Patent ID: 8385100

Claim:
A method comprising: using a low-energy SET pulse to threshold an access device and write a phase change material in a PCM storage element of a phase change memory with switch (PCMS), wherein the low-energy SET pulse comprises a SET current that is significantly lower than that used for a phase change memory based on a resistive read scheme, wherein the PCM storage element comprises an amorphous volume after writing the phase change material, and wherein the low-energy SET pulse reduces a threshold voltage of the phase change material to enable a snap-back of a PCMS cell; and using a demarcation voltage to read the PCMS, wherein the low-energy SET pulse does not reduce an electrical resistance of the phase change material to a level involved with the resistive read scheme; wherein an electrical resistance of a SET state is 10-100 times higher than an electrical resistance of a SET state in a phase change memory based on the resistive read scheme.