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     

Circuit techniques for a 1.8-V-only NAND flash memory

Focusing on internal high-voltage (V_pp) switching and generation for low-voltage NAND flash memories, this paper describes a V _(pp) switch, row decoder, and charge-pump circuit. The proposed nMOS V_pp switch is composed of only intrinsic high-voltage transistors without channel implantation, which realizes both reduction of the minimum operating voltage and elimination of the V _pp leakage current. The proposed row decoder scheme is described in which all blocks are in selected state in standby so as to prevent standby current from flowing through the proposed V_pp switches in the row decoder. A merged charge-pump scheme generates a plurality of voltage levels with an individually optimized efficiency, which reduces circuit area in comparison with the conventional scheme that requires a separate charge-pump circuit for each voltage level. The proposed circuits were implemented on an experimental NAND flash memory. The charge pump and V_pp switch successfully operated at a supply voltage of 1.8 V with a standby current of 10 μA. The proposed pump scheme reduced the area required for charge-pump circuits by 40%     

NAND flash memory technology utilizing fringing electric field

In this review article, basic properties of NAND flash memory cell strings which consist of cells with virtual source/drain (S/D) (or without S/D) were discussed. The virtual S/D concept has advantages of better scalability, less cell fluctuation due to effectively longer channel length at the same technology node, and less program disturbance. The fringing electric field from the control-gate and/or the floating-gate is essential to induce the virtual S/D (charges) in the space region of the body between control-gates and becomes effective as cell size shrinks. A cell string consisting of planar channel silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) cells formed in bulk Si substrate needs to have a bit-line body doping of ～5 × 10¹⁷ cm^?3 in the channel and a less doping in the space region to keep high bit-line read current. The floating gate (FG) flash memory cell string gives larger bit-line current compared to that of SONOS flash memory cell string at given similar body doping. Non-planar channel cells like arch and fin-type body structures were more effective to focus the fringing electric field on the space region. The virtual S/D concept is also useful in 3-dimensional (3-D) stacked NAND flash memory where thin film (or nanowire, nanotube) body is adopted.     

Probability-based static wear-leveling algorithm for block and hybrid-mapping NAND flash memory

Owing to its desirable characteristics, flash memory has become attractive to different hardware vendors as a primary choice for data storage. However, because of a limited number of block-erase lifecycles, it has become mandatory to redesign the existing approaches to maximize the flash memory lifetime. Wear-leveling is a mechanism that helps to evenly distribute erase operations to all blocks and enhance lifetime. This research proposes probability-based static wear-leveling. Based on the Markov Chain theory, the future state depends on the present state. Mapping is implemented according to the present visit probability of each logical block in the next state. In each state, the wear-leveling distribution is computed using the standard deviation to determine whether it exceeds the threshold. If it does exceed the threshold, wear-leveling is maintained throughout all blocks in the flash memory by swapping the hot blocks with cold blocks. Using real system-based traces, we have proved that our proposal outperforms the existing design in terms of wear-leveling.     

Effects of floating-gate interference on NAND flash memory celloperation

Introduced the concept of floating-gate interference in flash memory cells for the first time. The floating-gate interference causes V _T shift of a cell proportional to the V_T change of the adjacent cells. It results from capacitive coupling via parasitic capacitors around the floating gate. The coupling ratio defined in the previous works should be modified to include the floating-gate interference. In a 0.12-μm design-rule NAND flash cell, the floating-gate interference corresponds to about 0.2 V shift in multilevel cell operation. Furthermore, the adjacent word-line voltages affect the programming speed via parasitic capacitors     

发展3D NAND闪存的意义

首届IC咖啡国际智慧科技产业峰会于2017年1月14日在上海召开,长江存储集团公司CEO杨士宁介绍了对存储器市场的看法,及选择3D NAND闪存作为主打产品的战略思考.     

