Conventional NAND Flash memories use a dielectric layer to be able to retain data even when they stop working, while FeRAM uses a ferroelectric layer after which they are named. It is therefore one of the most powerful alternatives to NAND Flash based storage systems.
What advantages does it bring?
Being nonvolatile memory, what interests us is how it compares to NAND Flash, which is used in all nonvolatile memory-based storage devices, from memory cards to NVMe M.2 SSDs.
Its main advantage is its write speed, whereas flash memories move in milliseconds, FeRAM can move in hundreds of nanoseconds, an order of magnitude faster. It should be borne in mind that in any memory the write speed will always be lower, but in this case the reads and writes are just as fast. Also, the reason it’s not called FeFlash is because it’s fast enough to perform at certain levels as RAM.
In addition, it has a huge duration, neither more nor less than 1014 read or write cycles, far more than any NAND Flash memory on the market. Therefore, it is ideal for use in applications where data access is continuous and incessant by the processor and supports much higher levels of radiation than conventional memory, which is why it is used by space agencies worldwide for artificial sound information systems. satellites and manned flights.
What are its disadvantages?
Well, stores a lot less information than regular NAND Flash, which doesn’t make it an ideal long-term replacement. Let’s not forget that the memory of SSD disks has the advantage of being able to have cells of 1, 2, 3, 4 and in the future of 5 bits. In comparison, the information density that FeRAM can store is much lower, resulting in a higher cost per bit stored.
In addition, FeRAM costs several hundred times more to manufacture than the memory used for non-volatile memories in PCs, this is because it uses materials that are not standard and require their own manufacturing methodologies which make production more expensive and prevent us from having large blocks of FeRAM. If that were the case, we wouldn’t be talking about flash memory.
Will it replace the RAM?
Since the basic structure and operation of DRAM and FeRAM are similar, it is expected that over time FeRAM will reach the speeds of DRAM with the same storage capacity and bandwidth. , but with the advantage that the data will be persistent.
So in the memory hierarchy, at some point FeRAM would be placed much closer to the processor than an NVMe SSD. However, a bet is as important as read-only memory. Let’s not forget that the first computers contained a ROM where the operating system was stored due to the slowness of storage systems. Having the operating system and other crucial stuff in high-speed non-volatile memory is a huge performance boost, because applications on PC continue to call on the operating system for certain functions.
However, due to its high cost, it still has a lower density even than conventional DRAM, which caused it to never be able to replace conventional RAM memories and its application is currently outside the PC world in all its forms.
Where is FeRAM used?
However, we can’t find FeRAM anywhere, we can’t see it on our PCs, and it’s been used in other markets. What we usually forget when we talk about hardware, but we all use it on a daily basis and with that I’m talking about the so called smart cards that use ferroelectric RAM to store information. Smart cards and FeRAM are therefore closely related, let’s not forget that they are used for things like SIM cards in mobile phones, for accreditation in hotels or offices, as well as for credit cards or debit.
Use in microcontrollers
Another application is in microcontrollers commonly used in household appliances. By its nature, FeRAM can replace the RAM, ROM and EEPROM used in this type of device. By concentrating all the functions in a single memory, not only is space saved, but the interfaces are also simplified and everything is made much easier for the programmer. As a curiosity, many digital radios included in cars use FeRAM microcontrollers in order to immediately start and memorize stations.
The last application concerns the so-called black boxes, which store information about a vehicle in real time and let us know in the event of an accident how it was handled. As you can see, FeRAM is present in various areas of daily life where hardware is involved, but in principle they are not found in our PCs.
Reproductions of Retro Cartridges
Another item where FeRAM used can be seen is in reproductions of old console cartridges. Which are intended to be used as replacements for the originals and can interact at the speeds and times specified by the original hardware. This type of memory is much faster than NAND Flash, which in many cases can cause timing issues.
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