Next-generation memory developer Weebit Nano (ASX:WBT) has achieved a major milestone towards commercialisation, taping-out (releasing to manufacturing) demonstration chips integrating its embedded ReRAM module to SkyWater Technology’s foundry. This represents the first tape-out of Weebit’s ReRAM technology to a production fab.
Weebit’s ReRAM technology will be available on SkyWater’s 130nm CMOS process, which is ideal for applications such as analog, power management, automotive, IoT and medical. SkyWater’s customers can now use the highly integrated demo chip as the final platform for testing and prototyping ahead of volume production.
Weebit Nano CEO Coby Hanoch said, “We’ve developed a close and efficient partnership with SkyWater, enabling us to meet our milestones, and bringing us ever closer to volume production. This successful tape-out concludes the technology transfer to SkyWater’s US production fab, and once the chips are back from the fab, we will proceed with technology qualification. We’re in discussions with early-adopter customers looking to leverage our faster, more efficient memory technology to increase their competitiveness in the market.”
SkyWater president and CEO, Thomas Sonderman, said, “We plan to offer Weebit ReRAM as part of our growing portfolio of silicon-proven design IP. Weebit ReRAM is a rich building block our customers can leverage to create innovative, highly differentiated SoC designs. Given the technology’s ultra-low power consumption and integration flexibility, we are already seeing enthusiastic interest from customers in areas such as IoT, power management and mixed-signal designs.”
Weebit’s embedded ReRAM module includes a 256Kb ReRAM array, control logic, decoders, Input/Output communication elements, and error correcting code. It is designed with unique patent-pending analog and digital smart circuitry running smart algorithms, significantly enhancing the memory array’s technical parameters. It also supports an extended temperature range, 10 years’ data retention at high temperatures, fast access time, extremely low standby power, and is radiation-hardened (rad-hard) by nature.
The demo chip comprises a full sub-system for embedded applications, including the Weebit ReRAM module, a RISC-V microcontroller (MCU), system interfaces, memories and peripherals.