Short-Flow Compatible Wafer-Level Reliability Assessment and Monitoring for PCM Embedded Non-Volatile Memory

Meindert Lunenborg, Tomasz Brozek, Laura Lorenzi, Christoph Dolainsky, Violet Liu, Xiaoyi Feng

Abstract: In this paper, we present newly developed, short-flow compatible, Phase-Change Memory (PCM) single bit cell monitors and their characterization, including wafer level reliability assessment through endurance cycling. The bit cells were embedded in specially designed mini-arrays based on the designs of 28nm FDSOI technology. Fast, highly parallel test with a proprietary test system and characterization with a range of optimized programming parameters was performed on PCM bit cells with different cell architectures and layout factors. Cell degradation including endurance cycling up to 10 million cycles was demonstrated for both short-flow and full-flow vehicles. In addition, the single bit structures were used in scribe-line monitors for WAT screening in the production environment.