Reliability issues of flash memory cells

Reliability issues for flash electrically erasable programmable read-only memories are reviewed. The reliability of both the source-erase type (ETOX) flash memory and the NAND structure EEPROM are discussed. Disturbs during programming, write/erase endurance, charge loss of both devices are reviewed, and the reliability of the tunnel oxide and the interpoly dielectric are described. It is shown that bipolarity F-N programming/erase, which is used in the NAND EEPROM, improves the charge to breakdown and decreases the stress-induced leakage current     

A new technique for hot carrier reliability evaluations of flashmemory cell after long-term program/erase cycles

In this paper, we provide a methodology to evaluate the hot-carrier-induced reliability of flash memory cells after long-term program/erase cycles. First, the gated-diode measurement technique has been employed for determining the lateral distributions of interface state (N_it) and oxide trap charges (Q_ox) under both channel-hot electron (CHE) programming bias and source-side erase-bias stress conditions. A gate current model was then developed by including both the effects of N_it and Q_ox. Degradation of flash memory cell after P/E cycles due to the above oxide damage was studied by monitoring the gate current. For the cells during programming, the oxide damage near the drain will result in a programming time delay and we found that the interface state generation is the dominant mechanism. Furthermore, for the cells after long-term erase using source-side FN erase, the oxide trap charge will dominate the cell performance such as read disturb. In order to reduce the read-disturb, source bias should be kept as low as possible since the larger the applied source erasing bias, the worse the device reliability becomes     

一种用于NAND闪存的奇偶位线块编程补偿算法

为改善数据保持干扰和编程干扰对NAND闪存可靠性的影响,提出了一种新的奇偶位线块编程补偿算法。该算法利用编程干扰效应来补偿由数据保持引起的阈值漂移,修复NAND闪存因数据保持产生的误码,提高了NAND闪存的可靠性。将该算法应用于编程擦除次数为3k次的1x-nm MLC NAND闪存。实验结果表明,在数据保持时间为1年的条件下,与传统奇偶交叉编程算法相比,采用该补偿算法的NAND闪存的误码降低了93%;与读串扰恢复算法相比,采用该补偿算法的NAND闪存的误码下降了38%。     

新的非平面Flash Memory结构

提出了一种为在低压下工作的具有较快编程速度的新的非平面的flash memory单元结构,该结构采用简单的叠栅结构并只需增加一步光刻制做出这一新的沟道结构.对于栅长为1.2μm flash单元,获得了在Vg＝15V,Vd＝5V条件下编程时间为42μs,在Vg＝-5V,Vs＝8V条件下的擦除时间为24ms的高性能flash单元,这一新结构的编程速度比普通平面型快闪存储器要快很多.这种新结构flash单元在高速应用场合下具有很好的应用前景.     

基于SiGe量子点实现增强F-N隧穿的低压闪速存储器

提出了一种用于半导体闪速存储器单元的新的Si/SiGe量子点/隧穿氧化层/多晶硅栅多层结构,该结构可以实现增强F-N隧穿的编程和擦除机制.模拟结果表明该结构具有高速和高可靠性的优点.测试结果表明该结构的工作电压比传统NAND结构的存储器单元降低了4V.采用该结构能够实现高速、低功耗和高可靠性的半导体闪速存储器.     

新的非平面Flash Memory结构

提出了一种为在低压下工作的具有较快编程速度的新的非平面的flash memory单元结构,该结构采用简单的叠栅结构并只需增加一步光刻制做出这一新的沟道结构.对于栅长为1.2μm flash单元,获得了在Vg＝15V,Vd＝5V条件下编程时间为42μs,在Vg＝-5V,Vs＝8V条件下的擦除时间为24ms的高性能flash单元,这一新结构的编程速度比普通平面型快闪存储器要快很多.这种新结构flash单元在高速应用场合下具有很好的应用前景.     

Low Voltage Flash Memory Cells Using SiGe Quantum Dots for Enhancing F-N Tunneling

提出了一种用于半导体闪速存储器单元的新的Si/SiGe量子点/隧穿氧化层/多晶硅栅多层结构,该结构可以实现增强F-N隧穿的编程和擦除机制.模拟结果表明该结构具有高速和高可靠性的优点.测试结果表明该结构的工作电压比传统NAND结构的存储器单元降低了4V.采用该结构能够实现高速、低功耗和高可靠性的半导体闪速存储器.     

