Testing non-volatile memories

• US 10,614,903 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2016
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Christensen, Jeffrey W., Christensen, Phillip E., Miller, Robert S., Reuter, Matthew S., Sater, Antoine G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britt, Cynthia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gandhi, Dipakkumar B
• Application Number:
  US15/212,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20180019022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/00 Erasable programmable read-only memories G11C14/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/36 Data generation devices, e.g. data inverters
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/38 Response verification devices
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/44 Indication or identification of errors, e.g. for repair

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes receiving probability distribution function (PDF) data corresponding to bit-error-rate (BER) data for each of a plurality of data blocks within a qualified set of NVRAMS, collecting non-exhaustive bit-error-rate data for each of the data blocks on a tested NVRAM to produce non-exhaustive test data for each of the data blocks, determining a plurality of stable data blocks on the tested NVRAM based on the non-exhaustive test data and the probability distribution function data for each of the data blocks, determining, from the non-exhaustive test data, an inferior data block for the stable data blocks on the tested NVRAM, collecting exhaustive bit-error-rate data on the inferior data block to produce exhaustive test data for the tested NVRAM, and routing the tested NVRAM according to the exhaustive test data. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method, executed by one or more processors, for testing non-volatile random access memories (NVRAMS), the method comprising:

receiving probability distribution function data corresponding to bit-error-rate data for each of a plurality of data blocks within a qualified set of NVRAMS;

collecting non-exhaustive bit-error-rate data for each of the plurality of data blocks on a tested NVRAM to produce non-exhaustive test data for each of the plurality of data blocks;

tracking a growth in unstable data blocks over a plurality of testing cycles in conjunction with collecting the non-exhaustive bit-error-rate data to produce unstable data block projections for the tested NVRAM;

determining whether a number of unstable data blocks of the unstable data block projections exceeds a selected threshold;

in response to determining that the number of unstable data blocks of the unstable data block projections does not exceed the selected threshold, determining a plurality of stable data blocks on the tested NVRAM based on whether the non-exhaustive test data matches the probability distribution function data for each of the plurality of data blocks according to a chi-squared test;

determining, from the non-exhaustive test data, an inferior data block for the plurality of stable data blocks on the tested NVRAM;

collecting exhaustive bit-error-rate data on the inferior data block to produce exhaustive test data for the tested NVRAM, wherein collecting exhaustive bit-error-rate data comprises end-of-life testing in conjunction with manufacturing the tested NVRAM and prior to integration of the tested NVRAM within a computing system; and

processing the tested NVRAM according to the exhaustive test data, wherein the tested NVRAM is tagged and assigned to a group of a set of groups based on the collected exhaustive bit-error-rate data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the exhaustive test data comprises bit-error-rate trend data for the inferior data block.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, from the non-exhaustive test data, a superior data block for the plurality of stable data blocks on the tested NVRAM.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the superior data block is a best data block and the inferior data block is a worst data block.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the exhaustive test data comprises bit-error-rate data for the superior data block.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking comprises mapping the unstable data blocks on the tested NVRAM.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stable data blocks have a bit-error-rate that is below a selected percentile.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the qualified set of NVRAMS comprises NVRAMS that have passed a qualification test.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising conducting redundant read operations to determine a read failure rate.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of groups includes a scrap group, a rework group, an acceptable quality group, and an exceptional quality group.

11. A computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media, which are not transitory propagating signals per se, and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising instructions executable by a computer to perform;

receiving probability distribution function data corresponding to bit-error-rate data for each of a plurality of data blocks within a qualified set of NVRAMS;

collecting non-exhaustive bit-error-rate data for each of the plurality of data blocks on a tested NVRAM to produce non-exhaustive test data for each of the plurality of data blocks;

tracking a growth in unstable data blocks over a plurality of testing cycles in conjunction with collecting the non-exhaustive bit-error-rate data to produce unstable data block projections for the tested NVRAM;

determining whether a number of unstable data blocks of the unstable data block projections exceeds a selected threshold;

in response to determining that the number of unstable data blocks of the unstable data block projections does not exceed the selected threshold, determining a plurality of stable data blocks on the tested NVRAM based on whether the non-exhaustive test data matches the probability distribution function data for each of the plurality of data blocks according to a chi-squared test;

determining, from the non-exhaustive test data, an inferior data block for the plurality of stable data blocks on the tested NVRAM;

collecting exhaustive bit-error-rate data on the inferior data block to produce exhaustive test data for the tested NVRAM, wherein collecting exhaustive bit-error-rate data comprises end-of-life testing in conjunction with manufacturing the tested NVRAM and prior to integration of the tested NVRAM within a computing system; and

processing the tested NVRAM according to the exhaustive test data, wherein the tested NVRAM is tagged and assigned to a group of a set of groups based on the collected exhaustive bit-error-rate data.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the exhaustive test data comprises bit-error-rate trend data for the inferior data block.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising determining, from the non-exhaustive test data, a superior data block for the plurality of stable data blocks on the tested NVRAM.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the superior data block is a best data block and the inferior data block is a worst data block.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the exhaustive test data comprises bit-error-rate data for the superior data block.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein tracking comprises mapping the unstable data blocks on the tested NVRAM.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the set of groups includes a scrap group, a rework group, an acceptable quality group, and an exceptional quality group.

18. A computer system comprising:

one or more computers;

one or more computer readable storage media, which are not transitory propagating signals per se, and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the computers, the program instructions comprising instructions executable by a computer to perform;

receiving probability distribution function data corresponding to bit-error-rate data for each of a plurality of data blocks within a qualified set of NVRAMS;

collecting non-exhaustive bit-error-rate data for each of the plurality of data blocks on a tested NVRAM to produce non-exhaustive test data for each of the plurality of data blocks;

tracking a growth in unstable data blocks over a plurality of testing cycles in conjunction with collecting the non-exhaustive bit-error-rate data to produce unstable data block projections for the tested NVRAM;

determining whether a number of unstable data blocks of the unstable data block projections exceeds a selected threshold;

in response to determining that the number of unstable data blocks of the unstable data block projections does not exceed the selected threshold, determining a plurality of stable data blocks on the tested NVRAM based on whether the non-exhaustive test data matches the probability distribution function data for each of the plurality of data blocks according to a chi-squared test;

determining, from the non-exhaustive test data, an inferior data block for the plurality of stable data blocks on the tested NVRAM;

collecting exhaustive bit-error-rate data on the inferior data block to produce exhaustive test data for the tested NVRAM, wherein collecting exhaustive bit-error-rate data comprises end-of-life testing in conjunction with manufacturing the tested NVRAM and prior to integration of the tested NVRAM within a computing system; and

processing the tested NVRAM according to the exhaustive test data, wherein the tested NVRAM is tagged and assigned to a group of a set of groups based on the collected exhaustive bit-error-rate data.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the set of groups includes a scrap group, a rework group, an acceptable quality group, and an exceptional quality group.