<<

1 ObservatoryNANO Briefing October 2010 SRAM DRAM price: and performance achieve sufficient to beused need rently availabletechnologies ofcur properties frommemoryandcombinations different motives. Eachofthesedevicesrequire applications,andauto industrial appliances, etc.), home (TVs,cameras, products consumer phones), asmobile devices(such lowed bycommunication tion areaformemorypr ments inthissector will enhancethe energy a singletechnologywillemergeastheunivers enhance theperformanceofcurrentdevicesbysca ogy is an integral part of emerging memory resear dataeven applications thatneedtoretainthe is average in termsofspeedandcost,Flas all oftherequiredproperties. provide technologies memory existing None ofthe Background marketis Currently, theIntegratedCircuit(IC) vice. ing memory devicescalled universalmemory aim Currently, threemaintypes ofmemo age suchas whencomputer programsarebein Memory isanintegralpart Flash memory gain groundinthesector. versal memoryandnanote offer novelfeaturesintraditio memory architecturesthatofferincreasedperf Developments inuniversalmemory with low power consumption. consumption. power with low performance veryhigh enables The structure are moreexpensiveandless densethanDRAM. cells memory forexample.The hard diskdrives theperformanceof memories forenhancing and inautomotives e.g. applications tion. from high powerconsump speed butsuffers low features low drives. It devices,andsolidstate drives, mobile storage applications; a 1

‐ (Static RAM) is the choice for embedded choiceforembedded RAM) is the (Static (Dynamic RAM) is the current choice for choicefor isthecurrent RAM) (Dynamic cost RAM. It is rather low cost and high lowcostandhigh Itisrather cost RAM. ‐ is the semiconductor solutionfor is thesemiconductor cost, very high density, and non and density, cost, very high oducts iscomputersfol ttractive for USB stick forUSBstick ttractive

chnology basedsolutionscouldprov of informationprocessingdevi The largestapplica nal productssuchascarsor BRIEFING No.4 devices may eventually lead to the introduction ofnovel devicesmayeventuallyleadtotheintroduction ry exist:SRAMoffersveryhi ICT ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ dominated byUSandAsia whenpowerisdisconnected.Agroupofemerg efficiency and performa h memory isalowcost, al memorytechnology; ormance, enablesmallermobiledevices,and g executedortextdocumentsare processed. switched off is power when even the retain they that is describedoffer technologies All the main for the coming 10 years; however, these however, these 10 years; coming main for the formance. densityandper memory tures toprovidehigher fea nanoscale exploiting benefitfrom this briefing in technologies considered Most ofthe needed. willbe nanoscale featuresofdifferentmaterials server orhigh tectures mobiledevices, for home and computing, archi currentmemory changethe to completely potential havethe technologies Universal memory Impacts

progress further. will existingtechnologies not beable 20nm) where (~16 range thesize we arenowapproaching law)but years (Moore’s everytwo approximately insize have halved circuits Features inintegrated cost, high the divisionbetweenlow likelythat features. Itis that offers technology all of these single leading consumption. power lower performance,highscalability, and read/write competitive price, higher to combineallthesefeaturesinasinglede ling thetechnologyfurther.Itisunlikelythat ch as itisbecomingincreasingly difficultto and isspeed. DRAM to SRAM volatility. Itsdisadvantagecompared ces and is needed forshort ces andisneeded ‐

speed, andnon domestic appliances.Nanotechnol

‐ . performance applications. performance applications.

ide anopportunity Other required features include include features Otherrequired gh speed atahigh cost,DRAM 2,3 New technologies, exploiting exploiting technologies, New nce ofmemorydevices. however, thedevelop basedcompanies.Uni low speedsolutionfor memory density, higher ‐ volatile storage willre volatile storage

Currently there is no Currentlythereisno forEuropeto non ‐ term stor ‐ volatility; volatility;

‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐

2 ObservatoryNANO Briefing October 2010 5% of the total market (Databeans, 2010). 5% ofthe totalmarket (Databeans, DRAMand Flashissaidtobe than thedominating other shareofmemory technologies The market 2015. billionin $99 will reach market memory the jects tor market($259B).Furthermore, Databeanspro semiconduc the Billion or22%oftheirestimate of for$57 market accounts memory the worldwide toDatabeans Inc., $300 Billionin 2010.According andthisfigureisexpectedtorise billion in2009 semiconductormarketwas$226 tion, theglobal Associa Industry theSemiconductor to According Economic/Industry performance. total slightly lower offer they if option even competitive them a memory the costs in total offer lower may proveto devices versal memory Uni performance. sufficient to provide technology require combinations of currently Most applications power consumption. with lower devices and miniature lightweight tomore willlead technologies universal memory information features forstoring Use resistive elements for storing information information storing for elements resistive Use features nanoscale utilising scalability High nano • • • • • • • • • • Medium nano Use magnetic elements for storing information information storing for elements magnetic Use technology traditional Low nano Box 1:Anumberofapproachesofferhigh Millipede memory memory Millipede Quantum dot RAM (QD RAM) RAM Nanoelectromechanical Carbon nanotube basedRAM Conductive Bridging RAM (CBRAM) RAM Bridging Conductive Resistive RAM Phase Magnetoresistive RAM Transfer Torque MRAM (STT MRAM Transfer Torque similar to Flash similar toFlash Ferroelectric RAM Ferroelectric SONOS memory Racetrack ‐ change RAM change speed non ‐ ‐ intensity technologies are similar to aresimilar technologies intensity intensity technologies use nanoscale nanoscale use technologies intensity 6 (Silicon ‐ intensity technologies offer high offer technologies intensity 3 (RRAM) ‐ ‐ 1 Oxide volatile storage (PCRAM) 1 DRAM, SRAMandFlash (FeRAM) (FeRAM)

ICT:

system thus making thusmaking system ‐ Nitride 1 (MRAM) andSpin 8 8

(NEMS RAM) and RAM) (NEMS and (CNT RAM) (CNT ‐ UNIVERSAL MEMORY MRAM) ‐ Oxide

The mo ‐ Silicon), Silicon), ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ hanced RAM, according to expert feedback. expert feedback. to according RAM, hanced but Freescale willsoonintroduce their but Freescale tion of introduc Largescale limits ofDRAM. down tothe least at scalable highly be to it indicate ments andthelatestachieve by MicronandSamsung,

of high performance non performance of high thegrowth thusdriving from memorytechnology These sectors requirenovel segment. features tothemobile powerconsumption nied withlow cloudcomputing and high performance accompa competitor. competitor. According to expert feedback expert to According to offer high performance non to offerhighperformance the potential to due inthefuture ory technologies mem foruniversal canbeprojected Huge growth Alliance. Global Semiconductor tothe according smartphones and computing cloud be in demandwill memory increase infuture The largest stable. to remain market isprojected thisthe but after to iSuppli lion by2011according DRAM isexpectedtogrow$10Bil and mobile ofFlash, consisting market,largely bile memory Technology readinesslevels

gration. 3Dinte potential for currently shows great RRAM say that hand, experts the other memories. On foruniversal demand decrease the Flash) and (DRAM and technologies to furtherscalecurrent itpossible maymake techniques in 3Dintegration development In additiontodistincttechnologies, isalsogiven. maturation or entry tomarket time estimation of nologies. An ofassessedtech scalabilityestimates the future Figure 1 greatest potential the but it mature itself isquite technology MRAM Basic limits. same scalability willprobablysuffer fromthe but thetechnology FeRAM’s scalability. and veryhighperformance potentially enables RAM CNT in used basedapproach nanotechnology market. The enterthe years forthetechnologyto may take10 built butit types havealreadybeen Someproto assess ifitisthemarket. able toreach to difficult is stageit development early due its RAM fullyunderstood. itisnotyet nism behind the mecha isthat ory butitsgreatestchallenge

STT scores highly in quantitative assessment but assessmentbut quantitative highly in scores QD RAM ‐

MRAM evolution MRAM illustrates technology readiness levels and readiness technology illustrates potential lies in its resemblance to DRAM DRAM resemblanceto inits potentiallies PCRAM will probably still take someyears willprobablystilltake of becoming the universal mem universal the of becoming is already in the market, sold isalreadyinthe ‐ . volatile memory. which is another serious which isanotherserious s greatest potential isin s greatestpotential ‐

