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To: S100 who wrote (2458)	12/29/2000 2:02:33 PM
From: S100	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 12231

3G to use core memory Toshiba, Infineon to develop ferroelectric RAM for cell phones Semiconductor Business News (12/22/00 07:46 a.m. EST) TOKYO -- Toshiba Corp. here and Infineon Technologies AG in Munich today announced a development agreement to commercialize nonvolatile memory chips using ferroelectric technology. Under the pact, Toshiba and Infineon said they will initially create a 32-megabit ferroelectric random-access memory (FeRAM) for use in cellular phones. The FeRAM will be aimed at replacing NOR-based flash memories and SRAMs now used in cell phones, said the two companies. The joint development activities will focus on creating a memory cell structure for high-speed access, long-term reliability, and establishing new techniques for resolving metal contamination during chip production, said the two companies. Boosting the number of read/write cycles in a nonvolatile memory device will also be a prime objective of the technology partnership. Toshiba said the collaboration will pick up from its development of an 8-Mbit FeRAM, and the first engineering samples of a jointly developed device will be available in March 2001. Commercialization of the 32-Mbit FeRAM is expected at the end of 2002. The R&D partnership will then be extended to 64-Mbit memories, and potentially 128-Mbit FeRAMs, depending upon market demand, said Toshiba and Infineon today. Toshiba and Infineon have collaborated in DRAM technology since the early 1990s. "Our long relationship includes joint development of leading-edge process technology for DRAMs, and we are very confident that this latest collabora-tion in FeRAM will allow us to reinforce our presence in the market," said Yasuo Morimoto, president and CEO of Toshiba's Semiconductor Co. He added that the companies "expect to use well-established 0.25-micron process technology, and that will make FeRAM very competitive against SRAM and NOR flash in cellular phone applications." For many year, chip companies have explored the use of ferroelectric materials to produce a high-speed RAM than retains data when system power is off. However, the ferroelectric RAMs have only had limited success due to manufacturing costs and yield problems. Toshiba said it will contribute its lead zirconate titanate (PZT) process technology, a patented "chained" cell structure, the company's 1T1C (1 transistor 1 capacitor) cell structure, and know-how from development of its 8-Mbit FeRAM. Munich-based Infineon said it will contribute expertise in enhancing the number of read and write cycles and in resolving metal contamination of silicon. Compared to a NOR-based flash memory, FeRAM chips have a faster read access time--similar to SRAMs--and program response times. Unlike standard SRAMs, data is retained in FeRAMs when system power is off. Toshiba and Infineon said the attributes of the ferroelectric RAM makes the device well-suited for a range of applications, such as video game consoles, cell phones, wireless communication devices and IC cards. The initial 32-Mbit FeRAM developed by Infineon and Toshiba is expected to replace multi-chip package modules in cellular phones that consist of SRAM and a NOR-based flash memory. "This revolutionary new technology opens new applications which supplement our inten-sive penetration of the communication market, in this case specifically in the wireless market," said Andreas von Zitzewitz, chief operating officer at Infineon. "Nonvolatile storage is a high priority for us, and we are excited about this new activity with such a competent partner." Toshiba and Infineon said the joint-development program will start in early January 2001 at Toshiba's Advanced Microelectronics Center and Ofuna Office of Semiconductor System Engineering Center in Yokohama. Infineon plans to send up to 20 engineers to the project. The development costs will be shared by the partners, said the two companies. siliconstrategies.com ---- Samsung stacks NAND flash, SRAM in package for 3G cell phones Electronic Buyers' News (12/21/00 09:52 a.m. EST) SEOUL -- Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. today announced it is sampling a multi-chip package device that stacks a 64-megabit NAND-type flash memory chip and an 8-Mbit SRAM together for use in third-generation (3G) cellular phones. Wireless handsets currently have 16-Mbit or 32-Mbit NOR-type flash memory built-in, but the wireless Internet access capabilities of 3G phones necessitates an increased flash memory capacity to store music files, still picture data and other applications, according to Samsung. The SRAM serves as a buffer/working memory, while the NAND flash chip stores data. Samsung's new device will be 8-mm wide, 13-mm long and 1.2-mm thick and is packaged in a 69-signal ball grid array (BGA) with a 0.8-mm pitch between contacts. The NAND flash shares I/O's and other control pins with the SRAM, minimizing additional pins. The pin-out accommodates future memory expansion of SRAM to 64 Mbits and NAND-type flash memory to 512 Mbits, the company said. The device will be set to operate at between 2.4 and 3.0 volts for both the SRAM and flash memory. For interfacing with chips sets operated at lower power, a scaleable I/O interface is also provided. The low-power 8-Mbit SRAM is designed with 0.18-micron technology providing an access time of 85 nanoseconds, while a 0.22-micron design rule is applied to the 64-Mbit NAND-type flash memory. siliconstrategies.com ---- QCOM ASICs? TSMC snip According to news reports from Taiwan, the power outage was triggered when a transformer operated by Macronix International Co. Ltd. failed. The reports said Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) identified the source of the power failure, which struck a couple sectors of the Hsinchu Science Based Industrial Park at around 6:30 p.m. on Christmas evening. The blackout reportedly disrupted production in plants operated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), UMC, Mosel Vitelic, Winbond Electronics, Macronix, Philips, ProMOS Technologies, and Acer Display. snip siliconstrategies.com