Set-sweep programming pulse for phase-change memories

Author

Bedeschi, F. ; Boffmo, C. ; Bonizzoni, E. ; Resta, C. ; Torelli, G. ; Zella, D.

Author_Institution

Memory Product Group, STMicroelectronics, Agrate Brianza

fYear

2006

fDate

21-24 May 2006

Lastpage

970

Abstract

This paper presents a non-conventional program pulse approach for phase-change memories (PCMs). The cell programming curve is experimentally evaluated and discussed. The proposed set-sweep program pulse allows compensating for spreads in cell physical parameters. This ensures a better SET condition for marginal cells and adequately narrow SET distributions, which results in improved read margin. Experimental results have been collected from a 8-Mb BJT-selected PCM demonstrator. The effectiveness of the proposed program pulse has been proved by comparing cell distributions obtained on the whole array by means of a conventional SET box and a set-sweep program pulse, respectively

Keywords

phase changing circuits; random-access storage; 8 Mbit; BJT-selected PCM demonstrator; SET condition; SET distributions; cell distributions; cell physical parameters; cell programming curve; phase-change memories; program pulse; read margin; set-sweep programming pulse; Amorphous materials; Cooling; Crystalline materials; Crystallization; Impedance; Phase change materials; Phase change memory; Switches; Temperature distribution; Thin film transistors;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Circuits and Systems, 2006. ISCAS 2006. Proceedings. 2006 IEEE International Symposium on

Conference_Location

Island of Kos

Print_ISBN

0-7803-9389-9

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ISCAS.2006.1692748

Filename

1692748