Abstract
In the frame of power electronics applications, the request for smart and reconfigurable devices is pushing integration technologies in the direction of embedded systems. In this scenario, microcontrollers play a key role, and the availability of embedded non-volatile memory (eNVM) to store the microcontroller code has become crucial to enable real-time customization and increase system flexibility. Among emerging NVMs, phase change technology is becoming a very attractive solution for the development of applications for smart power and automotive markets. In this paper, a 32-KB embedded phase change memory (ePCM) designed and manufactured in 0.11- $\mu \text{m}$ smart power BCD technology with a specifically optimized Ge-rich Ge-Sb-Te (GST) alloy (supply voltage = 1.8 V) is presented. Thanks to the use of a differential sensing scheme, the proposed ePCM features 18-ns random access time with improved robustness against resistance drift. The word modify time under 32-cell programming parallelism was kept as low as 20 $\mu \text{s}$ , thanks to enhanced programming circuits. The size of the 32-KB eNVM is about 0.7 mm2.
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