Patent ID: 8467239

Claim:
A method comprising: initializing a phase change memory (PCM) storage element to a low resistance (set) state, wherein the PCM storage element in the set state comprises an amorphous volume of phase change material; resetting the PCM storage element to a high resistance (reset) state with a low energy reset pulse, wherein the low energy reset pulse does not melt a significant portion of the amorphous volume of phase change material in the PCM storage element; setting the PCM storage element to the low resistance (set) state using a low energy set pulse after the PCM storage element has been reset, wherein the PCM storage element in the set state comprises an amorphous volume of phase change material; and applying a high energy reset pulse to the PCM storage element to reset the PCM storage element to the reset state after a predetermined number of low energy reset and low energy set pulses have been applied to the PCM storage element, wherein the high energy reset pulse melts a significant portion of the phase change material in the PCM storage element.