MEMORY STRATEGIES INTERNATIONAL Semiconductor Memory Services
| Home | Reports | Seminars | Consulting | Contact Us | About Us | Site Map | Links |

Contents | Purchase

A Memory Strategies Focus Report

Focus on Phase Change Memory and Resistance RAMs, May 2008

This report discusses progress with the various Resistance RAM technologies which include: Phase Change Memories, Metal Oxide Memories, Conductive Bridge Rams, and various research technologies such as polymer RAMs. Some applications being targeted by the developers of these RAMs are reported.

Phase Change Memory issues are discussed including write current reduction and amorphous state (RESET) data retention. Several novel phase change cell structures are reported. Progress in testing, operation, characterization and modeling is discussed.

The various companies developing these RRAM technologies are noted along with some companies supplying process equipment targeted at these devices.

 Pages: 85+

We also have focus reports available on Ferroelectric memory & Magnetic memory

Overview | Purchase

Table of Contents - Phase Change Memory and Phase Change RAM, May 2008

1.0 Overview of Phase Change and Resistive RAMs

2.0 Applications For Phase Change and Resistive RAMs
2.1 PC-RAM as NOR Flash Memory Replacement
2.2 Cell Phone and Mobile Computing Applications
  2.2.1 Media Applications For CB-RAM
  2.2.2 Cell Phones Applications PC-RAM
  2.2.3 Mobile Computing Applications for Metal Oxide RRAM
2.3 RFID Applications for Polymer Resistive Memory
2.4 Air, Military and Space Applications
  2.4.1 Space (Radiation) Environments for PC-RAM
2.5 Networking Applications
  2.5.1 Serial Interface 4-Mb SPI NV memory
2.6 Automotive and Industrial Extended Temperature Applications

