between a reliability of the subset of the set of memory cells and a predetermined memory reliability threshold.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the two-pass programming operation comprises the delay between a first pass of the two-pass programming operation and a second pass of the two-pass programming operation.

9 . A method, comprising:

receiving a programming command with respect to a set of memory cells;

determining a value of a metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions of the set of memory cells;

determining a delay based on the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions;

determining, based on the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions, a subset of the set of memory cells for programming using a two-pass programming operation comprising the delay;

determining a program sequence of the two-pass programming operation based on the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions; and

performing the two-pass programming operation with respect to the subset of the set of memory cells, wherein the two-pass programming operation comprises the delay.

10 . The method of claim 9 ,

wherein the program sequence of the two-pass programming operation comprises:

a first first pass of the two-pass programming operation to be performed on a first set of sub-blocks;

a second first pass of the two-pass programming operation to be performed on a second set of sub-blocks; and

a first second pass of the two-pass programming operation to be performed on the first set of sub-blocks.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the subset of the set of memory cells comprises determining wordlines in a wordline group corresponding to the set of memory cells.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the delay is determined further based on a threshold value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the two-pass programming operation uses one of a source to drain program sequence or a drain to source program sequence.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

comparing the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions to a threshold value, wherein the delay is determined based on the comparison.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the delay reflects a difference between a reliability of the set of memory cells and a predetermined memory reliability threshold.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

receive a programming command with respect to a set of memory cells;

determine a value of a metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions of the set of memory cells;

determine a delay based on the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions;

determine, based on the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions, a subset of the set of memory cells for programming using a two-pass programming operation comprising the delay;

determine a program sequence of the two-pass programming operation based on the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions; and

perform the two-pass programming operation with respect to the subset, wherein the two-pass programming operation comprises the delay.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 ,

wherein the program sequence of the two-pass programming operation comprises:

a first first pass of the two-pass programming operation to be performed on a first set of sub-blocks;

a second first pass of the two-pass programming operation to be performed on a second set of sub-blocks; and

a first second pass of the two-pass programming operation to be performed on the first set of sub-blocks.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein determining the subset of the set of memory cells comprises determining wordlines in a wordline group corresponding to the subset of the set of memory cells.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the delay is determined further based on a threshold value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the processing device is further to:

compare the value of the metric characterizing threshold voltage distributions to a threshold value, wherein the delay is determined based on the comparison.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2025
From: LIEN, YU-CHUNG; ZHOU, ZHENMING
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 070064/0370 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17752579 · May 24, 2022
Related Publication 20240304256A1 · Sep 12, 2024
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