Reading method for a cell string

Abstract

A reading method for a cell string using multiple pass voltages includes a pre-charging step and a reading step to read a selected word line cell WL[k]. The pre-charging step comprises applying a positive pass voltage (V.sub.pass1) to the selected word line (WL[k]), the upper word lines (Upper WL) of the selected word line (WL[k]), at least one the lower word lines adjacent to the selected word line (WL[k]); and applying a negative pass voltage (V.sub.pass2) to the remaining lower word lines (Lower WL) except for WL[k−1]. The reading step comprises applying sequentially a first voltage which is lower than a read voltage (V.sub.verify) and the read voltage (V.sub.verify) to the selected word line WL[k], applying a second voltage to a common source line CSL and the unselected word lines and sensing a current or a voltage of the selected word line WL[k], thereby reading information stored in the selected word line WL[k].

Claims

1. A reading method for a cell string using multiple pass voltages, the cell string having n number of control electrodes formed on a semiconductor body (n: an integer), a gate insulating film stack formed between the semiconductor body and the control electrodes, and first and second semiconductor regions formed at respective ends of the semiconductor body, in a state where the n number of control electrodes are connected to n number of word lines (WL[0] to WL[n-1]), respectively, the first semiconductor region is connected to a bit line BL, and the second semiconductor region is connected to a common source line CSL, when a selected word line is a word line WL[k] (0<k<n-1), the reading method comprising steps (r1) of: applying sequentially a predetermined voltage and a read voltage (V.sub.verify) higher than the predetermined voltage to the selected word line WL[k], applying a pass voltage to upper word lines defined by word lines (WL[k+1] to WL[n−1]); applying the pass voltage to at least one word line adjacent to the selected word line WL[k] among lower word lines defined by word lines (WL[0] to WL[k−1]); and applying a first voltage having an opposite polarity to the pass voltage to the lower word lines except for the at least one word line, thereby reading information stored in the selected word line WL[k].

2. The reading method according to claim 1, in a state where the cell string further includes a first selection device SD-1 and a second selection device SD-2 which are formed at respective ends of the control electrodes, the first selection device SD-1 is connected to a first string selection line SL[1] and the second selection device SD-2 is connected to a second string selection line SL[2], wherein in the steps (r1), the first string selection line SL[1] is applied with a third voltage to electrically connect a word line cell adjacent to the first selection device SD-1 and the bit line BL, and the second string selection line SL[2] is applied with a fourth voltage to maintain a state where a word line cell adjacent to the second selection device SD-2 is electrically connected to the common source line CSL.

3. The reading method according to claim 1, wherein in the steps (r1), the common source line CSL and unselected bit lines are applied with a second voltage and selected bit lines are applied with a third voltage lower than the second voltage, so that a current can flow in a selected cell string and no current flows in the unselected bit lines in a read operation.

4. The reading method according to claim 1, before the steps (r1), further comprising a step (r0) of: applying the pass voltage to word lines (WL[k] to WL[n-1]), applying the pass voltage to the at least one word line adjacent to the selected word line WL[k] among the lower word lines, applying the first voltage having the opposite polarity to the pass voltage to the lower word lines except for the at least one word line, and applying a second voltage to a selected bit line, unselected bit lines and the common source line CSL.

5. The reading method according to claim 4, in a state where the cell string further includes a first selection device SD-1 and a second selection device SD-2 which are formed at respective ends of the control electrodes, the first selection device SD-1 is connected to a first string selection line SL[1] and the second selection device SD-2 is connected to a second string selection line SL[2], wherein in the steps (r0), the first string selection line SL[1] is applied with a third voltage to electrically connect a word line cell adjacent to the first selection device SD-1 with the bit line BL, and the second string selection line SL[2] is applied with a fourth voltage to electrically connect a word line cell adjacent to the second selection device SD-2 with the common source line CSL.

