Dave's PCF WIP: Terms

Term #1,296

Edit Term

bad word line

View List Terms Delete

Claim Term

Application

App Docket

Created Date

Full Desc

"Bad word line" refers to a word line that is not available for use to read or write data to storages cells, memory cells of the word line. A bad word line may refer to a single physical word line (a physical page) or a plurality of physical word lines (physical page), that together form a logical word line, logical page. Thus, depending on the context bad word line may refer to a bad physical page and/or bad logical page.There are a number of reasons, causes, or circumstances that may result in a word line being marked, tracked, or otherwise identified as a bad word line. For example, a word line may have an electrical short between a structure of the word line and another structure in a non-volatile memory array. In another example, the memory cells of a word line may be worn to the point that the word line can no longer be reliably used to store and read data. Said another way, a bad word line may have too many errors to be useable, or may have been retired from further use, or may have failed. Alternatively, or in addition, memory cells of a word line may have such poor performance that the word line can no longer be used and still need operating performance requirements or expectations.Bad word lines may be designated as such when a non-volatile memory array is manufactured and/or as word lines become bad word lines as the word lines are used. In certain embodiments,