Non-Volatile Memory Trends

By Rajesh Manapat, Non-Volatile Memory Business Unit Director, and Ritesh Mastipuram, Product Manager, Cypress Semiconductor Corp.

Executive Summary
This article focuses on emerging non-volatile memories and the differences between them. Some of these technologies are already in production and are extending their reach beyond niche applications. Convergence of key features of volatile and non-volatile memories is driving the trend in the development of these memories.

Introduction
Non-Volatile memories come in many different forms. Figure 1 shows the emergence of different non-volatile memories over time.

Figure 1: Emergence of non-volatile memories

Non-Volatile Memory Trends Published in EE Times China (http://www.eetchina.com)

Page 1 of 4 September 2007

[+] Feedback

Memory technology in the non-volatile space has evolved very quickly, driven by application needs. While many applications long ago only needed small amounts of boot code to be stored, some applications now need gigabytes of music and video data, which has brought about drastic changes in these memories. Non-Volatile Memories started with simple Mask Read Only Memories (ROMs), which evolved into Programmable ROMs and then into erasable PROMs. Its been more than 15 years since fast random-access NOR flash memorys initial public unveiling by Intel in 1988. NOR quickly gobbled up all of the memory sockets that EPROM had previously serviced, despite that EPROM technology was more than a decade and a half more mature. NAND flash memory is older than NOR more than two decades old last year. Initially, NAND slowly ramped up its year-to-year incremental volume shipments, but of late its been on a tear, primarily fueled by the success of the markets its unique attributes helped create, such as digital audio players, digital still cameras, USB memory sticks and solid state hard drives. Volatile memories are typically very fast from a read and write standpoint, while non-volatile memories are typically slow from a write standpoint. Non-Volatile memories also suffer from an inherent limitation from a write standpoint, after a certain number of writes the memory hits its endurance limit and fails. An ideal memory would be one that would have be non-volatile, have a speed of access similar to SRAMs, have no limitations on read/writes and have very low power. This is the driving factor behind the development of the last generation of non-volatile memories. None of the new memories succeed in all areas, but all of them make key advancements in at least some of these important memory characteristics. Attempts in this direction include nvSRAM, FRAM, Phase Change memory, etc.

nvSRAMs
The nvSRAM internally stores data when power is lost, with no battery required, and is a perfect fit for applications requiring continuous high-speed writing of data and absolute non-volatile data security. The nvSRAM has made good progress with the involvement of Cypress Semiconductor with long term nvSRAM promoter Simtek. The main advantage of FRAM over nvSRAM is its comparatively small die for a given array density and manufacturing lithography, but 4Mb nvSRAM devices are currently in development. This will provide tough competition to battery-backed memories, which have had significant issues with reliability and RoHS-compliance. The partnership of Cypress with Simtek to add a SONOS process module to Cypresss standard 130nm CMOS process will enable manufacturability of nvSRAM products greater than 4Mb. This will also allow SONOS applications in various mixed-signal and logic SoC products. This partnership transitioned the nvSRAM memory from a low-volume niche product to a high-volume, high-end memory and has had significant design wins with major industrial and computing applications.

FRAM
FRAM, which is the main competition to the nvSRAM, works on the concept of replacing the DRAM capacitor's dielectric with a ferroelectric material: either a Perovskite crystal, such as PZT (lead-zirconate titanate), or a layered Perovskite, such as SBT (barium-strontium titanate).

MRAM
MRAM, which stands for Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory, combines a magnetic device with standard silicon-based microelectronics to obtain the combined attributes of non-volatility, and unlimited read and write endurance.

PRAM
PRAMs are memories that operate on changing the properties of certain materials that can go from a crystalline state to an amorphous state by applying heat. Table 1 provides a comparison of different non-volatile memory technologies.

Non-Volatile Memory Trends Published in EE Times China (http://www.eetchina.com)

Page 2 of 4 September 2007

[+] Feedback

Table 1. Performance, reliability and power consumption of three non-volatile memory technologies

While nvSRAMs works on the concept of one-to-one pairing of a non-volatile bit and a fast SRAM bit in each memory cell, in system operation, the ICs behave exactly as standard fast SRAMs that can be easily interfaced to existing microprocessors and microcontrollers. When IC power is disrupted or lost, the event is detected and, in one quick array write, every SRAM bit is saved into non-volatile (in under 13ms) using the saved energy in a small capacitor. Data is automatically recalled from nonvolatile to SRAM once power is restored. The nvSRAM architecture allows infinite read/writes and access times down to 15ns. The products exceed 20-year data-retention ratings in all specified temperature ranges (communications, industrial, military, etc.). They also eliminate unreliable batteries from the system design while offering the smallest board space area and bills-of material.

Non-Volatile Memory Trends Published in EE Times China (http://www.eetchina.com)

Page 3 of 4 September 2007

[+] Feedback

Cypress Semiconductor 198 Champion Court San Jose, CA 95134-1709 Phone: 408-943-2600 Fax: 408-943-4730 http://www.cypress.com
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, 2007. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. Cypress Semiconductor Corporation assumes no responsibility for the use of any circuitry other than circuitry embodied in a Cypress product. Nor does it convey or imply any license under patent or other rights. Cypress products are not warranted nor intended to be used for medical, life support, life saving, critical control or safety applications, unless pursuant to an express written agreement with Cypress. Furthermore, Cypress does not authorize its products for use as critical components in life-support systems where a malfunction or failure may reasonably be expected to result in significant injury to the user. The inclusion of Cypress products in life-support systems application implies that the manufacturer assumes all risk of such use and in doing so indemnifies Cypress against all charges. PSoC Designer, Programmable System-on-Chip, and PSoC Express are trademarks and PSoC is a registered trademark of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. All other trademarks or registered trademarks referenced herein are property of the respective corporations. This Source Code (software and/or firmware) is owned by Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Cypress) and is protected by and subject to worldwide patent protection (United States and foreign), United States copyright laws and international treaty provisions. Cypress hereby grants to licensee a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to copy, use, modify, create derivative works of, and compile the Cypress Source Code and derivative works for the sole purpose of creating custom software and or firmware in support of licensee product to be used only in conjunction with a Cypress integrated circuit as specified in the applicable agreement. Any reproduction, modification, translation, compilation, or representation of this Source Code except as specified above is prohibited without the express written permission of Cypress. Disclaimer: CYPRESS MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH REGARD TO THIS MATERIAL, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Cypress reserves the right to make changes without further notice to the materials described herein. Cypress does not assume any liability arising out of the application or use of any product or circuit described herein. Cypress does not authorize its products for use as critical components in life-support systems where a malfunction or failure may reasonably be expected to result in significant injury to the user. The inclusion of Cypress product in a life-support systems application implies that the manufacturer assumes all risk of such use and in doing so indemnifies Cypress against all charges. Use may be limited by and subject to the applicable Cypress software license agreement.

Non-Volatile Memory Trends Published in EE Times China (http://www.eetchina.com)

Page 4 of 4 September 2007

[+] Feedback