6. The reading method according to claim 1, in a state where the cell string further includes a first selection device SD-1 and a second selection device SD-2 which are formed at respective ends of the control electrodes, the first selection device SD-1 is connected to a first string selection line SL[1] and the second selection device SD-2 is connected to a second string selection line SL[2], wherein in the steps (r1), the first string selection line SL[1] is applied with a second voltage to electrically connect a word line cell adjacent to the first selection device SD-1 with the bit line BL, and the second string selection line SL[2] is applied with a third voltage to electrically connect a word line cell adjacent to the second selection device SD-2 with the common source line CSL.

7. The reading method according to claim 1, wherein in the steps (r1), in case of performing sensing all bit lines of a selected page having a plurality of cell strings, the common source line CSL is applied with a second voltage, and all the bit lines of the selected page is applied with a third voltage which is lower than the second voltage, so that a current can flow in all the plurality of cell strings of the selected page.

8. The reading method according to claim 1, in a state where the cell string further includes a dummy cell at at least one end of word line cells (WL[0] to WL[n-1] cells) in the cell string, wherein, in the steps (r1), in case where the dummy cell is at upper side of a selected word line cell (WL[k] cell), the dummy cell is applied with the pass voltage.

9. The reading method according to claim 1, in a state where the cell string further includes a dummy cell at at least one end of word line cells (WL[0] to WL[n-1] cells) in the cell string, wherein in the steps (r1), in case the dummy cell is at lower side of a selected word line cell (WL[k] cell), if the selected word line is a least significant word line, the dummy cell is applied with the pass voltage, and if not, the dummy cell is applied with the first voltage having an opposite polarity to the pass voltage.

10. A reading method for a cell string using multiple pass voltages, the cell string having n number of control electrodes formed on a semiconductor body (n: an integer), a gate insulating film stack formed between the semiconductor body and the control electrodes, first and second semiconductor regions formed at respective ends of the semiconductor body, and a first selection device SD-1 and a second selection device SD-2 which are formed at respective ends of the control electrodes, in a state where the n number of control electrodes of the cell string are connected to n number of word lines (WL[0] to WL[n-1]), respectively, the first semiconductor region is connected to a bit line BL, the second semiconductor region is connected to a common source line CSL, the first selection device SD-1 is connected to a first string selection line SL[1] and the second selection device SD-2 is connected to a second string selection line SL[2], when a selected word line is a word line WL[k] (0<k<n-1), the reading method comprising steps of: applying a pass voltage having a same polarity to all the word lines except for the selected word line WL[k] in the cell string, and turning on any one of the first string selection line SL[1] and the second string selection line SL[2]; applying a first voltage which is lower than a read voltage (V.sub.verify) to the selected word line WL[k]; applying a second voltage to all the bit lines and the common source line CSL; and applying a third voltage to the common source line CSL and unselected bit lines, applying the read voltage (V.sub.verify) to the selected word line WL[k], and turning on both of the first string selection line SL[1] and the second string selection line SL[2] to perform a read operation, thereby reading information stored in the selected word line WL[k].

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating states of bias applied to lines of a cell string for explaining a reading method for a cell string according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating states of bias applied to lines of a cell string for explaining a reading method for a cell string according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional diagrams illustrating a vertical-type TCAT flash memory cell string in X and Y directions disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1;

(4) FIGS. 4A and 4B are graphs illustrating a voltage (control gate voltage Vg)—current (bit line current I.sub.BL) characteristic curve of the cell string and a distribution of threshold voltage with respect to 32 cells of a string;

(5) FIGS. 5A and 5B are conceptual diagrams illustrating a 3D NAND flash memory having a dual-gate structure disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2;

(6) FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating an Id-Vg characteristic curve of the flash memory in FIGS. 5A and 5B;

(7) FIGS. 7A and 7B are a cross-sectional diagram and a circuit diagram illustrating an example of a cell string which the reading method of the present invention would be applied and which have a vertical structure based on a diode;

(8) FIGS. 8A and 8B are a cross-sectional diagram and a circuit diagram illustrating another example of a cell string which the reading method of the present invention would be applied and which have a horizontal structure based on a diode;

