Technical data

Module 13
SPGU Control and Applications
13-24
Cycles
10
0
10
1
10
5
10
4
10
3
10
2
10
6
Write/
Program
Erase
Vth (V)
(*1) Id(on) and Id(off)
are measured as well.
(*2) Id(on), Id(off) and
sub-threshold swing (S-
factor) are measured as
well.
Next burst test
Start
Measure Vth (*1)
i <= 10^6
End
Burst Write/Erase Test
Measure Vth (*2)
Erase
T
F
Initial Write/Erase Test
Write
1 million Write/Erase cycle test
Flash Memory – Endurance Test
Endurance test is a kind of reliability tests. Repetitive write (program) and erase pulses are applied
to the cell and the Vth of the cell is monitored after certain number of pulses are applied. This test
is important because the flash memory is used for the data and file storage application. Then the
failure rate must be less than one percent for one million write/erase cycles. Therefore, for device
development, the endurance test is the critical test to make sure that the durability of the cell can
meet the target.
When measuring characteristics after certain number of write-erase cycling, Id(on) and Id(off) are
measured besides Vth depending on the cell type. In case of the cell types which use the F-N
tunneling between substrate and floating gate, sub-threshold swing is also measured after erasing
the cell.