23-04-2010, 04:19 PM
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OVONIC UNIFIED MEMORY
Submitted by
Kirthi K Raman
4PA06EC044
Under the guidance of
Prof. John Valder
P A College of Engg
CONTENTS
Introduction
Present Memory Technology Scenario
Emerging Memory Technologies
Ovonic Unified Memory
OUM Attributes
OUM Architecture
Integration with Cmos
Circuit Demonstration
Advantages
Conclusion
Reference
Introduction
Semiconductors form the fundamental building block of the modern electronic world.
Scaling of CMOS IC Technology faces uphill technology challenge.
For digital application, challenges include exponentially increasing leakage current,
short channel effects , etc.
For RF application, challenges include low noise figure, sustained linearity ,transistor matching, power added efficiency, etc.
PRESENT MEMORY TECHNOLOGY SCENARIO
Limitations
DRAM is volatile and difficult to integrate.
RAM is expensive and volatile.
Flash has slower writes and lesser number of write/erase cycle compared to others.
These memory technologies when expanded allows expansion only in 2D .
Hence large area is required.
EMERGING MEMORY TECHNOLOGY
Emerging memory technologies are called Next Generation Memories.
Most important property of these NGM is its ability to support expansion in 3Dspace.
NGM include NRAM, FeRAM, Polymer Memory Ovonic Unified Memory, ETOX, NRAM ,etc.
OVONIC UNIFIED MEMORY
1.OUM is a non volatile memory, which uses chalcogenide materials for storage of binary data.
2.OUM uses reversible structural phase change.
amorphous phase crystalline phase .
3. Resistive property of the phases is used to represent 0s and 1s.
OUM Technology Concept
Amorphous Vs Crystalline
OUM Technology Concept
Annealing Dependence of Ge2Sb2Te5 Electrical Resistivity
OUM Attributes
density ensures large storage of data within a small area. Non volatile in nature.
High
Non destructive read
Uses very voltage and power from a source.
Write/erase cycles of 10e12 demonstrated
Poly Crystalline
Offers the potential of easy addition of non volatile memory to a standard CMOS processor
Highly scalable memory
Low cost implementation
OUM Architecture
Cell Element CharacteristicsBasic Device Operation
IV Curve of Chalcogenide Element
Rset and Rreset as Function of Cell Current
Circuit Demonstration
Chalcogenide Technology Characterization Vehicle (CTCV)
Key goals in the design of CTCV
1. To make the read and write circuit wrt variation in cell electrical characteristics
2. To test the effect of the memory cell layout on performance
3. To maximize the amount of useful data obtained , used for product design.
One of the Chiplet used
fig
Advantages
OUM uses a reversible structural phase change
Cost/Bit reduction
small active storage medium
small cell size-small die size
Simple manufacturing process
Simple planar device structure
Low voltage-single supply
Reduced assembly and test costs
Highly scalable
Performance improves with scaling
Only lithography limited
Low voltage operation
Multi state demonstrated
Risk Factors
Reset current< min W switch current
Standand CMOS process integration
Alloy optimization for robust high temp operation and speed
Cycle life endurance consistency
Endurance testing to 1014-DRAM
Defect density and failure mechanisms
Conclusion
Near ideal memory qualities
Broadens system application
-Embedded System-On-a-Chip(SOC) , other products
Highly Scalable
Risk factors have been identified
Time to productize
References
intel.com
ovonyx.com
baesystems.com
aero.org
IEEE SPECTRUM, March 2003