IBM, Micron Tip Foundry Deal for 3D DRAM Scheme
By Mark LaPedus, SemiMD senior editor
Micron Technology Inc. has disclosed the manufacturing flow for its recently announced Hybrid Memory Cube (HMC) technology, a 3D DRAM scheme geared for high-end servers and networking systems.
Under the plan, IBM will manufacture the controller logic portions of the HMC within its own fab. Micron will make the memory portions – and will assemble and test – the HMC devices within its own operations. Micron has recently set up a 3D DRAM pilot and production line within its 300mm R&D fab in Boise, Ida.
In October, Samsung and Micron announced the creation of a consortium to develop an open interface specification for HMC. Micron is the actual designer of the HMC technology. Micron and Samsung, as well as Altera, Open-Silicon and Xilinx, are the founding members of the Hybrid Memory Cube Consortium (HMCC). In fact, the 3D DRAM race is heating up, as more companies are teaming up to share the costs and accelerate the development of the technology.
As reported, HMC will incorporate DRAM arrays stacked on a logic chip. The device is connected with 2,000 to 3,000 TSVs. HMC prototypes are said to clock in with bandwidth of 128 Gbytes/second.
The controller logic portion of HMC will be manufactured at IBM’s semiconductor fab in East Fishkill, N.Y., using the company’s 32nm, high-k metal gate process technology. IBM will also handle the TSV creation process based on Micron’s specifications.
Micron will develop and make the DRAM arrays in-house based on a 3xnm process within its own fabs. Micron will take the logic controller from IBM — and the in-house made memory arrays — and then will assemble and test the entire HMC device within Micron’s R&D production line in Boise, Ida.
“This is a milestone in the industry move to 3D semiconductor manufacturing,” said Subu Iyer, IBM Fellow. “The manufacturing process we are rolling out will have applications beyond memory, enabling other industry segments as well. In the next few years, 3D chip technology will make its way into consumer products, and we can expect to see drastic improvements in battery life and functionality of devices.”
“HMC is a game changer, finally giving architects a flexible memory solution that scales bandwidth while addressing power efficiency,” said Robert Feurle, vice president of DRAM marketing for Micron. “Through collaboration with IBM, Micron will provide the industry’s most capable memory offering.”
IBM will present the details of its TSV manufacturing breakthrough at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) on Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C.
