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Technology Overview
"Providing a new memory cell structure that can raise the bar for high performance processors as well as support the large memory arrays of extremely high volume commodity memory is a truly remarkable breakthrough technology."
– Bob Merritt, VP, Semico
As electronic devices of all types continue to increase their demand for memory, there is persistent pressure to shrink existing memory technologies while searching for newer, more area-efficient devices.
The two most commonly used high-speed memory types today are static RAM (SRAM) and dynamic RAM (DRAM). An SRAM memory cell is relatively large, consisting of six transistors. A DRAM memory cell is much smaller, being a single transistor paired with a capacitor. The smallest possible implementation of a memory cell would be a single transistor.
Z-RAM is a true single-transistor DRAM. There is no capacitor or other structure required to form a complete memory cell. The simplicity of this technology enables extremely dense memory while providing excellent performance. Key memory performance metrics are summarized below.
Memory Technology Comparison
Parameter |
Z-RAM |
DRAM |
SRAM |
Size |
1 |
1.5 x |
4 x |
Structure |
Single Transistor |
Transistor + Cap |
Six Transistors |
Performance |
1 |
0.5 x |
2 x |
Power |
1 |
1+ |
2 – 4 x |
As a single transistor, the scaling difficulties that are inherent in semiconductor design as process geometries shrink are minimized. Z-RAM is implemented on a standard SOI logic process so there are no exotic process steps needed to fabricate complex structures such as the capacitors needed for DRAM. This allows the technology to smoothly transition with semiconductor processes changes. Furthermore, should the underlying transistor architecture change in the future, Z-RAM will be ready for that as well, having already been demonstrated on FinFETs and multi-gate devices.
Applications for Z-RAM include almost anywhere high-speed memory is used. Like DRAM and SRAM, Z-RAM can be packaged as a standalone memory device, packaged as bare die in MCM and SiP applications, and embedded in logic devices such as microprocessors and graphics chips.
With the simplicity of a true single-transistor memory cell, Z-RAM offers the density, performance, and scalability to meet the most high-performance as well as the most cost-sensitive applications.
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