Advanced Micro Devices Inc. today introduced a flash memory architecture, dubbed Mirror Bit, that is said to hold twice as much data as standard flash without what AMD claims are limitations associated with multi-level cell (MLC) solutions.
"We agree that it makes a lot of sense to put two bits in a cell, but ours is a very different approach," said Kevin Plouse, vice president of technical marketing for the Sunnyvale company's memory group.
One drawback associated with MLC, used by rival Intel Corp., is the reliability of charge retention due to the close proximity of electrical charges in the cell, according to AMD.
The Mirror Bit architecture overcomes this problem because the new architecture stores two bits of data in one cell by dividing each standard cell into two discrete and independent units, the company said. Each bit in the memory cell is physically in a different location, so the bits are independent and do not interact with each other, said Plouse.
AMD will release 64-Mb flash memory products based on the technology during the first quarter of 2002 and 256-Mb products in the third quarter of 2002, Plouse said. Pricing has not yet been determined, he said.
"We're announcing this today because we have the technology working," Plouse said. "In today's market, customers have to decide what to do about higher density flash needs."
AMD said that products based on the Mirror Bit technology will be pin-compatible with standard 3-volt products, allowing customers to integrate the new architecture without changing their system designs.
AMD's technology is a unique approach to increasing storage density without increasing the die size, said Brian Matas, an analyst with IC Insights Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz.
"If they can double the density, without doubling the cost, that bodes well for a lot of consumer applications that are very price sensitive, such as MP3 players and digital cameras," Matas said.
RSS
Digital
10 emerging technologies to watch:
EE Times has compiled a list of emerging technologies that we think will be worth watching out for in 2010. Biofeedback or thought-control of electronics are among the contenders.
Hot applications in 2010:
We've compiled a list of 10 technology applications you should watch for in 2010, ranging from e-book readers to 3-D TVs. We examine the features that make these apps so compelling as well unresolved issues.
Top 25 predictions for semis in 2010:
2010 is just beginning to unfold in the electronics industry. Looking into our crystal ball, we have released our own chip forecasts--and other predictions--for 2010.
Seven things to fix in 2010:
The editors of EE Times came up with their own informal list of things we hope engineers fix in 2010, spanning everything from nano-lithography to space travel. What do you want to see get done this year?
'09 moves that are shaping the future:
This was a brutal year, but the industry gets a nod for showing grace under fire. Here's our Top 10 guide to the coming year, illustrating what to expect in 2010.
10 CEOs out in 2009:
It's been a tough year for the global electronics industry and CEOs. We survey the dismissal of 10 industry CEOs during the first three quarters of 2009 and what's ahead for the rest of the year.
Notable women in microelectronics:
There is no better time than a global economic recession to examine the keys to successful corporate governance. So, EE Times has compiled an international list that celebrates women who are business and technology leaders in semis.
EE Times updates Silicon 60:
Seventeen companies have been added to the lastest version of our Silicon 60 list of emerging startups. Forty-three companies survived as emerging companies that are still worth watching.
RSS| 
Digital| 
Mobile
