Digital method to obtain the I-V curves of NVM bitcells

A memory device, comprising:

• a plurality of non-volatile memory bitcells arranged in an array of rows and columns;
• a calibration table memory storing a plurality of digital register settings corresponding to a plurality of reference current values;
• a reference current generator circuit for generating a selected reference current corresponding to a selected digital register setting from the calibration table memory;
• a gate voltage generator circuit for generating a plurality of sweeping gate voltages;
• a row decoder for applying the plurality of sweeping gate voltages to the selected non-volatile memory bitcell;
• and
• a sense amplifier circuit for comparing the selected reference current to a drain current generated by the selected non-volatile memory bitcell as the plurality of sweeping gate voltages are applied to the selected non-volatile memory bitcell until a transitioning gate voltage is identified.

A method for obtaining current-voltage curve data points for one or more non-volatile memory bitcells, comprising:

• generating a predetermined reference current;
• applying predetermined source and drain voltages to a selected non-volatile memory bitcell;
• applying a sweeping gate voltage to the selected non-volatile memory bitcell;
• comparing the predetermined reference current to a drain current generated by the selected non-volatile memory bitcell as the sweeping gate voltage is applied to the selected non-volatile memory bitcell until a transitioning gate voltage is identified;
• and
• outputting a current-voltage curve data point comprising a first value corresponding to the predetermined reference current and a second value corresponding to the transitioning gate voltage.