Matrix 3D memory is World's Smallest

nokiator writes "Most of the headlines about cool new high density memory technology are from DRAM or Flash manufacturers these days. Matrix Semiconductor, a small Silicon Valley start-up, broke the trend today and announced that the world's smallest 1-Gbit memory chip. Matrix's chip is an antifuse-based one-time programmable ROM. The total die area of the 1Gb chip is 31 square millimeters (smaller than the blue/red pills in the Matrix movie). Matrix claims that they can achieve this density through a proprietary 3D circuit technology that combines 150nm and 130nm process geometries. When Matrix moves to 90nm process technology, it should be possible to manufacture a 8Gb memory chip on a reasonable sized (i.e. cheap) die. There are many potential applications of this kind of low cost, very high density ROM technology, mostly in content distribution area. One 8Gb ROM chip would have sufficient storage capacity to store the contents of an entire movie using H.264 encoding."

Comments

Some foresight required

[motorsabbath]

One 8Gb ROM chip would have sufficient storage capacity to store the contents of an entire movie using H.264 encoding.

Great, more disposable consumer things. There are many great uses for such a memory config, but the world does not need more disposable devices...

This could actually be bad

[RhettLivingston]

ROMs can be very cheap. If they get to 8Gbit and then put it in a multichip stack to get to 4 or 8 GByte capacities, it could possibly give the movies on DVD industry a run for its money. The bad side of that is that we've been benefiting heavily from the demand that that industry has created is responsible for providing cheap RO and later WO and RW DVD drives for our PCs. The movie industry would love this format because the WO and RW versions would always be way more expensive than the RO version. The cost equation of copying would change dramatically.

Re:This could actually be bad

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, the write once version should cost approximately the same as the read only version, since they're in reality the same thing, only at different stages. The only major difference would be buying in bulk vs buying retail. I'd guess that ROM burners wouldn't be much more complex or expensive than current DVD burners were at first. Unless, of course, they package it in some complex DRM encumbered proprietary format.

Now, all we need are 3D Processors and RAM

[Xeroc]

It sounds like to me this 3D Memory construction is vastly improving the density, now all we need are 3D-Constructed processors! They use vertically and horizontally stacked chips to multiply the processing capability.

Also, if we could only get this in RAM! I'm looking for an upgrade, and my computer case is only so big!

Yes, for some reason, people do seem to mix up the bits and bytes, for example: Most file sizes are in bytes, to make them seem smaller, and connection speeds are in bits, to make them seem faster!*

*Actually, this probably isn't the "official" reason, but it makes sense!

Re:Now, all we need are 3D Processors and RAM

[koko775]

Hmm. The problem is, though, 3D processors, unless redesigned, would have a far greater area:surface area ratio, which is bad, since the chip generates heat, and the surface area provides for its dissapation. I'm not saying 3D processors are impossible, it just adds a whole dimension to creating processors, as cooling has just gotten a lot harder. Also, antifuse won't work as RAM, unless you run Windows, in which case your computer, frozen forever, would work as expected (just kidding -- antifuse is write-once).

Gb somewhat aloof measurement?

[gumpish]

I know that the bit is the atomic unit of measure when it comes to data storage and transmission, but sometimes I really wish everyone would stick to bytes.

When I see 1 Gb I have to think for a second to get to 128 MB.

Motherboards

[charlie763]

With the small physical size and large memory capacity might we eventually see a motherboard manufacturer shipping a Linux distro integrated into the motherboard? Not necessarily for the sake of using as you default OS, but as a distro with a full set of diagnostic tools. In any event, this sort of crap is way cool!

Re:Long time in the making...but worth it...

[robertca]

Matrix 3D is a fraction of the cost of flash. Also, while the semiconductor structure itself is proprietary (and heavily patented), the actual chip can be used in any sort of form factor, like SD, CompactFlash, etc. In other words, it can look exactly like your run-of-the-mill Sandisk flash card, but will function as a write-once media. The advantage of putting it into a widely accepted formfactor, like SD, is that it can then be used in any device that accepts SD cards at a fraction of the cost of flash...