US 2014/0229774 A1 · APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING AN OPERATING CONDITION OF A MEMORY CELL BASED ON CYCLE INFORMATION

Abstract

A method populates a parameter set for dynamically adjusting an operating condition in a memory block of a non-volatile memory circuit. A desired condition limit is identified, and a first parameter is computed as a function of a first memory operation to be performed on the memory block. The first parameter is included in a parameter set, and the memory block is cycled until the operating condition reaches the desired condition limit. After cycling, a second parameter is determined as a function of a second memory operation to be performed on the memory block, and the second parameter is included in the parameter set. The steps of cycling, and determining and the including the second parameter may be repeated until a desired number of cycles/parameters are reached. A retention bake may also be performed on the memory circuit, and a bit error rate resulting from a read operation verified.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for populating a parameter set for dynamically adjusting an operating condition in a memory block of a non-volatile memory circuit, comprising:

identifying a desired condition limit;
computing a first parameter as a function of a first memory operation to be performed on the memory block, the operating condition being a function of the parameter;
including the first parameter in the parameter set;
cycling the memory block until the operating condition reaches the desired condition limit;
determining after the cycling a second parameter as a function of a second memory operation to be performed on the memory block;
including the second parameter in the parameter set;
repeating the cycling and the determining and the including the second parameter steps until a desired number of cycles is reached;
performing a retention bake on the memory circuit;
performing a read operation on the memory block;
and
verifying a bit error rate resulting from the read operation does not exceed a desired error rate.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for determining an operating condition of a memory cell based on cycle information

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for determining an operating condition of a memory cell based on cycle information

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20