In a method for reducing detrimental phenomena related to disturb voltages in a data storage apparatus employing passive matrix addressing, particularly a memory device or a sensor device, an application of electric potentials conforming to an addressing operation is generally controlled in a time-coordinated manner according to a
voltage pulse protocol. In an addressing operation a data
storage cell is set to a first polarization state by means of a first active
voltage pulse and then, dependent on the
voltage pulse protocol, a second
voltage pulse which may be a second active
voltage pulse of opposite polarity to that of the first
voltage pulse, is applied and used for switching the data
storage cell to a second polarization state. The addressed
cell is thus set to a predetermined polarization state as specified by the addressing operation. The data storage cells of the apparatus are provided in two or more electrically separated segments such that each segment comprises a separate
physical address space for the apparatus. In an addressing operation the data are directed to a segment that is selected based on information on prior and / or scheduled applications of active voltage pulses to the segments.