IP Library Granted Patent US 10,643,684
Granted Patent B1
US 10,643,684 · App. 16/352,697 · Granted May 5, 2020

Double sense program verification of a memory array

Inventor: Xiang Yang (Santa Clara, CA)
Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
G11C11/34G11C16/04G11C16/3463G11C16/3495G11C29/025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,643,684
App. No.
16/352,697
Granted
May 5, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

A memory controller executes a non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation on bitlines of a memory array, and a homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation on the bitlines. A count of bitlines responding in a particular way to each type of biasing is used to ascertain the integrity of the memory array.

Claims (33)

1. A memory device comprising:

a memory array; and

a controller configured to:

execute a non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation on a plurality of bitlines of the memory array;

generate a first count of a number of the bitlines having a particular response to the non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation;

execute a homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation on the bitlines;

generate a second count of a number of the bitlines having the particular response to the homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation; and

performing a memory management operation based on the first count and the second count.

2. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to first execute the non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation, and then execute the homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation.

3. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to first execute the homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation, and then execute the non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation.

4. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation only for one particular word line.

5. The memory device of claim 4 , wherein the one particular word line is word line 0.

6. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation biases bitlines for programmed memory cells to a non-zero-valued first voltage and biases bitlines for erased memory cells to a zero-valued second voltage.

7. The memory device of claim 6 , wherein the homogeneous bitline biasing program verify biases both of the bitlines for erased memory cells and the bitlines for programmed memory cells to the non-zero-valued first voltage.

8. The memory device of claim 6 , wherein the non-zero-valued first voltage is within the range of 0.2V-0.5V.

9. A controller configured to:

execute a non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation on a plurality of bitlines of a memory array;

execute a homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation on the bitlines; and

compare a first count of a number of the bitlines having a particular response to the non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation with a second count of a number of the bitlines having the particular response to the homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation.

10. The controller of claim 9 , the controller further configured to execute a memory management operation based on a result of comparing the first count and the second count.

11. The controller of claim 9 , further configured to first execute the non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation, and then execute the homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation.

12. The controller of claim 9 , further configured to first execute the homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation, and then execute the non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation.

13. The controller of claim 9 , further configured to execute both of the homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation and the non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation only for one particular word line.

14. The controller of claim 13 , wherein the one particular word line is word line 0.

15. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation biases bitlines for programmed memory cells to a non-zero-valued first voltage and biases bitlines for erased memory cells to a zero-valued second voltage.

16. The controller of claim 15 , wherein the homogeneous bitline biasing program verify biases both of the bitlines for erased memory cells and the bitlines for programmed memory cells to the non-zero-valued first voltage.

17. The controller of claim 15 , wherein the non-zero-valued first voltage is within the range of 0.2V-0.5V.

18. An apparatus comprising:

memory means;

means for comparing (a) a first count of bitlines of the memory means providing a particular response to a non-homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation, and (b) a second count of the bitlines responding to a homogeneous bitline biasing program verify operation; and

means for performing a memory management operation based on the comparing.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the means for comparing operates only on one particular word line.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the one particular word line is word line 0.

Assignments (7)
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTERESTS Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 071382/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071050/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 069796/0423 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 052915 FRAME 0566 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059127/0001 →
CORRECTION BY AFFIDAVIT Recorded Jun 17, 2020
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC.
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC.
Reel/Frame 052972/0167 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2020
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 052915/0566 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2019
From: YANG, XIANG
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 048909/0066 →