Scaling-driven nanoelectronics

Memory technology

• Flash and DRAM
• Emerging memories

Applications such as video will demand an ever increasing memory capacity. This will require further research into memory technology and further miniaturization. Flash memories are expected to gradually transition from floating-gate technology to charge-trapping in the 32-22nm nodes. Flash memory will most likely be scaled beyond 22nm. Imec also expects alternative memory and 3D integration technologies to gain importance.

To scale Flash memory to the (sub-)22nm nodes, imec works on:

• New materials: high-k materials for the interpoly dielectric
• New designs: engineered tunnel barriers
• New concepts: charge trapping devices, nitride-trapping devices (TANOS)

To scale DRAM memory, imec investigates:

• New materials: new capacitor materials meeting aggressive specifications for equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) and leakage.
• Optimized transistor designs with advanced junction technology, strain engineering, and high-k/metal gates.

Next to its research on DRAM and Flash memories, imec is also investigating options for future high-density non-volatile memories, such as resistive RAM (RRAM) and floating body RAM (FBRAM).