Samsung Foundry, Anaflash partner on embedded flash memory

Technology News | March 7, 2023

By Peter Clarke

semiconductor Analog Artificial Intelligence Memory & Data Storage

Embedded AI processor developer Anaflash Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.) is working with Samsung Foundry to develop embedded flash memory IP.

As part of that process Anaflash has acquired an exclusive license to use a single-polysilicon embedded flash memory from the University of Minnesota.

The technology was originally developed by Professor Chris Kim at the University of Minnesota who has continued to develop this technology for various applications, including embedded non-volatile memories, counterfeit detection sensors, and neuromorphic computing cores.

Anaflash, which has worked with the university on compute-in-memory AI (see Embedded flash memory hosts machine learning), said it plans to commercialize the non-volatile memory for battery-powered applications such as medical wearables, wireless sensors, and robots.

Anaflash CEO and co-founder Seung-Hwan Song said the flash memory can be built using a standard logic process and without any process overhead. This makes the process easy to deploy in “advanced process nodes” without adding cost.

Anaflash has formed a wholly-owned subsidiary called SemiBrain that is contracted to develop embedded flash memory IP with Samsung Foundry. Anaflash recently closed a round of funding led by Mirae Asset Venture Investment and We Ventures but did not disclose the amount raised.

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has made use of Anaflash’s logic-compatible embedded flash IP to fabricate an AI chip due to be presented at the Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, April 23-26 in San Antonio, Texas.