Cell performance recovery using cycling techniques
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsAlessandro Calderoni, Durai Vishak Nirmal Ramaswamy
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Abstract
Methods, systems, and devices for memory array operation are described. A series of pulses may be applied to a fatigued memory cell to improve performance of memory cell. For example, a ferroelectric memory cell may enter a fatigue state after a number of access operations are performed at an access rate. After the number of access operations have been performed at the access rate, a fatigue state of the ferroelectric memory cell may be identified and the series of pulses may be applied to the ferroelectric capacitor at a different (e.g., higher) rate. For instance, a delay between pulses of the series of pulses may be shorter than the delay between access operations of the ferroelectric memory cell.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- applying a plurality of access pulses to a memory cell in an operation state;
- calculating a remnant polarization level of the memory cell using the plurality of access pulses and an average delay between access operations, wherein the remnant polarization level corresponds to a reduced amount of charge capable of being retained by the memory cell with respect to a peak charge of the memory cell;
- and
- determining a fatigue state of the memory cell based at least in part on calculating the remnant polarization level of the memory cell.
A memory device, comprising:
- a memory array;
- and
- a controller in electronic communication with the memory array, wherein the controller is operable to:
- apply a plurality of access pulses to a memory cell of the memory array;
- calculating a remnant polarization level of the memory cell using the plurality of access pulses and an average delay between access operations, wherein the remnant polarization level corresponds to a reduced amount of charge capable of being retained by the memory cell based at least in part on a peak charge of the memory cell;
- and
- determine a fatigue state of the memory cell based at least in part on calculating the remnant polarization level of the memory cell.
An electronic memory apparatus, comprising:
- a memory cell;
- and
- a controller in electronic communication with the memory cell, wherein the controller is operable to:
- apply a plurality of access pulses to the memory cell;
- determine, based at least in part on a peak charge of the memory cell, a fatigue state of the memory cell after a polarity of a remnant polarization of the memory cell changes as a function of the plurality of access pulses and an average delay between access operations;
- apply a plurality of recovery pulses to the memory cell based at least in part on determining the fatigue state of the memory cell;
- determine that the remnant polarization of the memory cell satisfies a condition based at least in part on applying the plurality of recovery pulses to the memory cell;
- and
- terminate the plurality of recovery pulses based at least in part on determining the remnant polarization of the memory cell satisfies the condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.