METHOD OF DRIVING NON-VOLATILE MEMORY ELEMENTS

摘要

Provided is a drive method for increasing the retention characteristics of information (resistance values) written to resistance-change non-volatile memory elements. Said method includes: a first write process (S01) that applies a first voltage having a first polarity to a resistance-change non-volatile memory element, thereby setting said element to a low-resistance state that represents a first logical state; a second write process (S02) that applies to the element a second voltage having a second polarity which differs from the first polarity, thereby setting the element to a first high-resistance state; and a write-back process (S05) that, after the second write process (S02), applies to the element a third voltage having the first polarity, thereby setting the element to a second high-resistance state that represents a second logical state which differs from the first logical state. The absolute value of the third voltage is lower than the absolute value of the first voltage. The resistance values, in ascending order, are: the resistance in the low-resistance state; the resistance in the second high-resistance state; and the resistance in the first high-resistance state.