ATMI, TI team on ferroelectric memory project

Electronic News, Nov 17, 1997

Danbury, Conn.--Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. (ATMI), a growing $46 million materials company, recently formed a joint development program with Texas Instruments (TI) to develop high density non-volatile ferroelectric memory technology for smart card ICs.

The company is establishing a new division, code named NovaChip, as a fabless semiconductor start-up to compete against the likes of Motorola, Siemens, SGS-Thompson and Hitachi in the pursuit of the smart card IC market. Motorola announced its own joint venture for FRAM with Japan's Matsushita. Longstanding FRAM player Ramtron of Colorado Springs, Colo., tells Electronic News that it has been watching these developments closely for signs that they will infringe Ramtron FRAM patents.

Non-volatile memory--unlike typical, volatile memory used in personal computers-- retains data even when power is shut off, therefore eliminating the need to be constantly refreshed in order to hold information. However, ferroelectric memories have run into cost versus yield roadblocks that have prevented it from taking off. ATMI feels that through integration technology developed in the recently completed DRAM Consortium with TI, IBM, Micron Technology and Varian Associates, these cost concerns have been addressed.

"(The DRAM consortium) worked together collectively to move the ferroelectric technology for DRAM so that it was ready for modular integration and pilot scale manufacturing," said Peter Kirlin, executive VP at ATMI. Dr. Kirlin could not give any further details as to which companies involved in the consortium adopted the technology into pilot scale manufacturing, but he did add that, "more than one of our partners are actively moving this technology forward," said Dr. Kirlin.

ATMI and TI will investigate the appropriateness of chemical vapor deposition lead zirconium titanate films for possible implementation in the conventional, industry standard one-transistor, one-capacitor (1T1C) cell architecture appropriate for high density/small cell size applications--one of the more important developments of the DRAM consortium.

"In DRAM, there are three things that are important--cost, cost and cost. Basically, the technology developed (through the DRAM Consortium) allows for that (1T1C COB) cell. It is the densest memory cell architecture and therefore, the least expensive because it occupies the smallest area of silicon," said Dr. Kirlin.

Essentially what ATMI wants to do with TI is extend the 1T1C capacitor over bitline cell to apply it to non-volatile memory. Other technologies, according to Dr. Kirlin, like that of Ramtron, utilize a 2T2C capacitor over bitline cell. In essence, rather than having a single transistor and single capacity for one memory element (1T1C cell) they have two with the plugs and capacitors arranged adjacent to the transistor. In the 1T1C cell structure, the plug and capacitor are vertically above the transistor in silicon.

"What we've developed is a novel plug and diffusion barrier that allows us to locate the capacitor and plug directly above the transistor," said Dr. Kirlin.

ATMI plans to rename the NovaChip within the next few weeks and reveal the fledgling division's major semiconductor manufacturing partner for the smart card ICs. Dr. Kirlin expected first silicon in the marketplace within a six to eight-month time window. The chips will use the novel implementation of non-volatile memory technology and the silicon will be reprogrammable in the field, he said.

Asked if ATMI knew what it was getting into competing against the other, much larger smart card IC interests, Mr. Kirlin said, "those are the heavy hitters, so we need a better idea which I think we have." ATMI's main target for the new technology is GSM handsets where power conscious SIMM modules present a significant opportunity for ferroelectrics, according the Dr. Kirlin. The potential reduction in power consumption would extend battery life in the GSM handsets. A secondary target is ferroelectric memories to replace magnetic swipe cards for electronic point of sales transactions, currently a European market. According to Dr. Kirlin, the major advantage of ferroelectric technology is that it provides the right speed for transferring information.

With a low-cost, high-yield form of ferroelectric memory, the RAM, ROM and EEPROM on a smart card could all be replaced. Memory takes up an estimated 80 percent of the smart card. Ferroelectic memory has been known to function in any one of the other memory capacities, but its cost versus yield in implementing has been the major drawback.

As for the development of its new division, ATMI plans to apply the same business model that it has used on three previous occasions. The company expects to make novel technology that it feels it has identified. Through partnerships, acquisitions and internal product development, ATMI hopes to expand this business into a leadership position.