Method of operating an electrically programmable memory cell with a chalcogenide for multi-level data storage

A controller for operating an electrically programmable memory cell having a chalcogenide for multi-level data storage, wherein the controller is configured to:

• provide a pulse signal associated with a first predetermined temperature level to the memory cell to adjust a resistance state according to the first predetermined temperature level;
• and
• provide a pulse signal associated with a second predetermined temperature level to the memory cell to reset resistance drift in the chalcogenide that has occurred since the providing the pulse signal associated with the first predetermined temperature level,
• wherein the first and second predetermined temperature levels are each greater than a glass transition temperature of the chalcogenide and the second predetermined temperature level is lower than the melting temperature of the chalcogenide.

A data storage for multi-level applications comprising an electrically programmable memory cell having a chalcogenide and the data storage has a controller configured to:

• provide a pulse signal associated with a first predetermined temperature level to the memory cell to adjust a resistance state according to the first predetermined temperature level;
• and
• provide a pulse signal associated with a second predetermined temperature level to the memory cell to reset resistance drift in the chalcogenide that has occurred since the providing the pulse signal associated with the first predetermined temperature level,
• wherein the first and second predetermined temperature levels are each greater than a glass transition temperature of the chalcogenide and the second predetermined temperature level is lower than the melting temperature of the chalcogenide.