One of the major concerns for the feasibility of phase-change memories is the reduction of the programming current. To this aim, several efforts have been dedicated both on cell geometry and on material engineering. This paper addresses programming-current minimization by the optimization of the cell geometry and materials, programming-current scaling, and the tradeoff between programming and readout performances of the cell. A general procedure to find the optimum-cell geometry is proposed and applied to a prototype vertical cell. Then, the evolution of program and read performances through technology nodes is analyzed by numerical simulations with the aid of an analytical model, for both the isotropic- and nonisotropic-scaling approaches. The two scaling approaches are discussed and compared in terms of program and read cell performances. Finally, material optimization is considered for further program-read improvement.
Modeling of programming and read performance in phase-change memories - Part I: cell optimization and scaling
RUSSO, UGO;IELMINI, DANIELE;REDAELLI, ANDREA;LACAITA, ANDREA LEONARDO
2008-01-01
Abstract
One of the major concerns for the feasibility of phase-change memories is the reduction of the programming current. To this aim, several efforts have been dedicated both on cell geometry and on material engineering. This paper addresses programming-current minimization by the optimization of the cell geometry and materials, programming-current scaling, and the tradeoff between programming and readout performances of the cell. A general procedure to find the optimum-cell geometry is proposed and applied to a prototype vertical cell. Then, the evolution of program and read performances through technology nodes is analyzed by numerical simulations with the aid of an analytical model, for both the isotropic- and nonisotropic-scaling approaches. The two scaling approaches are discussed and compared in terms of program and read cell performances. Finally, material optimization is considered for further program-read improvement.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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