Is MRAM better than flash memory? That's a question a new venture business will try to answer.
Freescale MRAM chip
(Credit: Freescale Semiconductor)Former Motorola chip unit Freescale Semiconductor announced Monday that it has joined with several venture capital firms to form an independent company focused on MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory).
The new company, EverSpin Technologies, will "expand its current portfolio of standalone MRAM and related magnetic-based products," the companies said in a statement.
MRAM uses magnetic materials combined with conventional silicon circuitry to deliver a high-performance permanent storage device.
But MRAM must compete with quickly evolving technologies like flash memory-based solid state drives. Flash memory is gaining ground because companies like Samsung, Toshiba, and Intel keep developing faster and higher-capacity devices.
(For more information on MRAM see MRAM-info. For an in-depth explanation of technologies used in MRAM see this explanation of electron spin and so-called spintronics.)
Freescale will transfer the MRAM technology, related intellectual property, and products to EverSpin Technologies and will retain an equity position in the new venture, the companies said. EverSpin is backed by venture firms New Venture Partners, Sigma Partners, Lux Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and Epic Ventures.
"The decision to form a new company is intended to accelerate the adoption of MRAM," Lisa Su, senior vice president and chief technology officer for Freescale Semiconductor, said in a statement.
"Current Freescale MRAM products have strong traction in the market," Steve Socolof, managing partner of New Venture Partners, said in a statement.
As part of the agreement, EverSpin Technologies will take ownership of the MRAM manufacturing assets and will be based in Chandler, Ariz.
EverSpin will continue to supply products to Freescale's existing standalone MRAM customers. In addition, EverSpin will be a supplier to Freescale of MRAM technology for use in Freescale's embedded products.
Chips in 2009 will run faster but not necessarily hotter. That's the gist of what IBM, along with its joint development partners such as Samsung Electronics and Toshiba, announced Monday.
IBM-fabricated 32nm SRAM chip
(Credit: IBM)The IBM alliance is using "high-k/metal gate" technology to achieve this, the same category of process technology that Intel currently uses in its 45-nanometer processors. The alliance says it is seeing performance improvements of up to 35 percent over 45nm technology at the same "operating voltage" or power levels.
This allows alliance chipmakers such as Samsung, Toshiba, and Freescale Semiconductor (formerly an arm of Motorola) to build more powerful chips that don't necessarily generate more heat. This is a necessary advancement for small devices such as cell phones, as well as data centers that use a large number of servers. The power reduction compared to 45nm technology can range as high as 30 percent to 50 percent, depending on the operating voltage, according to IBM.
The announcement serves as more of a progress update than a breakthrough achievement. At the beginning of last year, IBM announced technology to "speed the implementation of...high-k/metal gate in next-generation 32-nanometer computer chips."
A gate is a basic building block of a digital circuit, while high-k/metal is the material used. Intel, for example, used a high-k material called hafnium to replace the transistor's silicon dioxide gate dielectric for its 45nm processors. As transistors shrink, leakage current can increase. For chipmakers, it is crucial to minimize leakage. This is where high-k/metal gates come into play.
The technology will be available to alliance partners in the second half of 2009, though the design process for devices that use this technology can start now, IBM said. AMD was not included as part of the alliance because technically, it is a member only of a separate alliance, SOI (Silicon-On-Insulator).
We've seen a horde of semiconductor spin-offs these past 10 years. Why all of a sudden? Companies are refocusing on core competencies and unloading unprofitable, sometimes debt-ridden businesses. There's also an ongoing and apparently interminable disaggregation of the electronics industry.
The latest trend is for semiconductor companies to spin off product or application-focused companies. I'm not sure that's always the right move, but you'll see a lot more of that in the coming years.
Here are 10 notable chip divestitures. A bunch of them went public during the tech bubble--exciting for them, not so much for long-term investors who, for the most part, took it in the shorts. ... Read more
Henri Richard, who last month left his job leading Advanced Micro Devices' sales and marketing, has taken a similar position at another chip company, Freescale Semiconductor.
Henri Richard
(Credit: AMD)Austin, Texas-based Freescale announced Richard's appointment to senior vice president and chief sales and marketing officer on Wednesday. "His expertise in developing customer solutions will accelerate our growth initiatives and build on Freescale's strong market position," Freescale Chairman and Chief Executive Michel Mayer said in a statement.
Since Richard's departure, more changes have taken place at AMD. Rick Hegberg, senior vice president of worldwide sales and an executive who reported to Richard, also is leaving, AMD spokeswoman Cathy Abbinanti said Wednesday.
Hegberg's departure is part of a move by AMD to flatten its management as the company shifts power from his office to regional sales and marketing offices, she said. There was "mutual agreement that he leave to look for other opportunities," she said.
"This is a shift to put increased responsibility and authority more within the regions. We're trying to create a flatter organization for AMD around the world," she said. "The ultimate goal is to be closer to our customers and drive efficiency for business operations."
Regional sales executives now will report directly to the office of CEO Hector Ruiz, she said, adding that the company already had moved to the model with China and its sales chief, Karen Guo.
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