Scaling trends in DRAM technology

Summary form only given. Trends in scaling DRAM to 0.11 μm and below are reviewed. Scaling techniques used in earlier generations for the array access transistor and the storage capacitor are running into limitations, necessitating changes in electrical operating mode, cell structure, and processing innovations. Although a variety of options exist for advancing the technology, including low-voltage operation, non-planar array transistor MOSFETs, and novel capacitor structures and materials, uncertainties exist over the which of these will prove workable in manufacturing. This paper discusses the interrelationships among the DRAM scaling requirements and solutions.