Disclosed herein are memory devices comprising a plurality of memory cells
to which a standby voltage is to be supplied during standby mode to avoid
loss of data, and methods of operating said memory devices, the methods
comprising: (a) determining an actual value of a bit integrity parameter
of the memory cells; (b) comparing said actual value with a predetermined
minimal value of the bit integrity parameter which takes into account
possible variations in cell properties as a result of process variations;
and (c) adjusting the standby voltage towards a more optimal value based
on the result of the comparison in such a way that said bit integrity
parameter determined for said more optimal value of the standby voltage
approaches the predetermined minimal value. The circuitry for measuring
the bit integrity parameter preferably comprises a plurality of replica
test cells which are added to the memory matrix.