Toshiba to Launch World's Smallest 128- and 144-Megabit Rambus DRAM in 600MHz, 711MHz and 800MHz Speeds; Toshiba Achieves Industry's Smallest Chip Size Using 0.20 Micron Process
BusinessWire, Monday, May 10, 1999 at 11:12
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 10, 1999--Toshiba America
Electronic Components Inc. (TAEC) Monday announced 128- and
144-megabit (Mb) Rambus(R) dynamic random access memory (RDRAM(R)),
bringing the two largest commercially-available Rambus memory
capacities to the smallest chips yet realized at this density.
Samples of these new memory devices have been shipped to Rambus
Inc. for testing and will soon be shipped to customers in module form.
These advanced memory ICs are intended for use in
high-performance computers using the Rambus main memory system, which
provides peak data transfer rates of 1.6 gigabytes/second, or two to
three times as fast as today's widely used 100 megahertz (MHz)
Synchronous DRAM. Toshiba forecasts that by the year 2001, the RDRAM
segment will grow to approximately a 50 percent share of the main
memory market.
"As a result of our advanced 0.20 micron (um) process, Toshiba's
128/144Mb RDRAM die is the smallest on the market today, enabling us
to achieve excellent production efficiencies," said Jamie Stitt,
business development manager, Memory Business Unit at TAEC. "This
high-performance process enables improved yields at the higher speeds
and reduces power consumption."
With its new devices, Toshiba combines Rambus performance
advantages with its leading-edge 0.2um lithography to create the
industry's smallest 128Mb and 144Mb devices at only 103mm(2) and
114mm(2), respectively.
"Toshiba's achievement of small die sizes for its leading-edge
128Mb and 144Mb RDRAMs, coupled with its success in developing
lower-cost CSP packaging offers significant reassurance to PC OEMs as
they prepare for high volume PC shipments," said Subodh Toprani, vice
president and general manager, Industry Enabling Division of Rambus
Inc.
Toshiba was the first supplier with confirmed 800MHz, or 1.6
gigabyte per second (GB/s) functionality, at the 72Mb RDRAM
generation, and is one of the first suppliers with these higher
density versions, which provide twice the memory capacity. Both the
128Mb device, with a x16 configuration, and the 144Mb device, with x18
configuration, are available in 600MHz, 700MHz and 800MHz speeds to
support PC600, PC700 and PC800 applications, respectively. The 144Mb,
x18 memory ICs provide 128Mb of usable memory, plus extra bits to
support error correction code (ECC).
"Toshiba is the first supplier to bring RDRAM to market using the
0.20um process, thus providing an excellent example of the benefits
of our Scalable by Design(TM) program," said Stephen Marlow, vice
president, Memory Business Unit for TAEC. "All of our high-performance
128Mb generation DRAM solutions use the same memory cell design and
0.20um process, which enables us to ramp capacity quickly to meet
market demand. In addition, this enables us to manufacture these
advanced memory solutions at any of Toshiba's global network of fab
facilities."
The 128/144Mb RDRAM components are packaged in a
Toshiba-developed 62-pin chip scale package (CSP) that uses the same
production equipment as traditional TSOP packages. As a result,
packaging costs are reduced and throughput is increased compared to
RDRAM packaged in uBGA packaging. This CSP packaging also supports
a "mirror package" that allows simpler design for modules with
components on both sides.
Pricing and Availability
Samples of Toshiba's 128Mb and 144Mb RDRAM components are
available now, priced at $85 and $100 each, respectively. See table
below for part numbers and available configurations. Production
quantities of these components and related RIMM(TM) and SO-RIMM(TM)
modules will be available in third quarter 1999, and production
pricing will be available at that time.
*T
Toshiba 128Mb/144Mb RDRAM Components
Part Number Data Rate Configuration
TC59RM716MB/RB-6 600MHz x16
TC59RM716MB/RB-7 711MHz x16
TC59RM716MB/RB-8 800MHz x16
TC59RM718MB/RB-6 600MHz x18
TC59RM718MB/RB-7 711MHz x18
TC59RM718MB/RB-8 800MHz x18
*T
About Scalable by Design
Scalable by Design represents Toshiba's commitment to future
technologies and is supported by its modular design approach that
enables easier and less expensive transition to the next process
generation or memory density. To make the most efficient use of the
company's wafer fabrication facilities, Toshiba's memory products have
been designed for scalability.
By harnessing advances from the trench cell-based 256Mb DRAM
development project and applying them to the 64Mb and 128Mb densities,
Toshiba can seamlessly scale five generations from 0.35um to 0.15um
with one clean room. The result is smooth and predictable transitions,
simplified qualifications and rapid cycling of process and products.
With necessary investments and major technological hurdles overcome at
the 0.35um geometry, only an additional modest 10 percent investment
is required for each successive microlithography refinement. Toshiba
is carrying these same principles forward in its 256Mb DRAM production
plans and across other products. |
