Semiconductor memory device and operating method thereof

摘要

A semiconductor memory device and the operating method thereof use a low pass voltage to boost a channel of unselected cell strings during a program operation, and boost the channel of the cell string by using the GIDL phenomenon, thereby reducing a disturbance influence on the memory cells connected to the unselected cell strings due to a high pass voltage.

主权项

1. A semiconductor memory device, comprising:
a memory cell array including cell strings, each including word lines stacked on a substrate and a vertical channel layer formed to penetrate the word lines, wherein two or more of the cell strings are connected to a single bit line through a selection transistor; a peripheral circuit for programming a selected memory cell; and a control circuit for controlling the peripheral circuit to perform a multi-stepwise boosting process at channels of unselected cell strings to be not programmed during a program operation, wherein the multi-stepwise boosting process includes:
a primary boosting process, including boosting channels of the unselected cell strings by applying a pass voltage to the word lines when drain selection transistors of the unselected cell strings are turned off, anda secondary boosting process, including boosting the channels of the unselected cell strings by using a gate induced drain leakage (GIDL) phenomenon occurring between the turned-off drain selection transistors and the bit line when a first voltage is applied to the bit line.