AMD licenses Innovative Silicon's SOI memory

Iria · Jan 19, 2006, 09:43 PM

LONDON — Microprocessor company Advanced Micro Device Inc. has signed a technology license for "floating-body" silicon-on-insulator (SOI) memory developed by startup company Innovative Silicon Inc. AMD (Sunnyvale, Calif.) said it is interested in the Z-RAM (zero capacitor) technology for use in its microprocessors.

The embedded memory is a good fit with AMD, which has moved all its microprocessor production over to SOI manufacturing processes. ISi (Santa Clara, Calif.) has claimed that Z-RAM can achieve five times the density of embedded SRAM, the conventional memory choice for on-chip caches, and twice the density of embedded DRAM.

It could also provide a means to help AMD put distance between itself and PC processor rival Intel Corp. which, so far, has said it does not see a need to go to SOI technology. AMD's licensing of Z-RAM could also have implications for IBM and Chartered Semiconductor, with which AMD is aligned.

“The dramatic increase in density offered by ISi’s Z-RAM embedded memory can enable much larger on-chip microprocessor cache memories resulting in improved performance and reduced I/O power consumption,” said Craig Sander, corporate vice president of technology development at AMD.

“We’ve looked at data from Innovative Silicon and it looks very promising. We still need to assure ourselves that this will work in our own application. We need to see how it scales and we need to make our own test vehicles,” he added.
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Read More / Source: EE Times

Jan 19, 2006, 09:43 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	AMD licenses Innovative Silicon's SOI memory LONDON — Microprocessor company Advanced Micro Device Inc. has signed a technology license for "floating-body" silicon-on-insulator (SOI) memory developed by startup company Innovative Silicon Inc. AMD (Sunnyvale, Calif.) said it is interested in the Z-RAM (zero capacitor) technology for use in its microprocessors. The embedded memory is a good fit with AMD, which has moved all its microprocessor production over to SOI manufacturing processes. ISi (Santa Clara, Calif.) has claimed that Z-RAM can achieve five times the density of embedded SRAM, the conventional memory choice for on-chip caches, and twice the density of embedded DRAM. It could also provide a means to help AMD put distance between itself and PC processor rival Intel Corp. which, so far, has said it does not see a need to go to SOI technology. AMD's licensing of Z-RAM could also have implications for IBM and Chartered Semiconductor, with which AMD is aligned. “The dramatic increase in density offered by ISi’s Z-RAM embedded memory can enable much larger on-chip microprocessor cache memories resulting in improved performance and reduced I/O power consumption,” said Craig Sander, corporate vice president of technology development at AMD. “We’ve looked at data from Innovative Silicon and it looks very promising. We still need to assure ourselves that this will work in our own application. We need to see how it scales and we need to make our own test vehicles,” he added. ___________ Read More / Source: EE Times