Non-volatile memory with predictive programming

US8243520B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

• Nigel Chan · Sunnyvale, US
• Wolf Allers · Munich, DE
• Michael Bollu · Munich, DE
• Dimitri Lebedev · Dachau, DE
• Jan Otterstedt · Unterhaching, DE
• Christian Peters · Mountain View, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 2, 2009
• Grant date: Aug 14, 2012
• Expiry date: Sep 4, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G11C16/06
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method of operating an integrated circuit includes applying at least one first programming pulse to a plurality of non-volatile memory cells to adjust a level of a storage parameter of each of the non-volatile memory cells, the at least one first programming pulse defined by a plurality of pulse parameters each having a fixed valued, and determining a fail count by measuring the number of non-volatile memory cells of the plurality of non-volatile memory cells having a storage parameter level exceeding a verify level. The method further includes determining a change in an programming behavior of the plurality of non-volatile memory cells based on the fail count, adjusting a value of at least one pulse parameter of at least one second programming pulse defined by the plurality of pulse parameters to a desired value based on the change in programming behavior, and applying the at least one second programming pulse to the plurality non-volatile memory cells.