(9) FIG. 9 is a graph illustrating a current (I.sub.BL: bit line current)-voltage (V.sub.CG: voltage applied to a control electrode of a selected WL cell) characteristic curve in the selected cell in the reading method according to the embodiments of the invention;

(10) FIG. 10 is an energy band diagram for explaining a read mechanism using positive feedback in the reading method according to the embodiments of the invention;

(11) FIGS. 11A to 11E are energy band diagrams at steps t2, t3, t4, t6, and t7 of FIG. 1;

(12) FIG. 12 is a graph illustrating a difference in the energy band diagram according to the presence and absence of a pre-charging step for a portion of channel of the cell string in the reading method according to the first embodiment of the invention; and

(13) FIG. 13 is a graph illustrating a difference in electric field according to the presence and absence of a pre-charging step for a portion of channel of the cell string in the reading method according to the first embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(14) In a reading method for a cell string according to the present invention, predetermined voltages are applied to cell string selection devices, a selected cell device, and unselected cell devices, so that positive feedback occurs. As a result, at a specific control electrode voltage of the selected cell device, a current is greatly increased, so that switching occurs. Therefore, the reading method according to the present invention provides a switching characteristic having a steep slope which is close to verticality. A distribution of voltage where the switching occurs is greatly decreased in comparison with a distribution of threshold voltage in a NAND flash memory in the related art, so that a good refresh margin is obtained.

(15) First of all, a structure of a cell string which the reading method according to the invention can be applied to will be described in detail. The reading method according to the present invention can be applied to the cell strings having various structures. The cell strings includes a semiconductor body which is formed on a insulating layer and is functioned as a channel, n control electrodes formed on the semiconductor body, a gate insulating film stack formed between the semiconductor body and the control electrodes, first and second semiconductor regions formed at respective ends of the semiconductor body, and a first selection device SD-1 and a second selection device SD-2 which are formed at respective ends of the control electrodes.

(16) FIGS. 3A, 3B, 5A, 5B, 7A and 8A are cross-sectional diagrams illustrating the cell strings which the reading method according to the present invention can be applied to. Referring to FIGS. 5A, 5B and 7A, the reading method according to the present invention can be applied to the case where the cell string is formed in the vertical direction. Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the reading method according to the present invention can be applied to the case where the cell string is formed in the horizontal direction. Additionally, Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the reading method according to the present invention can be applied to the case where Flash memory cell string is configured to include first and second semiconductor regions of which the impurity types are same to each other to be operated as a MOSFET. Furthermore, referring to FIGS. 7A and 8A, the reading method according to the present invention can be applied to the case where Flash memory cell string is configured to include first and second semiconductor regions of which the impurity types are different to each other to be operated as a diode.

(17) The reading method according to the present invention can be applied to the above described cell strings in a state where the n control electrodes of the cell string are connected to n word lines WL[0] to WL[n-1], respectively, the first semiconductor region is connected to a bit line BL, the second semiconductor region is connected to a common source line CSL, the first selection device SD-1 is connected to a first string selection line SL[1] and the second selection device SD-2 is connected to a second string selection line SL[2].

The First Embodiment

(18) Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 1, 9, 10, 11A to 11E, 12 and 13, the reading method according to a first embodiment of the invention will be described in detail. FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating states of bias applied to lines of a cell string for explaining the reading method for a cell string according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 11A to 11E are energy band diagrams at steps t2, t3, t4, t6, and t7 of FIG. 1.

(19) The reading method for a cell string according to the first embodiment of the invention includes a pre-charging step and a reading step. The pre-charging step may not be included. However, in terms of durability, it is preferable that the pre-charging step be included. The reading method according to the invention denotes a general read operation or denotes a verify operation after programming or erasing operation.

(20) Referring FIG. 1, the reading method for the cell string according to the invention includes a pre-charging step (r0) and a reading step (r1) for reading a selected word line cell (WL[k] cell). Herein, one cell string includes n word lines (WL[0] to WL[n-1]) and two selection devices SD1 and SD-2. In this specification, for a convenient explanation, the word line WL[0] represents the least significant word line and the word line WL[n-1] represents the most significant word line.

