Dynamic RAM claims industry speed record

The latest addition to the XDR DRAM family provides an industry-leading data transfer rate of 9.6Gbyte/s with a single device.

Elpida Memory and Rambus have developed the industry's fastest DRAM, the 512Mbit, 4.8GHz XDR DRAM, based on Rambus' XDR memory architecture.

This latest addition to the XDR DRAM family provides an industry-leading data transfer rate of 9.6Gbyte/s with a single device, making it an ideal choice for high-performance, high-volume applications such as high-definition televisions (HDTV), gaming consoles, PCs, servers and workstations.

"The industry's demand for memory bandwidth in next-generation products is growing rapidly as high-definition image data becomes more popular", says Yoshitaka Kinoshita, Officer for the Digital Consumer Division of Elpida Memory.

"Working with Rambus on XDR DRAM, we can provide the most cost-effective, high-bandwidth memory solution to our customers".

Elpida's 512Mbit, 4.8GHz XDR DRAM device is organised in eight banks (x16/x8/x4 programmable), and with a 9.6Gbyte/s data transfer rate delivers six times the peak bandwidth of industry-standard DDR2-800 memory devices.

The 4.8GHz XDR device is manufactured using Elpida's 70nm process technology and is available in a 104-ball FBGA package.

To support both high-speed and robust data transfer, XDR DRAM utilises key enabling technologies built on patented Rambus innovations such as Differential Rambus Signalling Level (DRSL), which minimises signal swing and noise; Octal datarate (ODR) technology which transfers eight bits of data on each clock cycle to achieve 4.8GHz operation with just a 600MHz clock; and FlexPhase circuit technology for precise on-chip data alignment with the clock.

The 512Mbit XDR DRAM device also features adaptive impedance matching, dynamic request scheduling and zero overhead refresh.

"Elpida's 4.8GHz XDR DRAM is an excellent fit for consumer electronics applications requiring high bandwidth for 3D graphics, high-definition image processing, and advanced multimedia", says Sharon Holt, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales, Licensing and Marketing at Rambus.

"Elpida is well established as a leading XDR DRAM supplier and we are proud to work with them to advance the roadmap for XDR to 4.8GHz, achieving the world's fastest DRAM".

XDR DRAM is an integral part of the XDR memory architecture, working seamlessly with the XDR memory controller (XMC), XDR IO controller interface cell (XIO), and the XDR Clock Generator (XCG) to enable unprecedented levels of memory performance while utilising the fewest number of ICs.

A single XDR DRAM device operating in x16 mode achieves a data transfer rate of 9.6Gbyte/s.

In comparison, it requires six DDR2-800 x16 devices to achieve an equivalent datarate.

Proven in high-volume applications, Rambus XDR memory solutions are backed by comprehensive engineering support services that range from chip design to system integration.

XDR DRAM continues to provide an order of magnitude higher performance than today's standard memories.

Elpida's 512Mbit 4.8GHz XDR DRAM devices will be available for sampling in December 2007.

Volume production is expected to begin in April 2008.

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