Prognostic methodology for remaining useful life estimation of retention loss in nanoscale resistive switching memory

• Published in: Microelectronics and reliability Vol. 54; no. 9-10; pp. 1729 - 1734
• Main Authors: Raghavan, Nagarajan, Frey, Daniel D., Pey, Kin Leong
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Data storage; Density; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Devices; Diffusion; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Indicators; Integrated circuits; Integrated circuits by function (including memories and processors); Ion migration; Magnetic and optical mass memories; Memory devices; Molecular electronics, nanoelectronics; Nanostructure; Noise; Power spectral density; Resistance switching; Retention loss; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Slopes; Storage and reproduction of information; Power spectral density; Resistance switching; Ion migration; Diffusion; Noise; Retention loss; Defect density; Memory devices; Random access memory; Durability; Frequency domain method; Failures; Nanoelectronics; Degradation; Ion mobility; Non volatile memory; Integrated circuit; Electrical conductivity transitions; Reliability; Damaging
• ISSN: 0026-2714; 1872-941X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2014.07.072

Noise is a key indicator of the physical phenomenon underlying device operation, defect density and degradation trends. The analysis of noise in the frequency domain and the exponent (value of slope, α on logarithmic scale) of the power spectral density (PSD) can provide useful insight on the operating and failure mechanism of any device/system. We shall use this noise as a prognostic indicator to detect the instant at which the retention loss of a non-volatile memory device begins to occur. A qualitative perspective to prognostic management of a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device is provided in this work. Our method of detecting retention loss involves the unique observation of a slope of α=3/2, which arises due to diffusion or ionic migration phenomenon.