MULTI-STAGE ERASE OPERATION OF MEMORY CELLS IN A MEMORY SUB-SYSTEM

Control logic in a memory device executes a programming operation to program a memory cell of a set of memory cells to a programming level. A first erase sub-operation is executed to erase the memory cell to a first threshold voltage level, the first erase sub-operation including applying, to the memory cell, a first erase pulse having a first erase voltage level. A second erase sub-operation is executed to erase the memory cell to a second threshold voltage level, the second erase sub-operation including applying, to the memory cell, a second erase pulse having a second erase voltage level, where the first erase voltage level of the first erase pulse is lower than the second erase voltage level of the second erase pulse.