Device characteristics of 0.35 μm P-channel DINOR flash memoryusing band-to-band tunneling-induced hot electron (BBHE)programming

The P-channel DINOR flash memory, which uses the band-to-band tunneling induced hot electron (BBHE) program method having the advantages of high scalability, high efficiency, and high oxide reliability, was fabricated by 0.35-μm-rule CMOS process and was investigated in detail. An ultra-high programming throughput of less than 8 ns/byte (=4 μs/512 byte) and a low current consumption of less than 250 μA were achieved by utilizing 512-byte parallel programming. Furthermore, we investigated its endurance characteristics up to 10⁶ program/erase cycles, and window narrowing and G_m degradation were found to be very small even after 10⁶ cycles. It is thought that the BBHE injection point contributes to the G _m stability and the oxide-damage-reduced operation contributes to the good window narrowing characteristics. The P-channel DINOR flash memory realizing high programming throughput with low power consumption is one of the strongest candidates for the next generation of high-performance, low-voltage flash memories     

快闪器件研究

快闪存储器由于其所具有的非挥发电可编程和片擦除特性,在嵌入式应用中有望取代SRAM、DRAM以及磁性存储器,并愈来愈受到重视,产品的市场占有率稳步上升,近10年来发展迅速。随着嵌入式系统和移动设备的发展以及集成电路特征尺寸的进一步缩小,在现有基础上对嵌入式存储器又提出了新的要求,主要有两条:更低的工作电压和更快的擦写速度。为满足这些要求,国际上在快闪存储器单元结构和相应的工艺实现方法上开展了大量的工作。对快闪存储器结构方面的研究进行了综述,以利于国内同行对该领域及快闪存储器的机理和研究方向有一个较全面的了解。     

闪存在嵌入式Linux系统中的应用

在深入分析各种闪存及相关文件系统特点的基础上,针对实际系统中对闪存的不同使用需求,采取不同的应用方案：通过启动加载程序直接读／写,通过Linux系统中的文件系统读／写和跳过文件系统通过底层操作函数读／写,获得了较好的性能和较好的可靠性。对生产过程中的程序代码和数据写入实现了一定程度的自动化,对于类似系统有一定的借鉴意义。     

采用源极增强带带隧穿热电子注入编程的新型p沟选择分裂位线NOR快闪存贮器

提出一种新型的PMOS选择分裂位线NOR结构快闪存贮器,具有高编程速度、低编程电压、低功耗、高访问速度和高可靠性等优点.该结构采用源极增强带带隧穿热电子注入进行编程,当子位线宽度为128位时,位线漏电只有3.5μA左右,每位编程功耗为16.5μW,注入系数为4×10-4,编程速度可达20μs,存贮管的读电流可达60μA/μm以上.分裂位线结构和低编程电压使得该结构具有很好的抗位线串扰特性和可靠性.     

采用源极增强带带隧穿热电子注入编程的新型p沟选择分裂位线NOR快闪存贮器

提出一种新型的PMOS选择分裂位线NOR结构快闪存贮器,具有高编程速度、低编程电压、低功耗、高访问速度和高可靠性等优点.该结构采用源极增强带带隧穿热电子注入进行编程,当子位线宽度为128位时,位线漏电只有3.5μA左右,每位编程功耗为16.5μW,注入系数为4×10-4,编程速度可达20μs,存贮管的读电流可达60μA/μm以上.分裂位线结构和低编程电压使得该结构具有很好的抗位线串扰特性和可靠性.     

A 3.3 V 32 Mb NAND flash memory with incremental step pulseprogramming scheme

While the performance of flash memory exceeds hard disk drives in almost every category, the cost of flash memory must come down in order to gain wider acceptance in mass storage applications. This paper describes a 3.3 V-only 32 Mb NAND flash memory that achieves not only high performance but also low cost with a 94.9 mm² die size, improved yields, and a simple process with 0.5 μm CMOS technology. Die size is reduced by eliminating high voltage operation on the bitlines through a self boosted program inhibit voltage generation scheme. Incremental-step-pulse programming results in a 2.3 MB/s program data rate as well as improved process variation tolerance. Interleaved data paths and a boosted wordline results in a 25 ns burst cycle time and a 24 MB/s read data rate. Maximum operating current is less than 8 mA     

Quick address detection of anomalous memory cells in a flash memorytest structure

A novel scheme for quick address detection of anomalous memory cells having the highest and lowest threshold voltages in a flash memory test structure is described. A test structure with a large memory cell array has been developed to evaluate reliability of flash memory cells before fabrication of a new generation of flash memory devices. In this test structure, each terminal branch of a tree-structured column selector is connected to each bitline of the array. And a simple threshold voltage distribution monitor circuit (VTDM) which we have already proposed is connected to the other end of the bitlines. A proposed Multi-Address Scanning Scheme (MASS) is performed by the tree-structured column selector with monitoring the output of VTDM. The detection time has been reduced to 1.12% in the case of 2048 columns. This novel scheme is suitable for performing reliability tests, such as program/erase endurance test and data retention test     

