Der 3-D-Microchip!
Tuesday December 4 3:23 PM ET
New Stacked Computer Chips Cut Costs,
Start-Up Says
By Daniel Sorid
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Any real estate speculator knows that
stacking offices or apartments vertically beats horizontal sprawl when
land prices are high.
In the microscopic world of computer chips, the same principle applies,
and a Silicon Valley start-up called Matrix Semiconductor intends to make its mark with the idea.
Matrix Semiconductor -- founded by former employees of memory company Rambus Inc.
(Nasdaq:RMBS - news) and backed by such big names as Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE:EK - news)
and Sony Corp (news - web sites). (6758.T) -- said on Tuesday it had achieved the long-awaited goal
of stacking many layers of active circuitry inside a single chip.
For decades, the idea of stacking chips has been seen as a way to dramatically cut the price of
producing powerful chips, by packing more and more data storage and processing power into a
smaller space.
Matrix, based in Santa Clara, California, will introduce a 64-megabyte memory chip, geared for the
digital imaging and audio market, sometime next year using this process. The chip has eight layers of
active components and can be produced with standard materials.
To date, chipmakers have only used a single layer for placing transistors, the microscopic switches that
process and store information. Higher layers were used only for wiring the circuitry together.
Developments in chemical polishing and flat-panel video displays helped Matrix overcome the
traditional problems of stacking layers of transistors, Matrix President and Chief Executive Dennis
Segers said.
``I think there was a realization that a couple new developments had taken place, somewhat tangential,
that actually turn out to be key enablers,'' he said.
The challenges of stacking these layers have kept so-called three-dimensional microchips within the
confines of research, and experts say Matrix is the first to claim a capability to mass-produce this type
of chip.
``They've stressed and emphasized that they aren't using any exotic materials, no strange processes in
the manufacturing of the parts,'' said Richard Wawrzyniak, a director at Semico Research Corp, which
does market research for the semiconductor industry.
``If that's correct, that's a big step forward,'' he said.
STEP ONE
Segers said the company's first product addresses demand for an inexpensive, digital ``film'' for
cameras. Unlike other types of memory used in digital cameras, pictures cannot be erased from
memory once they have been taken.
Over time, Segers said the company could build small chips with a huge capacity to store data. In three
years, he predicted the company could have a 1-gigabyte chip, enough to store a television program or
even a movie.
While inexpensive computer memory is abundant today, semiconductor analysts have said packing
more and more storage capacity into a single layer will be increasingly problematic and expensive.
Opening up many layers could solve that problem, and allow for much more capable memory chips
that are just as small.
Memory may be just the beginning. If Matrix can demonstrate the viability of 3-D memory chips, other
types of chips -- such as computer processors or programmable devices -- could be made using the
production process.
Matrix's chips will be produced in a factory owned by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
(2330.TW). While one-time-use memory will be the first product available, other types of chips could
be developed.
``While we have chosen a very highly focused product,'' Segers said, ``we believe that essentially
there's unlimited opportunities beyond simply memory.''
``We're really limited at this point by the business need.''
Tuesday December 4 3:23 PM ET
New Stacked Computer Chips Cut Costs,
Start-Up Says
By Daniel Sorid
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Any real estate speculator knows that
stacking offices or apartments vertically beats horizontal sprawl when
land prices are high.
In the microscopic world of computer chips, the same principle applies,
and a Silicon Valley start-up called Matrix Semiconductor intends to make its mark with the idea.
Matrix Semiconductor -- founded by former employees of memory company Rambus Inc.
(Nasdaq:RMBS - news) and backed by such big names as Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE:EK - news)
and Sony Corp (news - web sites). (6758.T) -- said on Tuesday it had achieved the long-awaited goal
of stacking many layers of active circuitry inside a single chip.
For decades, the idea of stacking chips has been seen as a way to dramatically cut the price of
producing powerful chips, by packing more and more data storage and processing power into a
smaller space.
Matrix, based in Santa Clara, California, will introduce a 64-megabyte memory chip, geared for the
digital imaging and audio market, sometime next year using this process. The chip has eight layers of
active components and can be produced with standard materials.
To date, chipmakers have only used a single layer for placing transistors, the microscopic switches that
process and store information. Higher layers were used only for wiring the circuitry together.
Developments in chemical polishing and flat-panel video displays helped Matrix overcome the
traditional problems of stacking layers of transistors, Matrix President and Chief Executive Dennis
Segers said.
``I think there was a realization that a couple new developments had taken place, somewhat tangential,
that actually turn out to be key enablers,'' he said.
The challenges of stacking these layers have kept so-called three-dimensional microchips within the
confines of research, and experts say Matrix is the first to claim a capability to mass-produce this type
of chip.
``They've stressed and emphasized that they aren't using any exotic materials, no strange processes in
the manufacturing of the parts,'' said Richard Wawrzyniak, a director at Semico Research Corp, which
does market research for the semiconductor industry.
``If that's correct, that's a big step forward,'' he said.
STEP ONE
Segers said the company's first product addresses demand for an inexpensive, digital ``film'' for
cameras. Unlike other types of memory used in digital cameras, pictures cannot be erased from
memory once they have been taken.
Over time, Segers said the company could build small chips with a huge capacity to store data. In three
years, he predicted the company could have a 1-gigabyte chip, enough to store a television program or
even a movie.
While inexpensive computer memory is abundant today, semiconductor analysts have said packing
more and more storage capacity into a single layer will be increasingly problematic and expensive.
Opening up many layers could solve that problem, and allow for much more capable memory chips
that are just as small.
Memory may be just the beginning. If Matrix can demonstrate the viability of 3-D memory chips, other
types of chips -- such as computer processors or programmable devices -- could be made using the
production process.
Matrix's chips will be produced in a factory owned by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
(2330.TW). While one-time-use memory will be the first product available, other types of chips could
be developed.
``While we have chosen a very highly focused product,'' Segers said, ``we believe that essentially
there's unlimited opportunities beyond simply memory.''
``We're really limited at this point by the business need.''
