AMD, IBM and Toshiba jointly announced on Wednesday that they have developed a foundation for what should lead to 22 nanometer RAM technology. The three have developed static RAM cells that measure just 0.128 micrometers across by using the same high-k, metal gate technology used in newer processors to cut back on electricity leaks and other problems that prevent circuity from getting smaller. Using fin-like field effect transistors, the new format is less than half as large as previous RAM cells based on the same basic transistor technology.
The reduction lets more cells fit in a given space and thus lets any product using it store more data.
When this technology will be used for 22 nanometer memory is unclear, though the technology potentially translates to significantly denser RAM for computers and other devices, which are currently limited to 4GB per stick in most cases. Toshiba in particular notes that the memory has also been tested with cells as small as 0.063 micrometers and is significantly more stable than previous technology, hinting that the new technique could be used for even denser memory in the future.
Source: electronista
