Patent ID: 7907452
Filing Date: 2011-03-15
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A memory cell programming method of programming n-bit data in a memory cell having a plurality of threshold voltage distributions, the method comprising: performing first through m-th program operations on the memory cell, each of the first through m-th program operations including programming one of first through n-th bits of the n-bit data in the memory cell by applying one of first through m-th programming voltages to the memory cell; wherein a stabilization operation of applying a stabilization voltage having an electric field opposite in polarity to an electric field formed by applying the first through m-th programming voltages to the memory cell is performed after at least one of the first through m-th program operations, n being a natural number greater than 1, m being a non-zero natural number less than or equal to n, and wherein the stabilization operation is performed after each of programming voltages, from among the first through m-th programming voltages, that are greater than a reference value are applied to the memory cell, and the stabilization operation is not performed after programming voltages, from among the first through m-th programming voltages, that are not greater than the reference value are applied to the memory cell.