Work

Using Dynamic Allocation of Write Voltage to Extend Flash Memory Lifetime

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: The read channel of a Flash memory cell degrades after repetitive program and erase (P/E) operations. This degradation is often modeled as a function of the number of P/E cycles. In contrast, this paper models the degradation as a function of the cumulative effect of the charge written and erased from the cell. Based on this modeling approach, this paper dynamically allocates voltage using lower voltage write thresholds at the beginning of the device lifetime and increasing the thresholds as needed to maintain the mutual information of the read channel in the face of degradation. This paper introduces the technique in an idealized setting and then removes ideal assumptions about channel knowledge and available voltage resolution to conclude with a practical scheme with performance close to that of the idealized setting.

Source: IEEE Transactions on Communications

DOI: 10.1109/tcomm.2016.2607707

Authors: Haobo Wang, Nathan Wong, Tsung-Yi Chen, Richard D. Wesel

Institutions: University of California, Los Angeles, Samsung Semiconductor (United States), Fair Isaac Corporation (United States)

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Data Storage Technologies

Subfield: Computer Networks and Communications

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, Western Digital

Award: Collaborative Research: Code Design and Analysis to Approach Capacity with Short Blocklengths Using Feedback