3.0 Cell Sizes vs. Technology for Phase Change and other Resistive RAMs

4.0 Chalcogenide Phase Change RAMs
4.1 Potential Development Roadmap for Phase Change RAM
4.2 Background of Phase-Change RAM (PC-RAM) Technology
4.3 Technical Issues for Phase Change RAM - Reducing Write Current
  4.3.1 Reducing Current With Non-Lithographically Defined Pore (IBM, Qimonda, Macronix)
  4.3.2 Double Confinement Layer to Prevent Heat Loss and Lower RESET Current (ITRI)
  4.3.3 Confined Chalcogenide Element to Reduce Write Current
  4.3.4 Reducing Write Current Using a Cross-Spacer (ITRI, PCS, ProMOS, Nanya, Winbond)
  4.3.5 Using a Ta2O5 Interfacial Layer to Reduce Write Current
  4.3.6 Reducing Write Current Using a Thin Contact Structure (Samsung)
  4.3.7 Reducing Write Current by Using a Thin Phase Change Bridge
4.4 Technical Issues of PC-RAMs - Characterizing Data Retention in Amorphous State
  4.4.1 Data Retention of Amorphous State Due to Nucleation and Percolation(Intel&STM)
  4.4.2 Model for Data Retention In Amorphous PC-RAM ((Politechnico de Milano)
  4.4.3 Percolation Effects in Random Crystalization Events (Politechnico de Milano)
4.5 Technical Issues PC-RAM - Controlling Resistance Variations in The RESET State
  4.5.1 Embedded 8-bit RSIC To Control RESET Resistance Variation (Samsung,KAIST)
  4.5.2 Data Retention Degradation Control Using Heat Dissipation(Samsung)
  4.5.3 Characterization and Elimination of Anomalous Cells during RESET(STM&Intel)
  4.5.4 RESET Tail Due to Quenching Dispersion and Defects (STMicro, Politec di Milano)
  4.5.5 Resistance Drift in the RESET State Due to Structural Relaxation
4.7 Technical Issues of Phase Change RAMs - Novel Phase Change Cell Structures
  4.7.1 Phase Change Memory Cross-Point Cell with Doped Ge Nanowire Diodes (Stanford)
  4.7.2 Damascene PC-RAM Cell (Intel, Ovonyx, Stanford)
4.8 Technical Issues of PC-RAMs - Characterization of The Phase Change Operation
  4.8.1 Analysis of Temperature Scaling Issues for PC-RAM
  4.8.2 Characterization of the Threshold Voltage and Resistance in a PC-RAM
  4.8.3 Physical Shift in Amorphous Material Due to Thomson Effect(NXP,TSMC,IMEC)
  4.8.4 Characterization of Phase Change as a Function of Quenching Dynamics
4.9 Technical Issues for PC-RAMs - Novel Phase Change Materials
  4.9.1 PCM Using Doped In-Ge-Te for High Temperature Stability (Hitachi, Renesas)
  4.9.2 Using GeSnSbTe (GSST) for PC-RAM - ITRI (Taiwan)
  4.9.3 Sb80Te20W3 Phase Change Memory - National Tsing Hua U.
  4.9.4 Ga-Sb-Te for Low RESET Current PCM
  4.9.5 Sb65Se35 Phase Change Memory - ETRI, Yonsei U. and Aachen PI
  4.9.6 Using Si-Sb-Te As a Phase Change Material (Fudan Univ.)
4.10 Multi-Level Phase Change Memory Operation
  4.10.1 Multi-Level PC-RAM Technology and Program(IBM, Qimonda, Macronix)
  4.10.2 256Mb Multilevel Cell PCM Technology and Operation (STMicroelectronics)
4.11 Modeling of Phase Change Memory
  4.11.1 Modeling of Programming and Data Retention in PC-RAMs (STMicro)
  4.11.2 Model of Multilevel Cell PC-RAM (STMicroelectronics)
  4.11.3 Verilog-A Model of PCM-RAM
  4.11.4 2D Model for thermal behavior of a PCM Cell (Rochester Int. of Tech)
  4.11.5 Negative Differential Resistance Modeling of SET Transition of PC-RAM
  4.11.6 Trap Limited Transport Model for PC-RAM
4.12 Reliability and Test of Phase Change Memory
  4.12.1 Determination of GST Crystallization Activation Energy(STMicro, Polit.di Milano)
  4.12.2 Yield Enhancement Using A BISO for Embedded Memory
  4.12.3 Temperature Dependence of Retention Lifetime Curve (Politechnico di Milano)
  4.12.4 Summary of Reliability Issues for Phase Change Memories (Politechnico di Milano)
4.13 Design of PC-RAM
  4.13.1 Design Tool for PC-RAM Cells
4.14 Scaling the PC-RAM Cell
  4.14.1 45 nm PC-RAM Cell with 2ns RESET Speed and Low Current (DSTAR)

5.0 Metal Oxide Memories
5.1 Overview of Metal Oxide Memories
5.2 Technical Issues and Mechanisms of Metal Oxide Memories
  5.2.1 Cu/Ta2O5/Pt Metal Oxide RAM (Nanobridge) for Use in FPGA (NEC)
  5.2.2 Self Aligned WOx Cell (Macronix)
  5.2.3 Model of Conductive Filament Switching in NiO RRAM (Polit.di Milano&CNR-INFM)
  5.2.4 RRAM using Fe-O for Fast Switching (Matsushita)
  5.2.5 Electrode Material Effect on ZrO2 Switching(U. C. Berk., TSMC, Nat. Ch. Tung U.)
  5.2.6 Switching Effect of Nickel Oxide Films (ITRI and Nat. Chiao Tung U.)
  5.2.7 ReRAM Made with NiO Doped with Ti:NiO (Fujitsu)
  5.2.8 Stacked Cross-Point Diode RRAM Array (Samsung)
  5.2.9 Characterization of Cu2O MIM Memory Cells with Ni Top Electrode (Spansion)
  5.2.10 Investigation of Copper Doped MoOx (Gwnagju Inst.)
  5.2.11 Data Retention Study of CuO MIM Memory Cell (Spansion)
  5.2.12 Resistive Switching of Al/TiOx/Al Crossbar and Via Hole Devices (KAIST & ETRI)

