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Fault model and test procedure for phase change memory

Fault model and test procedure for phase change memory

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Chalcogenide-based phase change memory (PCM) is a type of non-volatile memory that will most likely replace the currently widespread flash memory. Current research on PCM targets the integration feasibility, as well as the reliability of such memory technology into the currently used complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. Such studies identified special failure modes, known as disturbs, as well as other PCM specific faults. In this study, the authors identify these failures, analyse their behaviours and develop fault primitives/models that describe these faults accurately and effectively. In addition, the authors propose an efficient test algorithm, called March-PCM, to test for these faults and compare its performance to some previously developed test algorithms.

Inspec keywords: CMOS memory circuits; integrated circuit testing; flash memories; fault diagnosis; integrated circuit reliability; phase change memories

Other keywords: CMOS; fault primitives; flash memory; test procedure; complementary metal oxide semiconductor process; March-PCM; chalcogenide-based phase change memory; nonvolatile memory; fault model

Subjects: Semiconductor storage; Memory circuits; Reliability; CMOS integrated circuits; Semiconductor integrated circuit design, layout, modelling and testing

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