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Algorithms to Survive: Programming Operation in Non-Volatile Memories

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In Search of the Next Memory

Abstract

Non-Volatile memories offer the possibility to maintain the stored digital information over years without a power supply. This requires programming mechanisms that physically modify the memory cell: this physical alteration must be “hard” in order to guarantee the non-volatility of the stored information. We could say that, in general, the harder it is to intentionally modify the cell, the better is the data retention over time.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The achievable resolution is in practice worse due to non-idealities in program and verify operations [5].

  2. 2.

    Another SET programming approach consists of heating the active GST up to its melting point and then cooling it down slowly to the normal operating temperature, so as to enable crystallization in an ordered structure. An implementation of this approach (staircase-down SET programming) will be discussed in Sect. 3.2.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank all the people, the companies, and the institutions, too numerous to list, who have contributed to their research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Alessandro Cabrini & Guido Torelli

  2. imec, Leuven, Belgium

    Andrea Fantini

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  1. Alessandro Cabrini
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  2. Andrea Fantini
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Correspondence to Alessandro Cabrini .

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  1. Milan, Italy

    Roberto Gastaldi

  2. ST Microelectronics , Milan, Italy

    Giovanni Campardo

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Cabrini, A., Fantini, A., Torelli, G. (2017). Algorithms to Survive: Programming Operation in Non-Volatile Memories. In: Gastaldi, R., Campardo, G. (eds) In Search of the Next Memory. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47724-4_7

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