volatile memory for volatile memoryfor 10 , RRAM has the the has RRAM QD en CNT CNT ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 3 ObservatoryNANO Briefing October 2010 of the universal memory technologies arepro memorytechnologies of theuniversal lowercosts.Sofarnone production volumesmean higher manufacturing, circuit allintegrated As with Challenges biotechnology. Emerging semiconductor technol semiconductor Emerging biotechnology. after R&D intensityscoreboard the EU second in ranks buttheindustry ischallenging, technology position insemiconductor competitive Europe's EU Competitiveposition consumption. less energy with tobe performed calculations plex more com enables rity, etc.)wherenovelmemory and sensors(medical,utilities,secu smart cards cards, SIM include Potential applicationareas need. themarket cannotsatisfy tional memories segmentwheretradi newmarket a completely w technology that thenew itismostlikely Flash). Duetothesechallenges, and (DRAM density memory and in and SRAM) a nologies incost(DRAM tech forthemtochallengeexisting still needed are developments technological market, significant memory technologieshavealreadyenteredthe most advancedemerging some ofthe though Even processes. existing CMOS ble with are notdirectlycompati technologies ing memory theemerg yield because able processeswithhigh majorchallengesinachievingreli tion. Thereare isalsoabigques readiness Manufacturing ties. proper allrequired thatwoulddeliver technology is nouniversalmemory there lenge ascurrently chal another significant maturityis Technological scalable. is asit used aslong be whichwill capacity, turing ofEurosin manufac turers haveinvestedbillions CurrentFlashmanufac byprice. Flash technology tocompete involumeshighenough with duced

Figure 1: Figure 1: Number: years to market entry / maturation entry /maturation market to years Number: experts to according potential Red color:highest (6 contributed ofexperts Circle size:number nd Flash), in speed (DRAM nd Flash),inspeed(DRAM Technology Readiness Levels for Technology Readiness Levelsfor ICT: ill first break throughin ill firstbreak Racetrack UNIVERSAL MEMORY QD RAM ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ RRAM European companies advantageandadded vide acompetitive age). Thisapplication (37%vs.17%onaver demand the semiconductor largepartof sector accountforaproportionally (53%) byAsia dominated 13% ofaworldwidemarket accounts for semiconductormarket European The up to 500 000 related jobs in Europe. relatedjobsin 500000 up to over115 tor industrysupports 000 directjobs and gies at the EU level. gies atthe keyenablingtechnolo considered as which areall andmicro nanotechnology, materials, ogy intersectsgreatlywithadvanced still developing embedded memory technologies. memory embedded still developing Altis,andInfineon are pean STMicroelectronics, organisations, andcompanies.Forinstance,Euro research stillexistsinuniversities, ory technologies onmem expertiseandIPR High panies currently. productsofferedbyEU alone memory nostand developments,thereare Due tothese owner. cial challenges also sufferedfromfinan has venture fineon joint 2009. AltisSemiconductor,aformerIBMandIn in forbankruptcy laterfiled they monda; however, divisiontoformQi itsmemory company from created aspinoff Infineon Micron. based sold toUS andIntel electronics andCrocus STMicro Semiconductor, Technology. Freescale AltisSemiconductor, Infineon, Numonyx, NXPsemiconductors, STMicroelectronics, include inEurope withfacilities Semiconductor companies 10% ofproduction. count foronly companiescurrentlyac EU basedsemiconductor sector. memory inthe particularly tion decreasing, to Europe’sshareofproduc last fewyears,leading the during greatly hasconsolidated The industry ‐ 41) Universal Memory technologies Universal Memorytechnologies 4 . In Europe, the automotive and industrial theautomotiveandindustrial . InEurope, CBRAM RAM CNT

and wassoldin2010toanew ‐ 4 5 owned Numonyx was recently was recently Numonyx owned ‐ Altogether, the semiconduc Altogether, . oriented approachcouldpro oriented SONOS

