Patent ID: 8611148

Claim:
A method for operating a non-volatile storage system, comprising: performing one portion of a programming operation for programming storage elements in a group of non-volatile storage elements formed on a substrate to a plurality of different programmed states, in which a first storage element reaches an associated target programmed data state, a second storage element remains in an erased state, and a third storage element is programmed toward, but does not reach, an associated target programmed data state; and performing a subsequent portion of the programming operation which includes performing a programming iteration in which, before applying a program pulse to the group of non-volatile storage elements: the first storage element is locked out from further programming, a first channel region of the substrate which is associated with the first storage element is boosted to a first level, and a second channel region of the substrate which is associated with the second storage element is boosted to a second level, higher than the first level.