Word-oriented march test for RRAM-based automotive microcontroller memories

Automotive is an extremely complex field in which safety and performances must be perfectly synchronized. Nowadays electronic is the key to achieve the objective. In particular, micro- controllers, that are the core for ECUs, need to satisfy different features like low price, high reliability, high speed, power efficiency, and usage simplicity, that must match like a puzzle. Resistive random access memory (RRAM) is a promising emerging technology that offers high speed of write and readout, while ensuring no static power consumption, high reliability and cost saving. Thanks to these features, it can be a perfect replacement for the currently used Flash memory. Up to now, for embedded applications, NOR flash was used. Like many other mem- ory types, such as SRAM or DRAM, flash memory saves data through charge storage. RRAM is based on storing data in terms of resistance. A Conductive Filament (CF) can be formed or ruptured inside a metal oxide resulting in a Low Resistance State (LRS) and High Resistance State (HRS), respectively. New technology also means new unknowns and so, new challenges. In automotive it is funda- mental that everything works as expected and so zero fault tolerance is required. To achieve this goal, every device shall be tested before entering the market. Faults in RRAM can be different from those in flash, so a new evaluation is needed. Thanks to the intrinsic properties of this new technology, new test procedures can be explored, and one of them is the march test. It offers a high fault coverage while giving the possibility to highly customize the procedure. The goal of this work will be creating a march test that perfectly fits the needing of RRAM and then make a comparison with the actual test procedure to find out which one better serve for the scope.