6.0 Conductive Bridge/Programmable Metallization Cell Memories
6.1 Background of Conductive Bridge RAMs
6.2 Technical Issues of Conductive Bridge Resistance Switches
  6.2.1 Conductive Bridge 4-Mb RAM Circuit Technology
  6.2.2 2-Mbit Conductive Bridge Cell
6.3 Conductive Bridge Switch Research
  6.3.1 Conductive Bridge Resistance Switches in ZnCdS film (Stanford U.)
  6.3.2 Cu Ion Conductive Bridge Electrolyte RRAM (Sony)

7.0 Organic Resistance Switching Elements
7.1 Polymer Memory Array on Plastic Substrate (ITRI)
7.2 Multiple Layer Cross-Linkable Co-Polymer Film Memory
7.3 Resistance Switching in an Organic Poly(N-Vinylcarbazole) structure
7.4 Polymer Resistive Memory (Samsung)

8.0 Developers and Vendors of Resistance RAMs
8.1 BAE Systems (Phase Change RAM)
8.2 Altis and Infineon
8.3 Elpida and UMC
8.4 Fujitsu
8.5 Hynix
8.6 IBM, Qimonda (Infineon) and Macronix
8.7 Intel
8.8 ITRI (with Powerchip, ProMOS, Nanya, Winbond, TSMC, Macronix)
8.9 Macronix
8.10 Matsushita
8.11 Ovonyx and Intel
8.12 Qimonda
  8.12.1 Qimonda CB-RAM
  8.12.2 Qimonda Phase Change Memory
8.13 NEC
  8.13.1 NEC Metal Oxide Switch
8.14 Numonyx
8.15 NXP and TSMC
8.16 Renesas (Hitachi)
8.17 Samsung
  8.17.1 Samsung Phase Change RAM
  8.17.2 Samsung Transition Metal Oxide (TMO) OxRRAM
  8.17.3 Samsung Polymer Resistive Memory
8.18 Sharp
8.19 Spansion
8.20 ST Microelectronics
8.21 ST Microelectronics and Intel
8.22 Toshiba
8.23 Winbond

9.0 Companies Supplying Equipment and Processes for Chalcogenide RAMs
9.1 JMAR Technologies X-Ray Lithography and Masks
9.2 Ulvac Sputtering System for Phase Change Memory Cells

10 Companies Licensing Phase Change RAM and RRAM Technology
10.1 Ovonyx (Energy Conversion Devices)

Bibliography

Overview | Contents

To order "Focus on Phase Change Memory and Resistance RAM, May 2008":

Contact Memory Strategies or
Complete the form below and send (by e-mail, fax, or post) the form and your check, bank transfer, or purchase order for $975. ($850 if a Technical Market Analysis has been ordered from Memory Strategies in the past year.).

ORDER FORM: Please send ______ copies of  "Focus on Phase Change Memory and Resistance RAM, May 2008" to:

Specify Report Format - PDF or Hardcopy:
____ PDF. Will be sent by email. Please send your order by email, if possible.
____ Hardcopy. Will be sent by 2-Day FedEx. Please send all information requested above.
         (If you need both PDF and Hardcopy, please add an additional USD200 to your order)

Submit Order and Payment Information via:
    Email: info@memorystrategies.com, or
    Fax:    +1 512 260 6220
    Post:
        Memory Strategies International,
        16900 Stockton Drive,
        Leander, Texas 78641, U.S.A.

To pay by:

• Credit Card: please fax credit card information to +1 512 260 6220
• Bank Transfer: please send in your order and request transfer details.
• Purchase Order: submit purchase order details with order.

For more information, please Contact Memory Strategies

| Home | Reports | Seminars | Consulting | Contact Us | About Us | Site Map |

Memory Strategies International, 16900 Stockton Drive, Leander, TX, USA, 78641;   512.260.8226 (phone), 512.260.6220 (fax). Send questions or comments about this website to webmaster@memorystrategies.com. Copyright © 2008 Memory Strategies International. All rights reserved. Legal stuff. Last Modified: March, 2008.