Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Rambus (RMBS) News Only -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ibnbatutaa who wrote (66)	12/1/1998 11:07:00 PM
From: Thomas C. Donald	Respond to of 236

IBM Reveals Fast DRAM Roadmap Craig Menefee, Newsbytes 12/01/98 Newsbytes News Network (c) Copyright 1998 Post-Newsweek Business Information, Inc. All rights reserved. FISHKILL, NEW YORK, U.S.A., 1998 DEC 1 (NB). IBM [NYSE:IBM] has issued a roadmap to the adoption of next-generation double data rate (DDR) synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) technology. DDR memory transfers data on both sides of the bus clock, in effect doubling the SDRAM bandwidth for a given clock rate. IBM has already shipped samples of 0.20 micron, 256MB DDR SDRAM with volume production scheduled for mid-1999. An IBM spokesperson told Newsbytes that, aside from IBM Corp. itself, high-end server companies including Compaq, Hewlett-Packard Co. and Silicon Graphics have been vocal in their support for the technology. The firm says its plans to ship DDR-enabled products over the next five years include 0.175 micron 128MB SDRAM in late 1999 and 0.15 micron 256MB SDRAM in 2001. "We have 512 Meg DDR put in the map tentatively for when we get to .15 microns," said Lane Mason, IBM's 256-Meg product marketing specialist. "Right now we're at .2 microns, then next year we go to .175 (microns)." "We have two generations of working DDR silicon now," Mason said. "We have 64-meg samples that we're not shipping to anybody. We're just proving it out on a DIMM of our own design, to test the functionality. But we will not go to market with it." Lane also said there's no good way to predict how fast the bandwidth- doubling technology might trickle down from high-end equipment to small business or consumer friendly gear. "The problem is, it will take lots of enablement," he said. "Chipsets have to support DDR, for example, which has been a hang-up. The DDR specification was only adopted in September and before then a lot of people were beating their own drums. But it takes a critical mass of suppliers to gain full industry support. Now that the spec is adopted, it will happen faster." Lane says the first devices to use DDR technology, once it has been widely adopted in servers, will most likely be notebook PCs and other devices where bandwidth must be balanced against power drain. The doubling of existing bus data transfer rates to DDR memory chips will be very appealing to power-limited devices, he said. High-end work stations and multimedia machines will follow. One reason for the current wide industry support for DDR is that its higher performance over current designs permits a reduction in overall system memory for the same performance levels, an important cost advantage that has no corresponding performance disadvantage or die size penalty. "Support for DDR has been growing rapidly in the marketplace and we believe it will emerge as the technology of choice, particularly for servers," stated Chris King, vice president of worldwide marketing, IBM Microelectronics. IBM's announcement comes a day after 11 DRAM chip suppliers announced support for DDR technology under the new open standard. Joining in the industry announcement were Fujitsu, Hitachi, Hyundai, IBM, LG, Micron, Mitsubishi, NEC, Samsung, Siemens, and Toshiba. More information on IBM's roadmap, DDR SDRAM and other IBM Microelectronics products can be seen on the World Wide Web at chips.ibm.com . Reported by Newsbytes News Network, newsbytes.com . 16:47 CST

To: Ibnbatutaa who wrote (66)	12/1/1998 11:20:00 PM
From: Thomas C. Donald	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 236

IBM/Siemens Announce First Silicon of Smallest and Fastest 1Gbit Double Data Rate SDRAM 11/17/98 Business Wire (Copyright (c) 1998, Business Wire) CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 1998--Siemens Semiconductors announced it has produced its first Double Data Rate (DDR) 1Gbit SDRAM. The chip is manufactured in 0.18micron CMOS technology with a minimum feature size of 0.175micron and has the industry's smallest chip area of 390mm2. The 1Gbit SDRAM will be available in organizations of x16 and x32 and offers DDR functionality. This advanced feature enables the chip to achieve a data rate of 400 Mbit per second per pin making it the world's fastest DDR SDRAM devices. The 1Gbit SDRAM was developed together with IBM at the company's Advanced Semiconductor Technology Center (ASTC) in East Fishkill, N.Y. Samples packaged in 16mm-wide TSOP 88 will be available in the second quarter 1999. "We are proud to present a chip of such a complexity at such a small die size in a technology which means we can achieve volume manufacturing in the near future," said Dr. Andreas v. Zitzewitz, president of Siemens Semiconductors' memory products division. "We have chosen four-level metalization (1 tungsten and 3 aluminum metal layers) to increase the cell efficiency and reduce die size. With our leading edge DRAM technology, we are able to supply our customers with the solutions they need to define future system architectures in the memory-hungry systems of tomorrow." Main applications for the 1Gbit SDRAM are high-end servers, workstations, networking devices and specifically portable computing devices. Many new applications will be developed using the device's enormous storage capacity of about 70,000 pages of text or 90 minutes audio recording in stereo quality per chip. In its 32bit-wide configuration, the device allows system data rates of 1.6Gigabyte/sec. Operating voltage is 2.5V. The device is based on the successful trench cell concept used in previous DRAM generations of Siemens Semiconductors. Siemens' Semiconductor Group is a leading worldwide provider of integrated circuits, memory products, RF components, smart card chips, discrete and power semiconductors, optoelectronics and fiber optic components. The comprehensive product line of Siemens Semiconductors serves a wide range of customers active in communications, wireless, computer peripherals, automotive/ industrial and consumer electronics. Siemens Microelectronics is its U.S. affiliate. In fiscal 1996/97, the Semiconductor Group achieved sales of $3.5 billion (DM 5.9 billion) and employed 22,600 people worldwide. For more information, please see HYPERLINK smi.siemens.com. CONTACT: Siemens Semiconductors Anita Giani, 408/777-4546 anita.giani@smi.siemens.com 16:11 EST NOVEMBER 17, 1998