Resistive RAM startup Crossbar Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) has announced it has demonstrated the viability of its so-called 1TnR selector circuit for read/write operations.
1TnR uses a single select transistor to access a number of interconnected memory cells, enabling high capacity solid-state storage, Crossbar said. Crossbar has used to the technique to access up to 2,000 memory cells and intends to use the technology to create terabyte non-volatile memories on a single chip. The 1TnR RRAM has been validated in silicon using a 1 Megabyte storage device for embedded code applications, the company said.
However, the revelation of the one 1T1R selection method, has not accelerated Crossbar's time to market for stand-alone memories. The company still reckons they are two to three years away, according to Sylvain Dubois, vice president of marketing at Crossbar. The use of Crossbar's silver-ion based ReRAM as an embedded non-volatile memory could come sooner.
1TnR builds on a more conventional 1T1R selector circuit, which uses a pass transistor at each cross-point node that has to be switched on. This prevents the well-known "sneak-path" problem that occurs when simply enabling a memory cell through passive sensing of bit and word lines.
Crossbar described 1TnR as an approach to 3D ReRAM although it shows its silver-ion migration ReRAM implented in two layers and the scaling in the horizontal direction. It is theoretically possible to stack multiple layer pairs of the Crossbar technology in 3D on top of standard CMOS wafers.
"With 1TnR, companies will realize the dream of extremely dense, highly reliable, and high performance solid state storage. It's truly ground breaking and has the potential to redefine what’s possible in enterprise storage and high-capacity non-volatile SoC memories," said George Minassian, CEO of Crossbar, in a statement.
Together, the 1TnR technology, aimed at 3D ReRAM data storage applications, and 1T1R technology for embedded code, forms the basis for the company’s IP licensing and standalone product line roadmap.
Crossbar said it is finalizing licensing agreements with several chip companies.
Related links and articles:
News articles:
Adesto Ships 1 Million CBRAM Memories
Nanotube Memory Shows Universal Potential
