Product category:
Memory Devices and Modules
News Release from: Ramtron International
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 19 March 2007
TI produces FRAMs on advanced 130nm
process
Texas Instruments and Ramtron International Corp have signed a commercial manufacturing agreement for FRAM products.
Texas Instruments and Ramtron International Corp have announced a significant milestone in the development of FRAM technology that has resulted in a commercial manufacturing agreement for FRAM products The agreement provides for the production of Ramtron's FRAM products on TI's advanced 130nm FRAM manufacturing process, including Ramtron's new 4Mbit FRAM
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 25 Nov 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
TI pushes FRAM technology to new heights
Texas Instruments has produced a 64Mbit ferroelectric RAM chip to further validate Ramtron's patented FRAM technology as a foundation for next-generation nonvolatile memory.
Nonvolatile memory records energy use
Plogg wireless energy management plugs use serial F-RAM devices for data logging.
Ramtron and TI have been working together since August 2001, when the companies entered into a FRAM licensing and development agreement.
"This manufacturing agreement marks a major leap forward in the commercialisation of higher-density FRAM products", said Ramtron CEO Bill Staunton.
"Ramtron will capitalise on TI's proven, advanced 130nm process technology and advanced manufacturing capabilities with high-density stand-alone FRAMs".
Further reading
F-RAM qualifies for automotive duties
The FM24CL64 is a popular choice for automotive radio applications with its fast writes and high endurance.
Serial F-RAM remembers pressure transmitters
F-RAM device stores configurable parameters such as transmitter ranges, signal types, fluid properties etc, and retains the data when power is removed.
"In addition to a 4Mbit device, we are planning to sample at least one additional product off of the TI line in 2007".
"Our joint collaboration with Ramtron and commercialisation of FRAM technology on TI's 130nm process sets a new standard for the production of high density FRAM devices", said Dr Ted Moise, Director of FRAM Development at TI.
"Through straightforward additions to our standard 130nm manufacturing process, we have achieved cost, power and performance standards that will be difficult for other embedded nonvolatile memory technologies to match".
To create the embedded FRAM module, TI added only two additional mask steps to its standard, 130nm copper-interconnect process.
By moving to a 130nm process, the companies will deliver Ramtron's 4Mbit FRAM memories using the smallest commercial FRAM cells shown to date, measuring only 0.71um2, and enabling a higher memory density than that achieved with SRAM cells.
To achieve this cell size, the process features an innovative capacitor-over-plug process that places the nonvolatile capacitor stack directly on top of the W-plug transistor contact.
FRAM combines the fast access and low-power qualities of volatile DRAM with the ability to retain data without power.
Other nonvolatile memories such as EEPROM and Flash are less efficient to embed because of multiple mask steps, longer write times, and increased power required to write data.
In addition, FRAM's small cell size and minimal mask additions allow FRAM to be produced at a lower cost than SRAM for embedded applications.
FRAM also consumes much lower power than MRAM and is already commercially proven in demanding automotive, metering, industrial and computing applications.
"FRAM's fast access time, low power dissipation, small cell size, and affordable manufacturing cost means it is well suited for a wide range of applications", continued Dr Moise.
"Systems requiring low-power, nonvolatile memory, fast data protection prior to power-down, or unlimited write endurance will benefit greatly from FRAM's capabilities".
• Ramtron International: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
