Nonvolatile Memory Program Voltage Pumping Clock Pulse Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Nonvolatile memory devices face challenges in reducing program time and unnecessary power consumption during memory cell program operations due to inefficiencies in generating and applying program voltages, particularly in the presence of progressive word line bridge defects.
Innovation Solution
A method and device configuration that generate a program voltage using a pumping clock signal, with a determining unit to stop the program operation when the number of pulses of the pumping clock signal reaches a predetermined critical value, thereby reducing power consumption and program time by detecting and addressing progressive word line bridge defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If program voltage is continuously applied to complete memory cell programming, then programming reliability is improved, but program time and power consumption increase due to progressive word line bridge defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a read operation before the program operation to detect progressive word line bridge defects in advance. The read operation identifies defective word lines that would cause programming failures, allowing the system to skip programming on these lines and reduce overall program time while maintaining reliability on functional lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using the read operation results to control the subsequent program operation. The read operation provides feedback information about word line defects, and this feedback is used to adjust the programming process by preventing programming on defective lines, thereby optimizing both reliability and program time.
2Reliability
If program voltage is continuously applied to ensure complete programming, then programming completeness is improved, but power consumption increases due to unnecessary programming on defective lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs a read operation before programming to preliminarily identify functional versus defective word lines. This preliminary action enables the system to avoid applying program voltage to defective lines, significantly reducing power consumption while ensuring complete and reliable programming on functional lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The read operation provides feedback about word line status that controls the programming operation. This feedback mechanism ensures that power is only consumed for programming on functional lines, eliminating wasteful power consumption on defective lines while maintaining programming completeness on valid lines.
3Reliability
If pumping clock signal operates for extended duration to generate sufficient program voltage, then voltage generation completeness is improved, but program time increases due to progressive word line bridge defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs a read operation before programming to preliminarily detect progressive word line bridge defects. By identifying defective lines in advance, the system can skip voltage generation and application on these lines, reducing the overall duration of the pumping clock signal operation and increasing program speed while maintaining voltage generation completeness on functional lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The read operation provides feedback that controls the duration and scope of the subsequent program operation. This feedback enables the system to terminate or skip voltage generation on defective lines, reducing the total time the pumping clock signal needs to operate while ensuring complete voltage generation on functional lines.
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 solution effectively reduces unnecessary power consumption and shortens program time by optimizing the application of program voltages and detecting defects, ensuring reliable data storage and retrieval in nonvolatile memory devices.
Implementation Method 1
The charge pumping unit includes charge pumps and a control circuit, each charge pump being be enabled and disabled by the control circuit to perform a charge pumping operation according to the pumping clock signal to provide a pumping voltage
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a nonvolatile memory device and a method for operating the nonvolatile memory device. The method for operating the nonvolatile memory device includes generating a first program voltage, applying the generated first program voltage to a first word line to which a first memory cell is connected for performing a first program operation on the first memory cell, determining whether a number of pulses of a pumping clock signal for generating the first program voltage is greater than or equal to a predetermined critical value n (where n is a natural number), and stopping the performing of the first program operation on the first memory cell when the number of pulses of the pumping clock signal is determined to be greater than or equal to the predetermined critical value n.