Study of hot-electron assisted programming for split-page 3D vertical gate (VG) NAND flash

A 3D NAND test chip is fabricated to study hot-electron assisted programming. By modifying the local self-boosting method, channel potential is locally boosted, resulting in a large lateral electric field and in turn producing band-to-band tunneling generated hot-electron injection around the selected WL. The hot-electron assisted programming can greatly reduce the maximum programming bias and improve the programming speed. However, hot-electron programming also causes new program disturb modes, and the programming speed depends on the WL location. These are studied in detail.