A 70 nm 16 Gb 16-Level-Cell NAND flash Memory

A 16 Gb 16-level-cell (16LC) NAND flash memory using 70 nm design rule has been developed . This 16LC NAND flash memory can store 4 bits in a cell which enabled double bit density comparing to 4-level-cell (4LC) NAND flash, and quadruple bit density comparing to single-bit (SLC) NAND flash memory with the same design rule. New programming method suppresses the floating gate coupling effect and enabled the narrow distribution for 16LC. The cache-program function can be achievable without any additional latches. Optimization of programming sequence achieves 0.62 MB/s programming throughput. This 16-level NAND flash memory technology reduces the cost per bit and improves the memory density even more.     

A low-voltage sense amplifier with two-stage operational amplifier clamping for flash memory

A low-voltage sense amplifier with reference current generator utilizing two-stage operational amplifier clamp structure for flash memory is presented in this paper, capable of operating with minimum supply voltage at 1 V. A new reference current generation circuit composed of a reference cell and a two-stage operational amplifier clamping the drain pole of the reference cell is used to generate the reference current, which avoids the threshold limitation caused by current mirror transistor in the traditional sense amplifier. A novel reference voltage generation circuit using dummy bit-line structure without pull-down current is also adopted, which not only improves the sense window enhancing read precision but also saves power consumption. The sense amplifier was implemented in a flash realized in 90 nm flash technology. Experimental results show the access time is 14.7 ns with power supply of 1.2 V and slow corner at 125 ℃.     

Program load adaptive voltage generator for flash memories

This paper describes a program load voltage generator for flash memories. It is based on an adaptive feedback loop which senses the current delivered to the memory cells during programming and adjusts the output voltage accordingly to compensate for the voltage drop caused by the programming current across the bit-line select transistors. The proposed circuit (silicon area=0.065 mm²) was integrated in a 0.8-μm CMOS 4 Mb flash memory device (0.6 μm in the matrix). Experimental evaluations showed that very effective compensation is achieved, with bit-line voltage kept at the desired value during the whole programming operation. A spread as small as 70 mV was measured between the single-bit and 16-b programming cases     

Constant-charge-injection programming: a novel high-speed programming method for multilevel flash memories

Constant-charge-injection programming (CCIP) has been proposed as a way to achieve high-speed multilevel programming in flash memories. In order to achieve high programming throughput in multilevel flash memory, programming method must provide: 1) high-speed cell-programming; 2) high programming efficiency; and 3) highly uniform programming characteristics. Conventional source-side channel-hot-electron injection (SSI) programming realizes both fast cell-programming and high programming efficiency, but the large cell-to-cell variation in programming speed with SSI is a problem. CCIP reduces the characteristic variation of SSI programming and satisfies all of the above requirements. By applying CCIP to 2-bit/cell AG-AND flash memory, the high programming throughput of 10.3 MB/s is obtained with no area penalty. This is 1.8 times faster than the throughput with conventional SSI programming.     

A dual-page programming scheme for high-speed multigigabit-scaleNAND flash memories

To realize a low-cost and high-speed programming NAND flash memory, a new programming scheme, a “dual-page programming scheme,” has been proposed. This architecture drastically increases the program throughput without circuit area overhead. In the proposed scheme, two memory cells are programmed at the same time using only one page buffer. Therefore, the page size, i.e., the number of memory cells programmed simultaneously, is doubled and the program speed is improved. As the number of page buffers required in the proposed scheme is the same as that in the conventional one, there is no circuit area increase. This novel operation is made possible by using a bitline as a dynamic latch to temporarily store the program data. As a result, the programming is accelerated by 73% in a 1-Gb generation and 62% in a 4-Gb generation, 18.2-MB/s 1-Gb or 30.7-MB/s 4-Gb NAND flash memory can be realized with this new architecture     

用分离栅极闪存单元实现可编程逻辑阵列

我们开发了一种新型可配置逻辑阵列测试结构,它采用高度可伸缩且兼具功耗低和配置时间短两大优势的第3代分离栅极闪存单元。此分离栅极Super Flash配置元件(SCE)已通过90nm嵌入式闪存技术进行了演示。得到的SCE消除了对深奥的制造工艺、检测和SRAM电路的需求,并缩短了可编程阵列(PA)(例如,FPGA和CPLD)的配置时间。此外,SCE本身还具有SST分离栅极闪存技术的优点,包括紧凑的区域、低电压读操作、低功耗多晶硅间(pol y-t o-pol y)擦除、源极侧通道热电子(SSCHE)注入编程机制以及超高的可靠性。