16869424

Paragraph Number

131

A program storage operation changes a media characteristic, e.g., threshold voltage, of the memory cells to a different state to represent a programmed condition. By setting the media characteristic to one of a plurality of different states according to a particular encoding, multiple bits may be stored in a single memory cell. With NAND memory cells, the program operation changes the threshold voltage to a threshold voltage between two read levels. For example, in one embodiment, a program operation may program certain memory cells to an H memory state by changing the threshold voltage to a level between read level H 420 and read level I 422. In certain embodiments, additional thresholds may be used, including a programming level, a program verify level, and the like.

Added by DJM 12 2021