Patent ID: 9336892
Filing Date: 2016-05-10
CPC Classification: G11C

Claim Text:
1. A method for sensing in a memory device, comprising: applying a demarcation voltage to a selected word line among a plurality of word lines in the memory device, wherein: while the demarcation voltage is applied to the selected word line, a read pass voltage which is higher than the demarcation voltage is applied to unselected word lines among the plurality of word lines, a respective turn-on voltage is applied to the selected source-side select gate line, and a respective turn-on voltage is applied to the selected drain-side select gate line, determining whether the selected memory cell is in a conductive state; increasing a voltage of the selected word line from the demarcation voltage to an elevated level, the elevated level is within a +/−20% range of the read pass voltage; concurrently ramping down word line voltages, the concurrently ramping down of the word line voltages comprises ramping down a voltage of the selected word line from the elevated level to a respective steady state voltage and ramping down a voltage of the unselected word lines from the read pass voltage to a respective steady state voltage, while a respective turn-off voltage is applied to the selected source-side select gate line; ramping down a voltage of the selected source-side select gate line from the respective turn-on voltage to a respective turn-off voltage after the determining whether the selected memory cell is in the conductive state and before the concurrently ramping down of the word line voltages; and ramping down a voltage of the selected drain-side select gate line from the respective turn-on voltage to a respective turn-off voltage.