一种基于NAND闪存高效的页面替换算法

针对不同NAND闪存读写操作成本比例的不同,提出一种具有高效页面替换功能的EPRA算法。在内存中,每个受害者候选页被分成固定数量的闪存页面。EPRA给每个受害者候选页分配权重值,在选择与修改页面时对权重进行调节,从候选页中选择具有最小权重值的页面作为受害者页。EPRA算法把受害者页中分为热的闪存页和冷的闪存页,并把这些数据写到NAND闪存中不同空闲的块中。仿真实验结果表明,EPRA算法使用在不同种类的NAND闪存中时,性能优于现有的页面替换算法。     

Data retention characteristics of sub-100 nm NAND flash memory cells

In contrast to the conventional theories, we have revealed that the most distinguished mechanism in the data retention phenomenon after Fowler-Nordheim (FN) stress in sub-100 nm NAND Flash memory cells is the annihilation of interface states. Interface state generation rate increases rapidly as the channel width of NAND flash cell decreases. Comparison of interface states and stress-induced leakage current (SILC) component during retention mode shows that the annihilation of interface states strongly affects data retention characteristics of the programmed cells.     

A 144-Mb, eight-level NAND flash memory with optimized pulsewidthprogramming

We report a fast-programming, compact sense and latch (SL) circuit to realize an eight-level NAND flash memory. Fast programming is achieved by supplying optimized voltage and pulsewidth to the bit lines, according to the programming data. As a result, all data programming is completed almost simultaneously, and 0.67-MB/s program throughput, which is 1.7 times faster than conventional program throughput, is achieved. The compact layout of the SL circuit is made possible by four 3-bit latches sharing one unit of the read/verify control circuit. Using these techniques, we fabricated a 144-Mb, eight-level NAND flash memory using a 0.35-μm CMOS process, resulting in a 104.2-mm² die size and a 1.05-μm² effective cell size     

Design methodology of a robust ESD protection circuit for STIprocess 256 Mb NAND flash memory

With the use of a device simulator, we show that an ESD protection circuit whose junction filled with contacts is suited to a scaled STI process having thin n^- junction with n⁺ being implanted from contact holes. We have confirmed by measurements that the protection has sufficient robustness     

A 90-nm CMOS 1.8-V 2-Gb NAND flash memory for mass storage applications

A 1.8-V 2-Gb NAND flash memory has been successfully developed on a 90-nm CMOS STI process technology, resulting in a 141-mm/sup 2/ die size and a 0.044-/spl mu/m/sup 2/ effective cell. For the higher level integration, critical layers are patterned with KrF photolithography. The device has three notable differences from previous generations. 1) The cells are organized in a single (16K+512) column and 128K row array by adopting a one-sided row decoder in order to minimize the die size. 2) The bitline precharge level is set to 0.9 V in order to increase on-cell current. 3) During the program operations, the string select line, which connects the NAND cell strings to the bitlines, is biased with sub-V/sub CC/ in order to avoid program disturbance issues.     

高容量移动应用的NOR闪存和NAND闪存

高速数据传输网络和多媒体服务的大量部署使得具有更大的存储量成为新型手机和3G手机共有的要素。这些手机的存储量有望超过1Gb,而低端3G手机的存储能力将军少是32Mb。     

A quick intelligent page-programming architecture and a shieldedbitline sensing method for 3 V-only NAND flash memory

This paper describes a quick intelligent page-programming architecture with a newly introduced intelligent verify circuit for 3 V-only NAND flash memories. The new verify circuit, which is composed of only two transistors, results in a simple intelligent program algorithm for 3 V-only operation and a reduction of the program time to 56%. This paper also describes a shielded bitline sensing method to reduce a bitline-bitline capacitive coupling noise from 700 mV to 35 mV. The large 700 mV noise without the shielded bitline architecture is mainly caused by the NAND-type cell array structure. A 3 V-only experimental NAND flash memory, developed in a 0.7-μm NAND flash memory process technology, demonstrates that the programmed threshold voltages are controlled between 0.4 V and 1.8 V by the new verify circuit. The shielded bitline sensing method realizes a 2.5-μs random access time with a 2.7-V power supply. The page-programming is completed after the 40-μs program and 2.8-μs verify read cycle is iterated 4 times. The block-erasing time is 10 ms     

