11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pre-program and pre-program-verify operations during the pre-program phase comprise: programming the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to a first pre-program level; verifying the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to a first pre-program-verify level (PV 1 A); programming the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to a second pre-program level; verifying the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to a second pre-program-verify level (PV 2 A); programming the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to third pre-program level; and verifying the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to a third pre-program-verify level (PV 3 A).
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pre-program and pre-program-verify operations during the pre-program phase comprise: programming the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to a first pre-program level; verifying the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to a first pre-program-verify level (PV 1 A); programming the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to a second pre-program level; verifying the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to a second pre-program-verify level (PV 2 A); programming the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to third pre-program level; and verifying the plurality of charge trapping cells along the word line to a third pre-program-verify level (PV 3 A). 13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first pre-program-verify level is less than the second pre-program-verify level, and the second pre-program-verify level is less than the third pre-program-verify level.