Jul 31 2014
Dan Shepard, founder and CTO of Contour Semiconductor, Inc., will reveal details about the company's development of Diode Transistor Memory (DTM™) technology, the world's lowest production-cost, non-volatile memory technology at the upcoming Flash Memory Summit during the panel "Life Beyond Flash: New Non-Volatile Memory Technologies," Thursday August 7 at 8:30 a.m. Pacific.
Contour's Diode Transistor Memory (DTM) technology, backed by 42 issued patents and more than a dozen patent applications, overcomes production and CapEx challenges that plague NAND manufacturers, while offering significant technical advantages over traditional NAND flash memory.
DTM is a durable and scalable technology based on phase-change memory. Its granular cross-point array reduces complexity, eliminates the block page mismatch and solves other issues that for years have frustrated developers working with the cost and constraints of developing a NAND flash memory finished product.
Contour DTM incorporates historically proven approaches and materials that reduce the mask and process steps by 65 percent compared to NAND flash technology, dramatically reducing the cost of building a memory fab and creating an unprecedented wafer production cost profile.
The $25 billion flash memory market includes consumer and enterprise products, yet experts say traditional NAND flash is nearing the end of its scalable path. With the production cost advantages of DTM, that path can be extended to support new applications, emerging and future technologies such as wearables, Internet connected devices and the Internet of Things (IoT).
"Our industry is struggling with increased demand for flash memory while manufacturers are challenged by the ever-increasing costs associated with building new fabs and buying production tools, so this discussion couldn't be more timely or relevant," said Shepherd. "Contour has developed Diode Transistor Memory not only to keep up with the demands of evolving applications and components, but ideally to enable them."
Contour executives will also meet with strategic partners at Flash Memory Summit to share details of the process technology and discuss next-generation development and investment opportunities.
Flash Memory Summit, held August 4-7 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, is the world's largest event dedicated to flash technologies from consumer to enterprise applications.