Introduced 3D X DRAM multi layer RAM which could revolutionize the market
Hardware

Introduced 3D X-DRAM multi-layer RAM, which could revolutionize the market, but is unlikely to

American company NEO Semiconductor announced on the completion of development and the receipt of patents for the world’s first multilayer DRAM memory, which was created in analogy to 3D NAND. It is stated that the transition to the “three-dimensional” type of RAM alone will increase the density and capacity of DRAM chips eightfold over the next 10 years. This will drive the development of artificial intelligence platforms and computing in general if the technology is supported by manufacturers.

    Image source: NEO Semiconductor

Image source: NEO Semiconductor

Using the example of 3D NAND memory, we saw that a leap up – increasing the number of layers in a microcircuit instead of increasing the area of ​​​​a single crystal – is very, very convenient. Samsung was the first to prove itself here, introducing 24-layer V-NAND flash memory in August 2013. Ten years have passed and today companies offer 3D NAND with more than 200 layers and promise chips with 500 layers in the near future. Such advances in RAM would be in high demand today, when the world was gripped by a wave of interest in large-scale AI language models.

NEO Semiconductor offers such a solution and is ready to license the production technology to any interested company. Unfortunately, the leading DRAM manufacturers have not shown any interest in 3D X-DRAM. The developer himself also failed to indicate industry interest in this project in the press release, which echoes the situation with Other as if also a revolutionary invention of the company – X-NAND flash memory. This indicates that the development of the technology is rather bumpy or hopeless from the point of view of Samsung, SK hynix and Micron.

However, there remains a chance that the top three DRAM leaders won’t jump into 3D X-DRAM while they have planar RAM technologies in stock. They all have plans to master the production of chips with standards down to 10nm or less, the way there has been tested and tested repeatedly. When this resource is depleted, DRAM memory begins to become multi-tiered.

The developer of 3D X-DRAM has revealed little information about the new product so far. First of all, increased cell density and stratification is achieved by eliminating capacitors in the memory cell – just a transistor and a floating charge. This is the so-called FBC cell (floating body cell). This achieves simplicity in architecture and design, as well as in the manufacturing process. According to NEO Semiconductor, for example, a photomask is sufficient for the main processing steps of 3D X-DRAM crystals. At the same time, there is no need to chase after advanced and delicate technical processes – everything starts to work when mature technical processes are employed.

The company expects 3D X-DRAM to be in production by around 2025. They hope to start with 128GB chips and dream of reaching 1TB density in ten years, as has been the case with 3D NAND memory. But without explanations from Samsung and others supporting this endeavor, it’s hard to believe. We’ll be glad to be wrong. As you know, there is never enough memory.

About the author

Dylan Harris

Dylan Harris is fascinated by tests and reviews of computer hardware.

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