NAND和NOR flash技术设计师在使用闪存时需要慎重选择

NOR和NAND是现在市场上两种主要的非易失闪存技术。Intel于1988年首先开发出NOR flash技术,彻底改变了原先由EPROM和EEPROM一统天下的局面。紧接着,1989年,东芝公司发表了NAND flash结构,强调降低每比特的成本,更高的性能,并且象磁盘一样可以通过接口轻松升级。但是经过了十多年之后,仍然有相当多的硬件工程师分不清NOR和NAND闪存。 相“flash存储器”经常可以与相“NOR存储器”互换使用。许多业内人士也搞不清楚NAND闪存技术相对于NOR技术的优越之处,因为大多数情况下闪存只是用来存储少量的代码,这时NOR闪存更适合一些。而NAND则是高数据存储密度的理想解决方案。     

Stacked-nanowire device with virtual source/drain (SD-VSD) for 3D NAND flash memory application

A new stacked-nanowire device is proposed for 3-dimensional (3D) NAND flash memory application. Two single-crystalline Si nanowires are stacked in vertical direction using epitaxially grown SiGe/Si/SiGe/Si/SiGe layers on a Si substrate. Damascene gate process is adopted to make the gate-all-around (GAA) cell structure. Next to the gate, side-gate is made and device characteristics are controlled by the side-gate operations. By forming the virtual source/drain using the fringing field from the side-gate, short channel effect is effectively suppressed. Array design is also investigated for 3D NAND flash memory application.     

A dual-mode NAND flash memory: 1-Gb multilevel and high-performance512-Mb single-level modes

A 116.7-mm² NAND flash memory having two modes, 1-Gb multilevel program cell (MLC) and high-performance 512-Mb single-level program cell (SLC) modes, is fabricated with a 0.15-μm CMOS technology. Utilizing simultaneous operation of four independent banks, the device achieves 1.6 and 6.9 MB/s program throughputs for MLC and SLC modes, respectively. The two-step bitline setup scheme suppresses the peak current below 60 mA. The wordline ramping technique avoids program disturbance. The SLC mode uses the 0.5-V incremental step pulse and self-boosting program inhibit scheme to achieve high program performance, and the MLC mode uses 0.15-V incremental step pulse and local self-boosting program inhibit scheme to tightly control the cell threshold voltage V_th distributions. With the small wordline and bitline pitches of 0.3-μm and 0.36-μm, respectively, the cell V_th shift due to the floating gate coupling is about 0.2 V. The read margins between adjacent two program states are optimized resulting in the nonuniform cell V_th distribution for MLC mode     

3D NAND flash memory with laterally-recessed channel (LRC) and connection gate architecture

A three-dimensional (3D) stacked bit-line NAND flash memory is investigated. The fabrication process flow for the formation of a laterally-recessed bit-line stack is described. Program operation is simulated using a stacked bit-line structure. Inter-layer interference (ILI) is addressed and the minimum isolation oxide thickness between stacked bit-lines is extracted. Simple device and array with the laterally-recessed bit-line stack are fabricated and electrical characteristics are measured. A new array architecture having a connection gate is designed for the 3D stacked bit-line NAND flash memory application.     

A simple and efficient self-limiting erase scheme for highperformance split-gate flash memory cells

This paper presents a fast self-limiting erase scheme for split-gate flash EEPROMs. In this technique the conventional erasing is rapidly followed by an efficient soft programming to correct for over-erase within the given voltage pulsewidth. The typical erasing time is about 400 ms and the final erased threshold voltage is accurately controlled via the base level read mode voltage within 0.3 V. The proposed scheme can he used for high throughput erasing in low voltage, high density, multilevel operation split-gate flash memory cells     

Energy-aware management of NAND type flash file system

An efficient means to reduce energy consumption for NAND flash memory is to decrease the erasing count in the file system. JFFS2 is open-source and a Linux flash file system. Based on JFFS2, allocation and erasing policies are proposed which can effectively reduce the erasing count to reach the energy-economic purpose. According to experimental results, the proposed methodology can reduce energy consumption to 49% JFFS2.