Next-gen DRAM+ could transform AI and edge computing, say FMC and Neumonda

Forward-looking: The once-thriving era of dynamic random access memory production in Germany, driven by companies like Infineon and Qimonda, faded as the economics of commodity memory manufacturing became unsustainable in Europe. Now, a new partnership between Ferroelectric Memory Co. and Neumonda aims to revive the nation's semiconductor ambitions with DRAM+, a non-volatile memory technology powered by ferroelectric hafnium oxide (HfO₂).

FMC specializes in leveraging hafnium oxide (HfO₂) – a material with ferroelectric properties – to develop memory that retains data even when power is lost. This technology replaces the traditional capacitor found in DRAM with a non-volatile alternative, delivering high performance while improving energy efficiency and data persistence. The resulting memory, branded as DRAM+, is poised to transform industries such as artificial intelligence, automotive, medical technology, consumer electronics, and industrial systems.

The shift to HfO₂ represents a major advancement over earlier ferroelectric memory technologies, which relied on lead zirconate titanate. PZT-based ...