TY - GEN
T1 - Sneak-path testing of memristor-based memories
AU - Kannan, Sachhidh
AU - Rajendran, Jeyavijayan
AU - Karri, Ramesh
AU - Sinanoglu, Ozgur
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Memristors are an attractive option for use in future memory architectures due to their non-volatility, low power operation and compactness. Notwithstanding these advantages, memristors and memristor-based memories are prone to high defect densities due to the non-deterministic nature of nanoscale fabrication. As a first step, we will examine the defect mechanisms in memristors and develop efficient fault models. Next, the memory subsystem has to be tested. The typical approach to testing a memory subsystem entails testing one memory element at a time. This is time consuming and does not scale for dense, memristor-based memories. We propose an efficient testing technique to test memristor-based memories. The proposed scheme uses sneak-paths inherent in crossbar memories to test multiple memristors at the same time and thereby reduces the test time by ∼32%.
AB - Memristors are an attractive option for use in future memory architectures due to their non-volatility, low power operation and compactness. Notwithstanding these advantages, memristors and memristor-based memories are prone to high defect densities due to the non-deterministic nature of nanoscale fabrication. As a first step, we will examine the defect mechanisms in memristors and develop efficient fault models. Next, the memory subsystem has to be tested. The typical approach to testing a memory subsystem entails testing one memory element at a time. This is time consuming and does not scale for dense, memristor-based memories. We propose an efficient testing technique to test memristor-based memories. The proposed scheme uses sneak-paths inherent in crossbar memories to test multiple memristors at the same time and thereby reduces the test time by ∼32%.
KW - Emerging memory technologies
KW - Fault modeling
KW - Memory testing
KW - Metal-oxide memristors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84875597204&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84875597204&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/VLSID.2013.219
DO - 10.1109/VLSID.2013.219
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84875597204
SN - 9780769548890
T3 - Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on VLSI Design
SP - 386
EP - 391
BT - Proceedings - 26th International Conference on VLSI Design, VLSID 2013 - Concurrently with 12th International Conference on Embedded Systems Design, ES 2013
T2 - 2013 26th International Conference on VLSI Design, VLSID 2013 and 12th International Conference on Embedded Systems, ES 2013
Y2 - 5 January 2013 through 10 January 2013
ER -