| abstract |
In a non-volatile memory, the initiation of program verification is adaptively set so that programming time is decreased. In one approach, non-volatile storage elements are programmed based on a lower page of data to have a voltage threshold (V TH ) that falls within a first V TH distribution or a higher, intermediate V TH distribution. Subsequently, the non-volatile storage elements with the first V TH distribution either remain there, or are programmed to a second V TH distribution, based on an upper page of data. The non-volatile storage elements with the intermediate V TH distribution are programmed to third and fourth V TH distributions. The non-volatile storage elements being programmed to the third V TH distribution are specially identified and tracked. Verification of the non-volatile storage elements being programmed to the fourth V TH distribution is initiated after one of the identified non-volatile storage elements transitions to the third V TH distribution from the intermediate V TH distribution. |