Method and apparatus for leakage suppression in flash memory
US8929139B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 30, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jan 6, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 14, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C16/14
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Techniques are described herein for detecting and recovering over-erased memory cells in a flash memory device. In one embodiment, a flash memory device is described including a memory array including a plurality of blocks of memory cells. The device also includes a controller to perform a leakage-suppression process. The leakage-suppression process includes determining that a given block of memory cells includes one or more over-erased memory cells. Upon the determination, the leakage-suppression process also includes performing a soft program operation to increase the threshold voltage of the over-erased memory cells in the given block.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.