3D X-DRAM has been revealed by Neo Semiconductor, and it could be game-changing
NEO Semiconductor’s 3D X-DRAM tech could transform the memory market
NEO Semiconductor has just revealed their new 3D X-DRAM technology, revealing techniques that can massively increase the density of DRAM memory chips to transform the memory market.Â
With 3D X-DRAM, NEO Semiconductor believes that they can create 128Gb (16GB) DRAM chips, delivering a staggering 8x density boost over today’s 2D DRAM chips. Even better, these DRAM modules can be created using 3D NAND-like manufacturing techniques, with NEO Semiconductor promising a “high-speed, high-density, low-cost, and high-yield solution.”
   NEO Semiconductor’s 3D X-DRAM is a first-of-its-kind 3D NAND-like DRAM cell array structure based on capacitor-less floating body cell technology. It can be manufactured using today’s 3D NAND-like process and only needs one mask to define the bit line holes and form the cell structure inside the holes. This cell structure simplifies the process steps and provides a high-speed, high-density, low-cost, and high-yield solution. Based on Neo’s estimates, 3D X-DRAM technology can achieve 128 Gb density with 230 layers, which is 8 times today’s DRAM density.
With 3D X-DRAM, future servers, PCs, components, and other computational devices will be able to ship with much larger memory capacities. This has industry-wide implications, as access to more memory will enable the creation of more advanced software, allow scientists to utilise larger data sets in their research, and have a huge impact on the future of AI hardware (where using larger training data sets is a big deal). Â
With 3D X-DRAM, NEO Semiconductor expects 1Tb (256GB) DRAM chips to be manufacturable before 2035. That’s a big deal given the fact that most new PCs ship with less than 16GB of total memory. If Neo Semiconductor’s 3D X-DRAM technology takes off, the whole PC industry will be transformed.Â
You can join the discussion on Neo Semiconductor’s 3D X-DRAM technology on the OC3D Forums.
