Method of eliminating drift in phase-change memory

1. A method of operating an electrically programmable, phase-change memory element, said memory element programmable to a plurality of resistance states, said method comprising the step of:

applying an electrical signal to said memory element, said electrical signal being insufficient to change the ratio of the volume of crystalline material to the volume of amorphous material of said memory element, said electrical signal sufficient to cause a voltage across said memory element having a magnitude which is greater than or equal to the magnitude of the threshold voltage of said memory element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electrical signal is from a current source.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electrical signal is from a voltage source.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electrical signal causes a current through memory element, said current having a magnitude less than about one-third the magnitude of current needed to program said memory element to said any other of said resistance states.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electrical signal causes a current through said memory element, said current having a magnitude less than one-third the magnitude of a current needed to program said memory element to its low resistance state.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said phase-change element comprises at least one chalcogen element.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electrical signal is in the form of a pulse.

8. A method of reading an electrically programmable, phase-change memory element, said method comprising the steps of:

applying a first electrical signal to said memory element, said first electrical signal causing a first voltage across said memory element, said first voltage having a magnitude greater than or equal to the magnitude of the threshold voltage of said memory element; and

applying a second electrical signal to said memory element, said second electrical signal causing a second voltage across said memory element, said second voltage having a magnitude less than the magnitude of the threshold voltage of said memory element.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said first electrical signal is insufficient to program said memory element from any one of its resistance states to any other of its resistance states.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein said first electrical signal causes a first current through said memory element, said first current having a magnitude less than one-third the magnitude of the current needed to program said memory element said any other of said resistance states.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein said first electrical signal is from a current source.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein said second electrical signal is from a current source.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein said first electrical signal is from a voltage source.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein said second electrical signal is from a current source.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein said first electrical signal is in the form of a pulse.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein said second electrical signal is in the form of a pulse.

17. The method of claim 8 , wherein the duration of said second electrical signal is less than the duration of said first electrical signal.

18. The method of claim 8 , wherein said first electrical signal and said second electrical signal are separated by a time period.

19. The method of claim 8 , wherein said phase-change memory element comprises at least one chalcogen element.

20. A method of operating an electrically programmable, phase-change memory element, said memory element programmable to a plurality of resistance states, said method comprising the step of:

applying an electrical signal to said memory element, said electrical signal being insufficient to change the ratio of the volume of crystalline material to the volume of amorphous material of said memory element, said electrical signal sufficient to switch said memory element from its OFF state to its ON state.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said phase change element includes at least one chalcogen element.

22. A method of operating an electrically programmable, phase-change memory element including a phase-change material, comprising:

applying an electrical signal to said memory element, said electrical signal sufficient to cause a voltage across said memory element having a magnitude which is greater than or equal to the magnitude of the threshold voltage of said memory element, said electrical signal insufficient to change the structural state of said phase-change material.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein said phase-change material comprises a chalcogen element.