| CPC G11C 16/102 (2013.01) [G11C 16/08 (2013.01); G11C 16/3459 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |

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1. A method for programming a memory device comprising memory cells and a word line coupled to a memory cell, the method comprising:
performing a programming operation on the memory cell using incremental step pulse programming (ISPP), comprising:
applying one or more first voltage steps to the word line using a first step value to increase a threshold voltage of the memory cell toward a programming state;
determining a quantity of memory cells that have a threshold voltage between first and second verification voltages, wherein the second verification voltage is less than the first verification voltage and outside of a range of threshold voltages corresponding to the programming state;
determining a step adjustment value based on the determining of the quantity; and
adjusting the first step value using the step adjustment value.
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