Tunable high speed pulse generator for phase change memory (PCM) / Rosalena Irma Alip ...[et al.]

This project presents a model representation of
storing data in a Phase Change Memory (PCM) using a high
speed pulse generator. PCM is considered to be one of the
promising candidate for the next generation memory device.
Phase-change material, the chalcogenide alloys will be used to
fabricate the memory layer of the PCM. A pulse generator is
needed to induce pulses into the memory layer, for the switching
process. Conventional pulse generator is quite large in size and it
is difficult to control the exact value of pulse that being induced,
due to the internal resistance of the connection. To overcome this
problem, an integrated tuneable high speed pulse generator is
needed. A tunable high speed pulse generator was designed by
varying the RC circuit to have adjustable pulse width. The EDA
Tools such as Mentor Graphics will be used to design the
schematics and layouts. The tunable high speed pulse generator was designed by using 0.13µm technology. Pulse width from the
integrated pulse generator ranging from 100µs – 100ns was
induced to the PCM in order to give supply to PCM. To monitor
the switching process, PCM will be connected to a simple output
circuit. When the memory layer is successfully changes into
crystalline phase, the LED will be ‘ON’ because of the current
flow. When the memory is erased, which is when it changes back
to the amorphous phase the LED will be ‘OFF’, since there will be no current flow due to the high resistance of the amorphous phase.
As a conclusion, the project present an integrated circuit that
helps PCM to switch phases from amorphous phase to crystalline
phase or vice versa at high speed, in order to fulfill the demand of a high speed memory.