Abstract
The current status of ferroelectric random-access memory (FeRAM) technology is reviewed in this article. Presented first is the status of conventional FeRAM, in which the memory cells are composed of ferroelectric capacitors to store the data and cell-selection transistors to access the selected capacitors. Discussed next are recent developments in the field. Pb(Zrx,Ti1–x)O3 (PZT) and SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) films are being used to produce 0.13 µm and 0.18 µm FeRAM cells, respectively, with a stacked capacitor configuration; these cells are easily embedded into logic circuits. A new class of FeRAM called 6T4C—containing static RAM (SRAM) cells composed of six transistors (6T) and four ferroelectric capacitors (4C)—has been commercially produced. This type of FeRAM features a nondestructive readout operation, unlimited read/write cycling, and a fast access time of less than 10 ns. Lastly, the status of field-effect-transistor (FET)-type FeRAM is reviewed, emphasizing that the data retention time of a ferroelectric-gate FET has been improved to more than a month in recent studies.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
S. Masui, W. Yokozeki, M. Oura, T. Ninomiya, K. Mukaida, Y. Takayama and T. Teramoto Proc. IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conf. (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, NJ, 2003) p. 403.
K. Takahashi, B.-E. Park, K. Aizawa and H. Ishiwara Abs. Int. Conf. Solid State Devices and Materials, Tokyo, Paper No. D-1-2 (2004).
H. McAdams, R. Acklin, T. Blake, J. Fong, D. Liu, S. Madan, T. Moise, S. Natarajan, N. Qian, Y. Qui, J. Roscher, A. Seshadri, S. Summerfelt, X. Du, J. Eliason, W. Kraus, R. Lanham, F. Li, C. Pietrzyk and J. Rickes Symp. VLSI Circuits Dig. Tech. Papers (Kyoto, Japan), June 2003) p. 175.
Y.J. Song, H.J. Joo, N.W. Jang, H.H. Kim, J.H. Park, H.Y. Kang, S.Y. Lee and K. Kim Symp. VLSI Technologies Dig. Tech. Papers (Kyoto, Japan), June 2003) p. 169.
S. Shiratake, T. Miyakawa, Y. Takeuchi, R. Ogiwara, M. Kamoshida, K. Hoya, K. Oikawa, T. Ozaki, I. Kunishima, K. Yamakawa, S. Sugimoto, D. Takashima, H.O. Joachim, N. Rehm, J. Wohlfahrt, N. Nagel, G. Beitel, M. Jacob and T. Roehr Proc. IEEE Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf. (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, NJ, 2003) p. 282.
H. Kanaya, K. Tomioka, T. Matsushita, M. Omura, T. Ozaki, Y. Kumura, Y. Shimojo, T. Morimoto, O. Hidaka, S. Shuto, H. Koyama, Y. Yamada, K. Osari, N. Tokoh, F. Fujisaki, N. Iwabuchi, N. Yamaguchi, T. Watanabe, M. Yabuki, H. Shinomiya, N. Watanabe, E. Itoh, T. Tsuchiya, K. Yamakawa, K. Natori, S. Yamazaki, K. Nakazawa, D. Takashima, S. Shiratake, S. Ohtsuki, Y. Oowaki, I. Kunishima and A. Nitayama Symp. VLSI Technologies Dig. Tech. Papers (Honolulu, HI), June 2004) p. 150.
International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, 2003 Edition (ITRS) (Semiconductor Industry Association, San Jose, 2003).
Y. Nagano, T. Mikawa, T. Kutsunai, S. Hayashi, T. Nasu, S. Natsume, T. Tatsunari, T. Ito, S. Goto, H. Yano, A. Noma, K. Nagahashi, T. Miki, M. Sakagami, Y. Izutsu, T. Nakakuma, H. Hirano, S. Iwanari, Y. Murakuki, K. Yamaoka, Y. Goho, Y. Judai, E. Fujii and K. Sato Symp. VLSI Technologies Dig. Tech. Papers (Kyoto, Japan), June 2003) p. 171.
K. Yamaoka, S. Iwanari, Y. Murakuki, H. Hirano, M. Sakagami, T. Nakakuma, T. Miki and Y. Gohou Proc. IEEE Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf. (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, NJ, 2004) p. 50.
S. Masui, T. Ninomiya, M. Oura, W. Yokozeki, K. Mukaida and S. Kawashima IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits 38 (2003) p. 715.
I.M. Ross U.S. Patent No. 2,791,760 (1957).
H. Ishiwara and B.-E. Park, in Ferroelectric Thin Films XI, edited by, D.Y. Kaufman, S. Hoffman-Elfert, S.R. Gilbert, S. Aggarwal and M. Shimizu (Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 748, Warrendale, PA), 2003) p. 297.
Y. Fujimori, T. Nakamura and A. Kamisawa Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 38 (1999) p. 2285.
T. Li, S.T. Hsu, B.D. Ulrich, L. Stecker, D.R. Evans and J.J. Lee IEEE Electron. Dev. Lett. 23 (2002) p. 339.
S. Sakai and R. Ilangovan IEEE Electron. Dev. Lett. 25 (2004) p. 369.
E. Tokumitsu, G. Fujii and H. Ishiwara Appl. Phys. Lett. 75 (1999) p. 575.
K-H. Kim, J-P. Han,, S-W. Jung, and T-P. Ma, IEEE Electron. Dev. Lett. 23 (2002) p. 82.
B.-G. Yu,, I.-K. You,, W.-J. Lee,, S.-O. Ryu,, K.-D. Kim,, S.-M. Yoon,, S.-M. Cho,, N.-Y. Lee, and W.-C. Shin, J. Semicond. Tech. Sci. 2 (2002) p. 213.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Arimoto, Y., Ishiwara, H. Current Status of Ferroelectric Random-Access Memory. MRS Bulletin 29, 823–828 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs2004.235
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs2004.235