(21) In the pre-charging step, a positive turn-on voltage V.sub.SL1 and a negative turn-on voltage V.sub.SL2 are applied to the string selection lines SL[1] and SL[2], respectively; a positive pass voltage (V.sub.pass1) is applied to the selected word line WL[k], the upper word lines (Upper WL) of the selected word line (WL[k]), at least one or more of the lower word line adjacent to the selected word line (WL[k]); and a negative pass voltage (V.sub.pass2) is applied to the remaining lower word lines (Lower WL). As a result, electrons and holes are supplied from the bit line BL and the common source line CSL to the channel.

(22) Herein, the lower word lines to which the positive pass voltage is applied are the word lines adjacent to the selected word line, have to include the word line WL[k−1] and alternatively include the adjacent lower word lines. Hereinafter, in this specification, for convenient explanation, the lower word line to which the positive pass voltage is applied is represented as WL[k−1]. However it does not limit the scope of the invention.

(23) Namely, as illustrated in FIG. 11A, in the period of t1 to t2, by applying the positive turn-on voltage and the positive pass voltage to the selection line SL[1] and the upper word lines WL[n-1] to WL[k−1], respectively, the electrons are supplied from the bit lines to the channel of the cell string; and by applying the negative turn-on voltage and the negative pass voltage to the selection line SL[2] and the lower word lines WL[k−2] to WL[0], respectively, the holes are supplied from the common source line CSL to the channel of the cell string. The above-described voltage bias is preferred. Alternatively, the word lines WL[n-1] to WL[k−2] or the word line WL[k−3] may also be applied with the positive pass voltage to be operated. As the number of word lines applied with the positive pass voltage is increased, the diffusion length of the holes which are to be diffused from the channel in the cell string may be increased.

(24) The process of the reading step will be described more in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 11B to 11E. First, as illustrated in FIG. 11B, in the period of t2 to t3, in order to charge a CSL node, a turn-off voltage and a voltage (for example, 0 V) lower than the read voltage V.sub.verify are applied to the selection line SL[1] and the selected word line WL[k], respectively. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 11C, in the period of t3 to t4, the CSL node and the unselected bit lines BLs are charged with V.sub.cc, no current flows. This operation can be effectively applied so as to distinguish the even bit lines BLs and the odd bit lines BLs in reading. In case of sensing all the bit lines BLs, there is no need to distinguish the selected bit line BL and the unselected bit lines BLs. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 11D, in the period of t5 to t6, the read voltage V.sub.verify is applied to the selected word line WL[k]. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 11E, in the period of t6 to t7, the turn-on voltage is applied to the selection line SL[1], and the read operation (verify) is started.

(25) FIGS. 12 and 13 are graphs illustrating a difference in the energy band diagram and a difference in electric field according to the presence and absence of the pre-charging step in the reading method for the cell string according to the first embodiment of the invention.

(26) As described above, the reading method for the cell string according to the first embodiment of the invention includes the pre-charging step and the reading step. Herein, the pre-charging step may be selectively included. In case the pre-charging step is not included, the potential of the channel of a pass cell (herein, the WL[5] cell) is boosted by the pass voltage, a high electric field is generated. Therefore, hot carriers are generated, so that the pass cell and peripheral pass cells may be deteriorated. However, as illustrated in FIG. 13, in the read operation, the electrons and holes are supplied to the channel by the pre-charging step, so that the potential of the channel of the pass cell WL[5] is not boosted, and the electric field can be greatly decreased.

(27) In the case of using the reading method for the cell string according to the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 9, very good switching characteristic is achieved, so that the device characteristics are improved.

(28) Meanwhile, the cell string to which the reading method according to the invention is applied would include a dummy cell at both or any one of ends in the cell string.

