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Microsemi revealed as Crossbar ReRAM licensee

Microsemi revealed as Crossbar ReRAM licensee

Business news |
By Peter Clarke



The two companies have been working together for about a year and Microsemi is targeting a sub-20nm process node, according to Sylvain Dubois, vice president of business development at Crossbar. “ReRAM is going to a 1X-nm process node,” Dubois told eeNews Europe confirming that this is a logic process with embedded ReRAM.

Dubois declined to say whether the process was based on FDSOI or FinFET technology and added that the use of X in 1X had been done because giving a more accurate nomenclature would identify the foundry licensee.

Crossbar is already working with Chinese foundry Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (Crossbar ReRAM in production at SMIC). “It’s not SMIC,” said Dubois. “It’s one of the top three,” he added suggesting that one or more of TSMC, Globalfoundries and Samsung are preparing to run the non-volatile memory option.

Dubois indicate that Microsemi is running test chips and using the technology in specialized way with a 2019 debut as a target. Dubois would not discuss Microchip’s application but clearly embedded non-volatile memory would be an option for use in energy efficient FPGAs.

In addition Dubois is advocating the use of Crossbar ReRAM arrays for the major part of a machine learning fabric that can implement neural networks and be reconfigurable. Dubois is set to speak at the Embedded Vision Summit on Wed., May 23 at 12pm on the topic a ‘New memory-centric architecture needed for AI.’

Crossbar’s ReRAM technology is based on metal-ion migration and filament formation within amorphous silicon. Silver is used as the material to form conductive filaments that are made and broken to record a 1 or a 0.

Next: Microchip purchase


Dubois said he did not think Microchip’s proposed acquisition of Microsemi would present to problem. “It might even accelerate the uptake of Crossbar technology,” he told eeNews Europe.

Microsemi is licensing Crossbar’s ReRAM core intellectual property and as part of the agreement the two companies will collaborate in the research, development and application of Crossbar’s proprietary ReRAM technology in Microsemi’s next generation products.

“We are very pleased with the Crossbar license as their unique and highly scalable ReRAM technology allows us to plan power-efficient, high performance products across a multi-generation roadmap,” said Jim Aralis, CTO of Microsemi, in a statement issued by Crossbar.

Related links and articles:

www.crossbar-inc.com

www.microsemi.com

News articles:

One Micro to buy another for $8.35 billion

ReRAM firm Crossbar headed towards AI, 1X-nm

Crossbar ReRAM in production at SMIC

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