Samsung Unveils Superior Nonvolatile Memory PRAM

By Niladri Sekhar Nath

TMCnet Contributing Editor

 

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is all set to produce Phase-change Random Access Memory (PRAM), a better alternative to high density NOR flash. PRAM has got fast processing speed of RAM. It has got non-volatile features of flash memory for storage as well. PRAM will be available beginning sometime in 2008.

PRAM is capable of offering its clients really fast performance. The secret behind its fast performance is that the 512M-Megabit (Mb) device doesn’t have to erase data stored earlier to rewrite. That’s why PRAM is 30-times faster than conventional flash memory. What’s more, the device enjoys 10-times the life span of flash memory.

According to a press release, the PRAM cell is only half the size of NOR flash. Not only that, it’s less hazardous to produce PRAM, as it requires 20 percent fewer process stages to produce than those used in the manufacturing of NOR flash memory.


Samsung (News - Alert) has developed PRAM using vertical diodes with the three-dimensional transistor structure that it now uses to produce DRAM. The company claims that the PRAM has the smallest 0.0467um 2 cell size of any working memory. The memory device is free of inter-cell noise as well.

Samsung expects that PRAM will become quite popular when it comes to designing multi-function handsets and other mobile applications.

For more information visit www.samsung.com.

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Niladri Sekhar Nath is a contributing writer for TMCnet covering telecommunications, service providers and networking.