Testbench on a Chip: A Yield Test Vehicle for Resistive Memory Devices

Luke R. Upton, Guénolé Lallement, Michael D. Scott, Joyce Taylor, Robert M. Radway, Dennis Rich, Mark Nelson, Subhasish Mitra, Boris Murmann

Abstract: Many emerging resistive memory characterization efforts are constrained to small-batch, device-level studies due to a lack of test structure read/write bandwidth. To address this issue, we present a Yield Test Vehicle (YTV) for characterizing resistive RAM (RRAM) at the array level in SkyWater’s 130 nm technology. The YTV provides 16-bit word read/write access with 7 bits (3.3 µS - 425 µS) of linear reference conductance range, and an onboard controller prevents excessive cell writes responsible for yield deterioration. The 100 mm² YTV die has an aggregate 8.8 Mb capacity and operates at a clock frequency of up to 50 MHz. The readout’s wide input conductance dynamic range and modular peripheral circuit design allow rapid adaptation for characterizing other resistive memory technologies.