Phase-Change Memory: A Continuous Multilevel Compact Model of Subthreshold Conduction and Threshold Switching

Corentin Pigot (1, 2) , Fabien Gilibert (2) , Marina Reyboz (3) , Marc Bocquet (1) , Paola Zuliani (3) , Jean-Michel Portal (1)

1 IM2NP - Institut des Matériaux, de Microélectronique et des Nanosciences de Provence
2 ST-CROLLES - STMicroelectronics [Crolles]
3 CEA-LETI - Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives - Laboratoire d'Electronique et de Technologie de l'Information

A Phase-Change Memory (PCM) compact modeling of the threshold switching based on a thermal runaway in Poole-Frenkel conduction is proposed. Although this approach is often used in physical models, this is the first time it is implemented in a compact model. The model accuracy is validated through a good correlation between simulations and experimental data collected on a PCM cell embedded in a 90nm technology. A wide range of intermediate states is measured and accurately modeled with a single set of parameters , allowing multilevel programing. A good convergence is exhibited even in snapback simulation thanks to this fully continuous approach. Moreover, threshold properties extractions indicate a thermally enhanced switching, which validates the ground hypothesis of the model. Finally, it is shown that this model is compliant with a new drift-resilient cell-state metric. Once enriched with a phase transition module, this compact model is ready to be implemented in circuit simulators.

Domaines: Micro et nanotechnologies/Microélectronique

Corentin Pigot, Fabien Gilibert, Marina Reyboz, Marc Bocquet, Paola Zuliani, et al.. Phase-Change Memory: A Continuous Multilevel Compact Model of Subthreshold Conduction and Threshold Switching. Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, inPress, 57 (4S), ⟨10.7567/JJAP.57.04FE13⟩. ⟨hal-01737915⟩