At the same time, next-generation memory that has both computational and storage capabilities, such as magnetoresistive memory (MRAM), resistive RAM (RRAM), 3D XPoint technology, and high-potential spin-electron magnetic memory (STT-MRAM), becomes The new darling of memory technology for generations.
MRAM's technology will theoretically allow access speeds beyond DRAM to approach SRAM, and data will not be lost after a power failure. Early development by Everspin was considered as an important contender for the next generation of memory technology. 2017 was an outbreak of MRAM technology. In the year of the large-scale integrated circuit technology held in Japan, Japan held an international seminar on large-scale integrated circuit technology, systems and applications. Together with Everspin Corporation, Geodefand released the anti-thermal degaussing eMRAN technology with the ability to make data in Celsius. Save data at 150 degrees, can be as long as a few years of 22 nanometer process technology, is expected to end of 2017, 2018 production.
TSMC, which once invested in memory R&D but lost to the high cost and withdrew from the memory market, revealed in 2017 TSMC technology forum that it has 22nm process embedded magnetoresistive memory (eMRAM) production technology. Test production.
RRAM has the advantage of lower power consumption than NAND, and its write information is 10,000 times faster than NAND flash. The main players in the research are Micron, Sony, and Samsung.
TSMC has also announced that it has a production of 22nm eRRAM technology. The main manufacturers of 3D XPoint technology are Intel and Micron. They adopt a three-dimensional structure composed of multi-layer circuits and use grid wire resistances to represent 0 and 1. The principle is similar to RRAM.
It is a good replacement for storage devices and is nearly 1,000 times faster than NAND flash memory and can also be used for computational applications with low instruction cycle requirements.
STT-MRAM is an application of quantum spinel angular momentum technology, has high performance and low power consumption of DRAM and SRAM, and is compatible with existing CMOS manufacturing technologies and processes.
At present, the main input vendors are IBM and Samsung, SK Hynix and Toshiba, among which IBM and Samsung published a research paper in the IEEE that has achieved a transmission speed of 10 nanoseconds and a super power-saving architecture.
Although the next generation of memory is expected to replace some DRAM and NAND flash memory markets in the future, it will even replace the old technology. However, I believe that with the artificial intelligence, IoT devices and more data collection and sensing requirements, the next generation of memory technology will be the first Focusing on the needs of new applications, such as embedded memory locked by TSMC, and taking full advantage of the advantages of computing and storage, further reducing the size to achieve a higher market penetration of components.
However, judging from the vendor dynamics, the 22nm eMRAM technology will mature gradually after 2018, and it will begin to have a large number of market applications.