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US 7,254,056 B2Granted
Apparatus for optically pre-programming electrically-programmable phase-change memory devices
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorPeter Nangle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an embodiment, a phase change non-volatile memory includes a number of memory cells. The memory cells include a phase change material which may transition between two memory states. The phase change material has different electrical properties in different states. The memory cells may be electrically addressable and include a transistor in each cell to electrically read and write data to the cell. An energy beam may be used to pre-program the device by heating selected memory cells, and consequently changing the state of the phase change material.
Claims8
Apparatus comprising:
- an energy source operative to generate an optically focused energy beam;
- electrically-programmable phase change memory device comprising a plurality of memory cells and a circuit coupled to said plurality of memory cells to electrically read and write to at least a plurality of said memory cells;
- and
- a scanning controller operative to pre-program said memory device by causing the energy beam to scan a pattern over the memory device.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.