(29) The reason why the cell string further includes dummy cell at both or any one of ends of the cell string is as follows. There are problems that the cells being at the ends of a cell string have commonly many changes of cell characteristics including a distribution of threshold voltage due to a lot of variation in the manufacturing process. Therefore, the problems can be solved by adding the dummy cells to the ends of the cell string. The dummy cells are used effectively in the reading method for the cell string according to the invention when the word line cell (WL[0] cell) of the cell string is read. For example, the dummy cell connected to the word line cell (WL[0] cell) functions as a word line cell (WL[0-1] cell). Herein, the ‘k’ is zero.

(30) Hereinafter, in case of including the dummy cells at both or any one of n word line cells (WL[0] cell to WL[n-1] cell) in a cell string, the voltage applied to the dummy cell in the reading method according to the invention will be described in detail.

(31) Referring to FIG. 1, in the reading step (r1), in a state where the dummy cell is at the upper region of the selected word line cell (WL[k] cell), it is preferable that the corresponding dummy cell is applied with a pass voltage.

(32) In addition, in the reading step (r1) of FIG. 1, in a state where the dummy cell is at the lower region of the selected word line cell (WL[k] cell), it is preferable that if the selected word line is the least significant word line (that is, k=0), the corresponding dummy cell is applied with a pass voltage, if not (that is, k≠0), the corresponding dummy cell is applied with a voltage having an opposite polarity of the pass voltage.

(33) Therefore, when the selected word line is WL[0](that is, k=0), the dummy cell connected to the word line cell (WL[0] cell) is able to function as a word line cell (WL[k−1] cell), thereby the dummy cell is used effectively.

The Second Embodiment

(34) FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating states of bias applied to lines of a cell string for explaining the reading method for a cell string according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

(35) Referring to FIG. 2, the reading method according to the second embodiment of the invention will be described in detail.

(36) The reading method for a cell string according to this embodiment of the invention includes the steps of; (m1) applying a pass voltage having a same polarity to all the word lines except for the selected word line WL[k] in the cell string, turning on any one of the selection line SL[1] and the selection line SL[2], applying a voltage which is lower than the read voltage (V.sub.verify) to the selected word line WL[k], and applying a voltage to all the bit lines and the common source line CSL,

(37) and (m2) of applying a voltage to the common source line CSL and unselected bit lines, applying the read voltage (V.sub.verify) to the selected word line WL[k], and turning on both of the selection line SL[1] and the selection line SL[2] to perform a read operation, thereby reading information stored in the selected word line WL[k].

(38) FIG. 9 is a graph illustrating a current (I.sub.BL: bit line current)-voltage (V.sub.CG: voltage applied to a control electrode of a selected WL cell) characteristic curve of a cell string having one of the above-described structures according to the embodiments of the invention. Referring to FIG. 9, when a predetermined voltage is applied, a turn-on current flows rapidly, so that the cell string is switched steeply from a turn-off state to a turn-on state. This phenomenon occurs due to positive feedback in the read operations of the flash memory cell string according to the invention. This will be described more in detail with reference to FIG. 10.

(39) FIG. 10 is an energy band diagram for explaining a read mechanism using positive feedback in read and verify operations according to the embodiments of the invention. As an example, the read mechanism of reading information stored in the selected WL[k] cell (for example, the WL[6] cell) will be described with reference to FIG. 10.

(40) In FIG. 10, the x axis denotes a vertical position of the semiconductor body, and the y axis denotes an energy level at the vertical position. In the turn-off state, due to a high potential barrier, electrons and holes cannot flow as indicated by solid lines. When a certain number of charges are supplied to the floating channel of the WL[k−1] cell (=WL[5] cell) as indicated by (1), the potential of the floating channel is increased as indicated by (2). Therefore, the potential barrier of the floating channel of the WL[5] cell is lowered as indicated by (3), holes are diffused into the channel of the selected WL[6] cell. As indicated by (4), the holes supplied in this manner decreases the potential (potential barrier with respect to the electrons) of the channel of the selected WL[6] cell, so that the number of electrons which flow into the floating channel of the WL[5] cell is greatly increased. Due to the positive feedback of (1).fwdarw.(2).fwdarw.(3).fwdarw.(4), the current is greatly increased, the cell string is switched from the turn-off state to the turn-on state with a very steep slope.

(41) While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.