Sub-Nanosecond Pulses Enable Partial Reset for Analog Phase Change Memory

Keren Stern; Nicolas Wainstein; Yair Keller; Christopher M. Neumann; Eric Pop; Shahar Kvatinsky; Eilam Yalon

doi:10.1109/LED.2021.3094765

Sub-Nanosecond Pulses Enable Partial Reset for Analog Phase Change Memory

Keren Stern, Nicolas Wainstein, Yair Keller, Christopher M. Neumann, Eric Pop, Shahar Kvatinsky, Eilam Yalon

Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

A key bottleneck in using phase change memory (PCM) for training artificial neural networks is the abrupt nature of the melt-quench process (amorphization), which does not allow gradual reset. Here we demonstrate analog reset (partial amorphization) in PCM by applying sub-nanosecond programming pulses. Intermediate-level reset states are enabled by reducing the pulse width below the dominant thermal time constant of the PCM, which is on the order of a few nanoseconds. We show gradual change in PCM resistance as a function of number of (sub-ns) reset pulses with 50 intermediate states. Our unique scheme allows fine-tuning the resistance with sub-ns pulses of constant amplitude, which can significantly reduce the programming complexity in training neuromorphic hardware.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1291-1294
Number of pages	4
Journal	IEEE Electron Device Letters
Volume	42
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/LED.2021.3094765
State	Published - 1 Sep 2021

Keywords

Analog PCM
Crystallization
Electrical resistance measurement
Multi-level PCM
Neuromorphic Devices
Neuromorphics
Partial Reset
Phase change materials
Resistance
Resistance Drift
Sub-ns Pulses
Temperature measurement
Transmission line measurements

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1109/LED.2021.3094765

Cite this

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title = "Sub-Nanosecond Pulses Enable Partial Reset for Analog Phase Change Memory",

abstract = "A key bottleneck in using phase change memory (PCM) for training artificial neural networks is the abrupt nature of the melt-quench process (amorphization), which does not allow gradual reset. Here we demonstrate analog reset (partial amorphization) in PCM by applying sub-nanosecond programming pulses. Intermediate-level reset states are enabled by reducing the pulse width below the dominant thermal time constant of the PCM, which is on the order of a few nanoseconds. We show gradual change in PCM resistance as a function of number of (sub-ns) reset pulses with 50 intermediate states. Our unique scheme allows fine-tuning the resistance with sub-ns pulses of constant amplitude, which can significantly reduce the programming complexity in training neuromorphic hardware.",

keywords = "Analog PCM, Crystallization, Electrical resistance measurement, Multi-level PCM, Neuromorphic Devices, Neuromorphics, Partial Reset, Phase change materials, Resistance, Resistance Drift, Sub-ns Pulses, Temperature measurement, Transmission line measurements",

author = "Keren Stern and Nicolas Wainstein and Yair Keller and Neumann, \{Christopher M.\} and Eric Pop and Shahar Kvatinsky and Eilam Yalon",

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doi = "10.1109/LED.2021.3094765",

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AU - Stern, Keren

AU - Wainstein, Nicolas

AU - Keller, Yair

AU - Neumann, Christopher M.

AU - Pop, Eric

AU - Kvatinsky, Shahar

AU - Yalon, Eilam

N1 - Publisher Copyright: IEEE

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N2 - A key bottleneck in using phase change memory (PCM) for training artificial neural networks is the abrupt nature of the melt-quench process (amorphization), which does not allow gradual reset. Here we demonstrate analog reset (partial amorphization) in PCM by applying sub-nanosecond programming pulses. Intermediate-level reset states are enabled by reducing the pulse width below the dominant thermal time constant of the PCM, which is on the order of a few nanoseconds. We show gradual change in PCM resistance as a function of number of (sub-ns) reset pulses with 50 intermediate states. Our unique scheme allows fine-tuning the resistance with sub-ns pulses of constant amplitude, which can significantly reduce the programming complexity in training neuromorphic hardware.

AB - A key bottleneck in using phase change memory (PCM) for training artificial neural networks is the abrupt nature of the melt-quench process (amorphization), which does not allow gradual reset. Here we demonstrate analog reset (partial amorphization) in PCM by applying sub-nanosecond programming pulses. Intermediate-level reset states are enabled by reducing the pulse width below the dominant thermal time constant of the PCM, which is on the order of a few nanoseconds. We show gradual change in PCM resistance as a function of number of (sub-ns) reset pulses with 50 intermediate states. Our unique scheme allows fine-tuning the resistance with sub-ns pulses of constant amplitude, which can significantly reduce the programming complexity in training neuromorphic hardware.

KW - Analog PCM

KW - Crystallization

KW - Electrical resistance measurement

KW - Multi-level PCM

KW - Neuromorphic Devices

KW - Neuromorphics

KW - Partial Reset

KW - Phase change materials

KW - Resistance

KW - Resistance Drift

KW - Sub-ns Pulses

KW - Temperature measurement

KW - Transmission line measurements

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DO - 10.1109/LED.2021.3094765

M3 - مقالة

SN - 0741-3106

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SP - 1291

EP - 1294

JO - IEEE Electron Device Letters

JF - IEEE Electron Device Letters

IS - 9

ER -

Sub-Nanosecond Pulses Enable Partial Reset for Analog Phase Change Memory

Abstract

Keywords

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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