Samsung scientists develop new memory that could combine speeds similar to RAM with SSD capacities.

Samsung has utilized advanced computational modeling to accelerate the development of a new memory technology called Selector-Only Memory (SOM). This innovation combines non-volatility with read and write speeds similar to DRAM and allows for the stacking of multiple layers.

Building on previous research, the SOM technology is based on cross-point memory architectures similar to phase-change memory and resistive RAM (RRAM), where stacked arrays of electrodes are employed. Typically, these architectures require a transistor or a diode selector to access specific memory cells and prevent unwanted electrical pathways. However, Samsung has taken a novel approach by investigating chalcogenide-based materials that function as both the selector and the memory element, introducing a new form of non-volatile memory.

At the upcoming International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), which will be held from December 7 to 11 in San Francisco, Samsung researchers will present their findings. They will address how a wide range of chalcogenide materials for SOM applications was examined. During their study, Samsung explored over 4,000 material combinations, narrowing them down to 18 promising candidates through computational modeling based on the Ab-initio method. Areas of focus included improving threshold voltage drift and optimizing the memory window, key factors in SOM performance.

Traditional SOM research has been limited to the use of Ge, As, and Se chalcogenide systems, like those found in ovonic threshold switches (OTS). However, Samsung claims that their extensive modeling process allowed for broader exploration, considering bond characteristics, thermal stability, and device reliability to improve performance and efficiency.

In a subsequent presentation at the IEDM, researchers from IMEC will discuss possible atomic mechanisms, such as local reordering of atomic bonds and atomic segregation, that could explain how the selector component operates in SOM, further influencing the threshold voltage, a crucial factor in memory performance.