Patent ID: 7924619

Claim:
A method of programming a selected memory cell of a NAND string of non-volatile memory cells where each memory cell is coupled to a word line, the method comprising: applying a programming voltage to a selected word line wherein the selected word line is coupled to the selected memory cell; applying a first pass voltage to a first set of word lines, wherein a first word line of the first set of word lines is adjacent to the selected word line and is interposed between the selected word line and a source line connection to the NAND string and a second word line of the first set of word lines is adjacent to the selected word line and is interposed between the selected word line and a bit line connection to the NAND string; applying a second pass voltage to a second set of word lines, wherein a first word line of the second set of word lines is adjacent to the first word line of the first set of word lines and is interposed between the first word line of the first set of word lines and the source line connection to the NAND string and a second word line of the second set of word lines is adjacent to the second word line of the first set of word lines and is interposed between the second word line of the first set of word lines and the bit line connection to the NAND string; and applying a third pass voltage to a third set of one or more word lines; wherein the first pass voltage is less than the programming voltage and where the first pass voltage is greater than the second pass voltage and the third pass voltage.