In a non-volatile memory, a block of NAND strings is divided into sub-blocks by etching the select gate layers between sub-blocks. This results in a subset of NAND strings (e.g., at the border of the sub-blocks) having select gates that are partially etched such that the partially etched select gates are partially shaped as compared to the select gates of NAND strings that have not been etched. Host data is programmed to non-volatile memory cells that are connected to an edge word line and are on NAND strings having a complete shaped select gate. Host data is also programmed to non-volatile memory cells that are connected to non-edge word lines. However, host data is not programmed to non-volatile memory cells that are connected to the edge word line and are on NAND strings having a partial shaped select gate.

A storage apparatus includes an interface and storage circuitry. The interface communicates with a plurality of memory cells, and an individual one of the plurality of memory cells stores data in multiple programming levels. The storage circuitry configured to program data to a first group of multiple memory cells in a number of programming levels larger than two, using a One-Pass Programming (OPP) scheme that results in a first readout reliability level. After programming the data, the storage circuitry is further configured to read the data from the first group, and program the data read from the first group to a second group of the memory cells, in a number of programming levels larger than two, using a Multi-Pass Programming (MPP) scheme that results in a second readout reliability higher than the first reliability level, and reading the data from the second group of the memory cells.

A memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells on which a programming loop is executed a plurality of times; a voltage generator configured to apply a verifying voltage to the memory cells, for verifying at least one programming state of the memory cells; and a voltage controller configured to control the voltage generator to change a level of the verifying voltage as a program loop count increases, based on temperature information about a temperature inside or outside the memory device.

A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a cell unit including a first and a second selection gate transistor and a memory string provided between the first and second selection gate transistors and composed of a plurality of serially connected electrically erasable programmable memory cells operative to store effective data; and a data write circuit operative to write data into the memory cell, wherein the number of program stages for at least one of memory cells on both ends of the memory string is lower than the number of program stages for other memory cells, and the data write circuit executes the first stage program to the memory cell having the number of program stages lower than the number of program stages for the other memory cells after the first stage program to the other memory cells.

A method of operating a memory device that includes a plurality of stages each having a plurality of page buffers. The method including performing a verify operation of a first program loop from among a plurality of program loops, the verify operation of the first program loop including, performing a first off-cell counting operation on a first stage of the plurality of stages based on a first sampling rate to generate a first off-cell counting result; selectively changing the first sampling rate based on the first off-cell counting result to generate a changed first sampling rate; and performing a second off-cell counting operation on a second stage of the plurality of stages based on one of the first sampling rate and the changed first sampling rate to generate a second off-cell counting result.

A memory access module for performing memory access management of a storage device includes a plurality of storage cells. Each storage cell has a number of possible bit(s) directly corresponding to possible states of the storage cell. The memory access module further includes: sensing means for performing a plurality of sensing operations, wherein a first sensing operation corresponds to a first sensing voltage, and each subsequent sensing operation corresponds to a sensing voltage determined according to a result of the previous sensing operation; generating means for using the plurality of sensing operations to generate a first digital value and a second digital value of a storage cell; processing means for using the first and the second digital value to obtain soft information of a same bit stored in the storage cell; and decoding means for using the soft information to perform soft decoding.

The present invention provides a data storage device including a flash memory and a controller. The flash memory has a plurality of single-level-cell units and a plurality of triple-level cell units. The controller performs a first predetermined number of read processes on a second predetermined number of specific single-level-cell units to program data stored in the second predetermined number of specific single-level-cell units into a specific triple-level cell unit of the triple-level cell units and determines whether any of the second predetermined number of specific single-level-cell units has not been read successfully by any of the read processes when the specific triple-level cell unit cannot be read successfully.

Systems and methods are disclosed including a memory device and a processing device operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device can perform operations including detecting a read error with respect to data residing in a block of the memory device, wherein the block is associated with a voltage offset bin, determining an ordered set of error-handling operations to be performed to the data, determining a most recently performed error-handling operation associated with the voltage offset bin; adjusting an order of the set of error-handling operations by positioning the most recently performed error-handling operation within a predetermined position in the order of the set of error-handling operations; and performing one or more error-handling operations of the set of error-handling operations in the adjusted order until data associated to the read error is recovered.

According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a non-volatile memory and a memory controller. The non-volatile memory includes a plurality of groups, each including a plurality of memory cells. The memory controller is configured to determine whether to execute a refresh process for a first group based on whether a first temperature in a write process for the first group and a second temperature after the write process for the first group satisfy a first condition.

Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods using first and second select gates coupled in series between a conductive line and a first memory cell string of a memory device, and third and fourth select gates coupled in series between the conductive line and a second memory cell string of the memory device. The memory device can include first, second, third, and fourth select lines to provide first, second, third, and fourth voltages, respectively, to the first, second, third, and fourth select gates, respectively, during an operation of the memory device. The first and second voltages can have a same value. The third and fourth voltages can have different values.