16MB High Density Embedded PCM macrocell for automotive-grade microcontroller in 28nm FD-SOI, featuring extension to 24MB for Over-The-Air software update

Abstract

This paper proposes a 16MB e-NVM macrocell for automotive grade 0 microcontroller based on a PCM cell with a Bipolar Transistor (BJT) selector. The solution is developed in proprietary 28nm FD-SOI CMOS technology, with a Super-STI scheme that has enabled high dense e-NVM with 0.019µm2 cell size [1]. Macrocell organization offers the capability to be configured by application either for Over-The-Air (OTA) mode up to 24MB, or for 16MB extra reliability mode, with two cells per bit, still resulting in an extremely competitive equivalent bit-cell size (0.038µm2). Cell Mode configuration can be dynamically tuned, with a unique set of features for flexible assisted OTA software update. The integration of a 16MB PCM cell array, extensible up to 24MB, in an automotive grade product-like test vehicle chip is presented here as the evolution of the first Embedded PCM macrocell for automotive [2], complementing, the fulfillment of all criteria in the demanding automotive environment [3] [4].