PCRAM FeRAM MRAM ‐ /nanoelectronics, /nanoelectronics, 5

‐ based com ‐ value for 7

‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 4 ObservatoryNANO Briefing October 2010 memory marketby revenue. whichisthelargest market, memory products todayonstandalone Asian andUScompanies dominance of demonstratesthe below The table Europe. ries in companies arestillfabricatingembeddedmemo and some inEurope departments based ment develop Micron, IBMandIntelhavetechnology • • • • • • • • tive and communications applications. tive andcommunications forindustrial, automo solutions nies developing compa industryand semiconductor the between increasingcollaboration could alsobeincreasedby ogy development include: ogy developmentinclude: technol projects formemory amples ofEUfunded Ex the EU. ties are,andhavebeen,undertakenin universi and projects involvingbothindustry ment Multiplecollaborativedevelop hofer inGermany. Belgium,CEA IMEC in include inEurope technologies universal memory on organisations andresearch Notable universities level playingfield. EU EU.Furthermore, the from bothcompaniesand significantinvestments shares. This would require gain market to them sal memory,mayenable univer including technologies, ing semiconductor the emerg therefore page)and table onprevious (see players European for difficult very would be market Flashand DRAM memory the Entering Company Total Other Nanya Micron Intel Hynix Elpida Toshiba Samsung ‐ wide collaboration is required to build a global aglobal to build isrequired collaboration wide FLEUR (FP6, 5.6M€, 2001 (FP6, 5.6M€, FLEUR NOSCE MEMORIAS(FP6,4.9M€,2004 4.6M€, 2006 EMMA (FP6, CAMELS (FP6,2.7M€,2005 9.6M€,2006 PROTEM (FP6, TRAMS (FP7,3.4M€, 2010 (FP7, 3.1M€,2010 MAGWIRE 2008 GOSSAMER (FP7,21.5M€,

Based ‐ ‐ TWN S .% 21.5% KOR 6.3% USA 9.1% 13.3% USA 12.0% JPN JPN 33.8% 35.4% KOR 38.5% 43 ilo $10.8billion $4.36billion 7.7% 0.3% 4 Europe’s stature in Europe’s memory

‐ LETI in France, and Fraun LETI inFrance, Flash Q1 ‐ ‐ 4.4% 17.7% ICT: 9

‐ ‐ 2004) 2004) ‐ 2009) 2012) ‐ ‐ ‐ 10 2008) 2010) UNIVERSAL MEMORY ‐ 2013)

‐ 2010) DRAM Q2 DRAM ‐ ‐

‐ 2007) 2007) ‐ 10 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐

www.isuppli.com/Memory Emerging Research Devices(2009) (2006) IEEE Circuits and DevicesMagazine,pp.12 (2006) IEEECircuits Possibilities BasedonNanoma andDevices,16(4),p.22,2000. IEEE Circuits 2004 tional ConferenceonMicroe • Tommi Ristinen, Tommi Ristinen, Contacts • • • • • Summary 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 References

Laura Kauhanen, Laura Kauhanen, EmbeddedFlash.htm Vendors (2009).http://www.memorystrategies.com/report/ Products and Technology, Applications, inLogic: Embedded Enabling Technologies(2010) forKey inEurope momentum & political economic the ing Memory Conference, 2010 Taiwan,March paperpresented attheGSA (2010)Invited Their Applications Emerging New Memories (2004) June 2006 www.eeca.eu/index.php/esia_home/en/ Flash and DRAM memorymarket data:http:// Emerging al: K.et Galatsis International: Non Memory Strategies M. H. White, D. Adams and J. EECA EECA Fazan P.:FutureRAMEmerging International TechnologyRoadmapforSemiconductors: G. Kim K.AndKoh Expert engagement andrevi embedded devices and . cloud and devices embedded especiallyin vide newapplicationpossibilities memory willpro concept ofuniversal and the technology Memory isbynatureanenabling situation. the to improve chance emerging universalmemoryisa lenging — ischal technology Europe’s positioninmemory capability. manufacturing in of R&Dand all levels neededin are therefore Investments technologies. ofthese share growth market Cost isthelargestbarrierinhibiting needed. gies aregreatly technolo emerging in developments in future; possible isnot technology CMOS down Scaling be identified. yet ment can seg memory No clearwinnerintheemerging ‐ ‐ ESIA/SEMi: Publications andpress releases.ESIA/SEMi: Publications http:// ESIA: 2010 ‐ 2013 Semiconductor Market Forecast: Seiz 2013 SemiconductorMarketForecast: ‐ [email protected] H.: Future Memory Technology Including Memory TechnologyIncluding H.: Future [email protected] ‐ and Memory Devices—Nontraditional Memory lectronics, vol. 1, pp. 377 1, lectronics, vol. ew process with 51experts Bu, “OntheGo with SONOS”, ‐ Storage/

Proceedings of24thInterna terials andNanostructures MemoryTechnologies and

‐ Volatile Memories

21, May/

‐ 384,

‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