The Application of FeRAM to Future Information Technology World

Abstract

The future information technology world needs a simple identification and secure information storage medium. The advanced smart card is a promising technology to extend information-providing services from terminal (PC and mobile phone) dominated schemes to more flexible schemes in which the users’ intention dominates. In this smart card, unique identification, individual information and values are stored in nonvolatile memories; among the nonvolatile memories, FeRAM presents overwhelming characteristics compared to conventional floating-gate type memories in terms of programming time, energy consumption, and its scalability/affinity to below 0.18 micro meter standard CMOS technology. FeRAM can improve the transaction time in transportation applications through its fast programming time; moreover, a data protection scheme from power failure can be implemented without the addition of off-chip components, through its low energy consumption. Scalability to advanced CMOS technology enables enhancement services in multi-application cards, which include a mobile phone identity module. A smart card LSI embedded with 32 bit RISC CPU and 64 kB FeRAM is introduced with an associated OS. Further applications of the FeRAM circuit are discussed, along with its technology trend.