Title :
On a micro-electro-mechanical nonvolatile memory cell
Author_Institution :
Landis & Gyr Betriebs AG, Zug, Switzerland
fDate :
10/1/1990 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
An integrated nonvolatile memory cell based on microelectromechanics is investigated. It consists of a thin micromachined bridge elastically deformed in such a way that it has two stable mechanical states to which the logical levels 0 and 1 are assigned. The state of the bridge can be changed using electrostatic forces and it may be read out by sensing the corresponding capacitance. The performance of such a device has been roughly estimated by a simple analytical model, and experimental samples have been fabricated using a slightly adapted MOS IC process. The memory cells occupy an area about 10 times larger than the cells of a conventional random access memory and are completely immune to electromagnetic fields and mechanical shocks, and the stored data are retained for an unlimited time. Switching voltages around 30 V have been achieved, and a huge number of write cycles with low read/write times are expected
Keywords :
elemental semiconductors; integrated circuit technology; integrated memory circuits; micromechanical devices; random-access storage; silicon; silicon compounds; 30 V; NVRAM; Si; SiO2 micromechanics; adapted MOS IC process; analytical model; area; capacitance readout; electrostatic forces; experimental samples; high cycling endurance; immune to electromagnetic fields; immune to mechanical shock; integrated nonvolatile memory cell; logical levels; low read/write times; micro-electro-mechanical nonvolatile memory cell; microelectromechanics; switching voltage; thin micromachined bridge elastically deformed; two stable mechanical states; unlimited retention time; Analytical models; Bridge circuits; Capacitance; Electric shock; Electromagnetic fields; Electrostatics; Integrated circuit modeling; Nonvolatile memory; Random access memory; Voltage;
Journal_Title :
Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on
