Edge Data Wordline Programming to Reduce Program Disturb

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Solution Overview

Problem

Edge data wordlines in memory devices experience significant program disturb effects due to hot-electron injection and electrostatic fields, leading to data corruption and inaccuracies during programming operations, which conventional voltage tuning methods cannot adequately address.

Innovation Solution

An improved program scheme applies a lower pass voltage to the last unselected data wordline during programming, reducing the voltage differential and minimizing hot-electron injection, thereby enhancing the accuracy and reliability of edge data wordlines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional voltage tuning methods are used during programming, then programming speed is maintained, but program disturb effects occur causing data corruption at edge data wordlines

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accuracyVSAvoidprogram disturb effects

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different pass voltages to different groups of unselected data wordlines based on their position. Specifically, a first pass voltage is applied to a first group of unselected data wordlines while a second pass voltage is applied to a second group of unselected data wordlines. This local differentiation addresses the varying susceptibility of edge data wordlines to program disturb effects caused by hot-electron injection and electrostatic fields, thereby improving data accuracy without sacrificing programming speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If higher pass voltage is applied to all unselected data wordlines, then program disturb effects are reduced, but programming time increases due to sequential programming requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprogramming accuracyVSAvoidprogramming time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent differentiates the treatment of unselected data wordlines by position, applying a first pass voltage to a first group and a second pass voltage to a second group. This allows targeted protection of edge data wordlines that are most susceptible to program disturb effects while maintaining efficient programming for other wordlines, thus avoiding the time penalty of completely sequential programming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The unselected data wordlines are segmented into different groups based on their position in the memory array. This segmentation enables differential voltage application, where edge wordlines receive enhanced protection through a first pass voltage while internal wordlines use a second pass voltage, optimizing both reliability and programming efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If conventional programming is used, then programming speed is maintained, but edge data wordlines experience hot-electron injection and electrostatic field effects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprogramming speedVSAvoidhot-electron injection

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a first pass voltage to a first group of unselected data wordlines and a second pass voltage to a second group, creating local quality differentiation. This targeted approach suppresses hot-electron injection and electrostatic field effects at edge data wordlines where these harmful factors are most prevalent, while maintaining overall programming speed through parallel voltage application across different wordline groups.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The proposed scheme reduces program disturb effects, resulting in more accurate programming with fewer errors at edge data wordlines, improving overall memory device performance.

Implementation Method 1

Edge data wordlines in memory devices experience significant program disturb effects due to hot-electron injection and electrostatic fields

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHot-electron injection: Electron Avalanche

Implementation Method 2

Edge data wordlines in memory devices experience significant program disturb effects due to hot-electron injection and electrostatic fields

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatic fields: Electric Field

Data Source

PatentUS20260038594A1Program scheme for edge data wordlines in a memory device

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

Control logic in a memory device causes a program voltage to be applied to a selected data wordline of a plurality of wordlines of a block of a memory array for a pulse duration period during a programming operation. The control logic further causes a first pass voltage to be applied to one or more unselected data wordlines of the plurality of wordlines of the block for the pulse duration period and causes a second pass voltage to be applied to a last unselected data wordline of the plurality of wordlines of the block for at least a first portion of the pulse duration period, wherein the second pass voltage has a lower magnitude than the first pass voltage.