Original Link: https://www.anandtech.com/show/13171/mram-developer-day-globalfoundries-keynote-liveblog
MRAM Developer Day, GlobalFoundries Keynote Live Blog
by Ian Cutress on August 6, 2018 12:37 PM EST12:40PM EDT - Second Keynote today is from GlobalFoundries, Everspin's MRAM partner.
12:40PM EDT - Michael Mendicinoj, VP on stage
12:41PM EDT - 7% memory growth rate
12:41PM EDT - Growth comes from many areas - mobile computing, IoT, AI, AR/MR/VR
12:42PM EDT - The key is to know what will drive growth and what will need it
12:42PM EDT - GF has a dual lane roadmap to tackle high performance and low power
12:42PM EDT - anticipating what the segments need from a total perspective
12:42PM EDT - Today is mostly IoT and AI related
12:43PM EDT - Potential $63B TAM in 2025
12:43PM EDT - Connectivity is a big role in each space
12:43PM EDT - IoT is a very broad set of applications
12:43PM EDT - End-to-end solutions are important
12:43PM EDT - Needing to have the right capability in the technololgy
12:44PM EDT - Have a good overall cost of ownership
12:44PM EDT - IoT is not a segment - it's a collection of applications spread across segments
12:45PM EDT - Mobile Segment, Compute Segment, Automotive Segment, Aerospace segment
12:45PM EDT - Low power in 40-130nm, Mid range in 22-28nm, High perf at 12-14nm
12:46PM EDT - Speed and memory types vary
12:46PM EDT - RF is important across all segments
12:46PM EDT - 17 levels of metal at 7nm
12:47PM EDT - The SoC Differentiator - to build value
12:47PM EDT - Some characteristics matter more depending on the IoT device
12:48PM EDT - Perf, Connectivity, Memory, Sensory, Storage, Battery, Security, Packaging, IP, Integration
12:50PM EDT - MRAM offers power and area savings
12:50PM EDT - Instant On for IoT is important
12:51PM EDT - If you put good MRAM on a mediocre platform, that's not going to win
12:51PM EDT - Need best in class compute and RF to get max benefit
12:52PM EDT - AI is a key part of the semiconductor 7% CAGR
12:52PM EDT - Break it up into two main areas : Datacenter (high-end training and inferencing)
12:53PM EDT - These use the high end processes, big chips, mostly ASICs
12:53PM EDT - The other side is mid-to-low end inferencing: IoT, Smartphones, Drones, ADAS
12:53PM EDT - classic foundry and ASIC, smaller die size
12:53PM EDT - balanced low power process
12:54PM EDT - IN high-end, big metal stacks requiremed, high density memory
12:55PM EDT - In edge devices, use FDX SoC platform, SoC design services
12:56PM EDT - Datacenter is usually based on thermal limits, low end is usually power limit driven
12:57PM EDT - How to win: IoT and ML
12:58PM EDT - AI/ML all about the datacenter - high performance, high speed IP etc
12:58PM EDT - IoT is all about the small chips and ultra low leakage
12:58PM EDT - Only high-density MRAM can really connect the two
12:59PM EDT - 22FDX is low power fully depleted SOI process
01:00PM EDT - Can run A53 at almost 2 GHz
01:00PM EDT - Lower dynamic and leakage
01:00PM EDT - 22FDX is king of power
01:00PM EDT - Uses back-biasing to help boost perf, or reduce back-bias to lower VTs and still run fast
01:01PM EDT - Overall 80% lower power
01:01PM EDT - Best in class mmWave perf
01:01PM EDT - eMRAM for NVM
01:01PM EDT - Increasing value prop by coupling eMRAM
01:02PM EDT - Ecosystem is already quite large, and growing
01:03PM EDT - Two versions of MRAM: -F for flash replacement, -S for SRAM replacement
01:04PM EDT - Differences in speed, endurance, data retention, operating temperature
01:05PM EDT - eMRAM-F is a cold storage technology, hence 15 year data retention
01:05PM EDT - eMRAM on 22FDX beats eFlash on 40nm
01:06PM EDT - Production of 22FDX eMRAM set for 1H 2019
01:07PM EDT - Status of 22FDX eMRAM
01:07PM EDT - Quarterly MPWs starting in Q1 2018
01:07PM EDT - Risk production by end of 2018
01:07PM EDT - JDV with Everspin in 2014
01:08PM EDT - Succeeded in each area
01:08PM EDT - 300 companies using production PDK
01:08PM EDT - 32Mb eFlash and 2Mb SRAM interfaces available for use
01:10PM EDT - Already announced $2b of design wins on 22FDX, most of which with eMRAM involved
01:10PM EDT - Next gen is 12FDX
01:10PM EDT - 7nm FinFET power efficiency with body bias, but still FDSOI planar process
01:11PM EDT - 40% fewer masks than 7nm DUV
01:12PM EDT - Four arms of technical challenges
01:12PM EDT - Never underestimate incumbents: eFlash scaling for example
01:13PM EDT - DRAM below 22nm is still in development - data integrity and corruption is a concern
01:13PM EDT - eDRAM has run out of steam
01:13PM EDT - SRAM Memory bandwidth is lagging behind CPU perf
01:13PM EDT - MRAM could help catch up
01:14PM EDT - IoT demand for lowest possible power memory solutions
01:14PM EDT - Non-technical challenges - cost of manufacturing ecoysystem, market acceptance
01:15PM EDT - making all the TAM accessible
01:15PM EDT - A lot of people want to go with the proven solution - hard to drive adoption without a compelling product
01:16PM EDT - MRAM is ready for GF customers