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Novel hafnium oxide-based storage integrates into industrial 22FDX chip manufacturing, enabling non-volatile data retention at under one volt.
In collaboration with GlobalFoundries, research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS have developed a novel storage technology that meets the growing demands for energy efficiency, faster processing, and permanent data storage.
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The team has successfully integrated hafnium oxide-based ultra-fast ferroelectric FRAM memory into an existing industrial manufacturing technology. They have been selected to receive the Stifterverband Science Prize Forschung im Verbund (Joint Research) for their efforts.
Digital systems are posing ever-increasing demands on memory: it must be fast, durable, non-volatile, and extremely energy efficient. Current memory solutions are reaching their limits, especially in applications in the automotive sector, industrial automation, and medical technology. Fraunhofer IPMS and GlobalFoundries addressed this issue in a joint research project.
Ferroelectric Memory for Permanent Data Storage
The research centres around an FRAM (ferroelectric random-access memory) that uses ferroelectric hafnium oxide for permanent information storage. “In ferroelectric memory technology, ions are shifted very rapidly within a crystal lattice, resulting in a change in polarization. We can use exactly this effect to store information,” explains Konrad Seidel, Head of the Emerging Memory Solutions business unit at Fraunhofer IPMS.
The major advantage is that the information is retained even without power and can be read as often as needed without loss.
Integration Into Industrial Chip Manufacturing
A key achievement of the project is the integration of this memory into existing industrial manufacturing technology.
The researchers have developed a reproducible approach for embedding ferroelectric FRAM cells in GlobalFoundries’ 22FDX technology node, a platform specifically designed for manufacturing ultra-low-power microchips.
“It is a major milestone to be able to demonstrate that something you have been intensively researching can actually be manufactured on a large industrial scale,” says Fraunhofer IPMS project lead Franz Müller.
The novel memory cells operate at power-efficient voltages of less than one volt and switch within nanoseconds. They also exhibit a long cycle life, meaning they can reliably endure a high number of write and erase cycles.
The Basis for Edge AI and New Applications
This new memory technology is especially relevant for applications that depend on energy efficiency, such as autonomous sensors, battery-powered systems, or on-device artificial intelligence. “Our non-volatile memory technology has far lower power consumption than that of existing solutions. This enables the use of artificial intelligence not only in data centres but also directly in edge applications where data is processed locally on the device,” explains Fraunhofer IPMS lead scientist Maximilian Lederer.
Sven Beyer from GlobalFoundries emphasises the point.
“Affordable ultra-low-power technology combined with an ideally matched memory solution is especially attractive for applications like edge AI. This represents the combination of two technologies that complement each other perfectly,”
The Success Factor of Joint Research
The project builds on many years of close collaboration between Fraunhofer IPMS and GlobalFoundries at the Dresden location. The materials, processes, modules, and manufacturing environment were all developed collaboratively. They were also closely coordinated within the Silicon Saxony innovation ecosystem.
“The open collaboration based on trust between industry and research provided the foundation for rapidly translating our innovation into a realistic application scenario,” says Konrad Seidel.
This technology was brought rapidly to market through the joint efforts of research and industry partners.
It creates a key foundation for high-performance, robust, and energy-efficient next-generation electronic systems. As a result, Germany’s position in the highly competitive global semiconductor manufacturing market is significantly strengthened.
