Performance evaluation of non volatile memories with a low cost and portable automatic test equipment

Abstract

This paper presents a versatile and portable test equipment, called portable ATE for research and development of non-volatile memories functionalities. The system is based on STM32-NUCLEO assembled with a custom designed daughter board, in order to host non-volatile memories test-chips, to manage the needed power supplies and generate suitable signals stimuli for correct operations. The system is controlled and programmed by a personal computer, via USB interface. In particular the system can perform: memory reading, writing and erasing, with settings flexibility on time and voltage levels; Electrical Stress Tests (Drain, Gate and Bulk Stress); Cycling Tests; debugging algorithms (erase or program with verify, refresh, etc....) thanks to tailored test programs running in the microcontroller. This system has already been used to achieve early stage characterization of STMicroelectronics memory test-chips described in this work and a lot of other appropriate combinations of the setting parameters are also available for future developments.