NSF/ENG/ECCS-BSF: Dynamically configurable memory technology based on ferroelectric-gated field effect transistors

NSF/ENG/ECCS-BSF：基于铁电门控场效应晶体管的动态可配置存储器技术

• 批准号: 1609162
• 负责人: Tso-Ping Ma
• 金额: $ 34.5万
• 依托单位: Yale University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-09-01 至 2020-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1609162&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; ENG; ECCS; BSF; Dynamically

The main objective of this NSF/ENG/ECCS-BSF proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility and scalability of a novel dynamically configurable memory technology based on ferroelectric-gated FET's (FeFET's). Specifically, the 'dynamical configurability' enables the fabricated memory array to behave as either nonvolatile memory (NVM, with 10 years retention time and 105-106 endurance cycles) or as DRAM (with 1012 endurance cycles but 1 hour retention) by adjusting the write/erase programming strength. This unprecedented capability is a paradigm shift from the conventional semiconductor memory in which the NVM and DRAM are two entirely different technologies and have rigid boundaries to separate them. The successful breakthrough of these rigid boundaries through proposed research project will open up numerous opportunities for device engineers, circuit designers, and systems integrators to continue to push the frontiers of the conventional scaling approach of both NVM and DRAM technologies. The PI and Co-PI outreach activities involves recruitment of undergraduates and K-8 teachers from neighboring Southern Connecticut State University which has 25+% underrepresented minority enrollment and trains K-8 teachers, for participation in the proposed research project. The proposed dynamically configurable memory technology represents a paradigm shift from the conventional concept of pitting nonvolatile memory (NVM) against DRAM, where the two memory technologies are considered to be fundamentally different, not only in the basic memory cell structure but also in the array architecture, and operating principles. To achieve this objective, the PI/Co-PI at Yale University in collaboration with the research team at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology will take advantage of complementary strengths in addressing fundamental as well as technological issues related to device physics, device engineering, device fabrication, modeling/simulation, circuit design, device/circuit characterization, and materials science, to achieve the research objective. The successful demonstration of this proposed research will serve to break through all these boundaries, as the same fabricated hardware will serve the functionality of both NVM and DRAM in a system by merely controlling the programming software. For the semiconductor memory community, this will open up new opportunities for innovative research that goes beyond the conventional methodology that is confined by the traditional boundaries between the compartmentalized NVM and DRAM.

NSF/ENG/ECCS-BSF提案的主要目标是证明一种基于铁电门控场效应管（FeFET）的新型动态可配置存储技术的可行性和可扩展性。具体来说，通过调整写/擦除编程强度，“动态可配置性”使制造的存储器阵列可以表现为非易失性存储器（NVM，具有10年的保留时间和105-106个持久周期）或DRAM（具有1012个持久周期，但保留时间为1小时）。在传统半导体存储器中，NVM和DRAM是两种完全不同的技术，并且有严格的界限将它们分开，这种前所未有的能力是一种范式转变。通过拟议的研究项目成功突破这些严格的界限，将为器件工程师，电路设计师和系统集成商提供许多机会，继续推动NVM和DRAM技术的传统缩放方法的前沿。PI和联合PI的外展活动包括从邻近的南康涅狄格州立大学招募本科生和K-8教师，该大学有25%以上的少数族裔入学率不足，并培训K-8教师参与拟议的研究项目。提出的动态可配置存储器技术代表了从非易失性存储器（NVM）与DRAM的传统概念的范式转变，其中两种存储器技术被认为是根本不同的，不仅在基本存储器单元结构上，而且在阵列架构和操作原理上。为了实现这一目标，耶鲁大学的PI/Co-PI与以色列理工学院的研究团队合作，将利用互补优势，解决与器件物理、器件工程、器件制造、建模/仿真、电路设计、器件/电路特性和材料科学相关的基础和技术问题，以实现研究目标。这项研究的成功演示将有助于突破所有这些界限，因为相同的制造硬件将通过控制编程软件在系统中同时服务于NVM和DRAM的功能。对于半导体存储器社区来说，这将为创新研究开辟新的机会，超越传统的方法，这些方法受到分隔的NVM和DRAM之间的传统界限的限制。