Product category:
Memory Devices and Modules
News Release from: Freescale Semiconductor
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 29 November 2005
Silicon nanocrystals promise Flash
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A nonvolatile memory technology which is denser, faster and more cost-effective than conventional Flash memory technology is now closer to production.
A nonvolatile memory technology which is denser, faster and more cost-effective than conventional Flash memory technology is closer to production, thanks to the continued efforts of Freescale Semiconductor to optimise the properties of silicon nanocrystals Freescale has manufactured the world's first 24Mbit memory array based on silicon nanocrystals, a major step toward replacing conventional floating gate-based Flash memories
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 20 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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The 24Mbit memory array technology was manufactured at Freescale's Austin Technology and Manufacturing Centre using 90nm CMOS bulk technology.
The production of a working 24Mbit memory device requires that silicon nanocrystals be deposited with excellent uniformity and integration approaches that keep the nanocrystal properties intact during subsequent processing.
In successfully achieving this, Freescale has overcome major challenges to introducing this technology into production.
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"The industry anticipates that conventional embedded Flash memory technology will reach its scaling limit within the next four years due to high-operating voltage, fabrication process complexity and cost", said Freescale Chief Technology Officer Dr Claudine Simson.
"A viable alternative is crucial for key suppliers to automotive, wireless and consumer markets to continue to scale their products and add new functionality".
"Silicon nanocrystal technology offers lower operating voltages, reduced memory module size, simpler process flow and lower manufacturing costs".
"Additionally, it requires no new materials or wafer fabrication equipment, allowing for immediate compatibility with existing production wafer fabs".
"By demonstrating that silicon-nanocrystal memories can be reliably produced at higher densities, we have taken yet another step in establishing technology leadership in the embedded nonvolatile memory market".
As the industry begins manufacturing at smaller geometries - 90nm and smaller - embedding floating gate-based Flash becomes difficult to produce cost-effectively.
At those dimensions, the chip area consumed by the 9-12V high-voltage transistors required to write and erase the conventional Flash module cannot be scaled down.
Furthermore, engineers cannot reduce the high voltage in floating gate-based Flash without compromising reliability or risking memory failures and loss of data.
Silicon nanocrystal memories are part of an advanced class of memory technologies called thin-film storage.
They are more scaleable than conventional floating gate-based Flash technology, as their tunnel oxide thickness can be reduced without impacting data retention.
The charge is stored on isolated nanocrystals and is lost only from those few nanocrystals that align with defects in the tunnel oxide - while the same defects would result in significant charge loss from a conventional floating gate.
A thinner tunnel oxide permits lower-voltage operation, substantially reducing the memory module area needed to generate the bit-cell programming voltages, and allowing for significant wafer processing simplifications and manufacturing cost reductions.
The combination of higher bit density and reduced cost translates to lower cost per bit to embed silicon nanocrystal memories.
Freescale estimates significant reductions in cost per bit at 90nm design rules.
"Silicon nanocrystal storage is a promising alternative to industry-standard embedded NOR memory, as it offers the capability of lowering both the size and cost of the device", said Semico Analyst Jim Handy.
"Freescale's achievement is a key development in the introduction of the 'faster, cheaper' memory that the semiconductor industry increasingly requires".
Freescale successfully pioneered the use of nanocrystals in memory devices in March 2003, and discussed the demonstration of its first-of-its-kind 4Mbit nanocrystal memory device at the December 2003 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) in a paper entitled "A 6V embedded 90nm silicon nanocrystal nonvolatile memory".
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