Samsung researchers have unveiled a new memory chip architecture that could drastically cut power consumption for data centers and artificial intelligence applications, potentially by over 96%.
The breakthrough by the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) addresses a critical challenge posed by the increasing energy demands of AI and Big Data processing. Traditional memory systems consume vast amounts of electricity, generating heat and straining existing infrastructure.
Published in the journal Nature, the research introduces a new memory architecture designed to overcome the power limitations of current NAND Flash technology. This innovation promises to deliver significant energy savings, crucial for the continued expansion of digital services.
Current NAND Flash memory, found in solid-state drives (SSDs) and mobile devices, operates by powering multiple layers of storage cells. To access data on any specific layer, the system must energize all preceding layers, leading to substantial energy waste.
The new design replaces the conventional Charge-Trap structure with a Ferroelectric Field-Effect Transistor (FeFET) architecture. This utilizes Hafnia-based ferroelectric material combined with an oxide semiconductor.
This change enables “Near-Zero Pass-Voltage” operation. Consequently, the system can read and write data with minimal voltage requirements, virtually eliminating the energy lost in traditional data access pathways.
Simulations by the research team indicate substantial efficiency gains. A memory unit with 286 layers could see a 94% reduction in read and write energy consumption. If the technology advances to 1,024 layers, energy savings are projected to exceed 96% compared to current designs.
Despite the promising energy efficiency, the research highlights challenges in durability. The new FeFET structure currently supports only hundreds to thousands of write cycles, significantly less than the much higher endurance required for enterprise-grade SSDs.
Further research is also needed to ensure the materials can withstand the high operating temperatures typical of memory devices.
This development is considered a pivotal step for global technology as conventional memory architectures approach their energy efficiency limits. As demand for more intelligent AI and larger data centers grows, hardware with drastically lower power consumption becomes essential.
Samsung’s FeFET innovation offers a potential solution to this looming energy crisis, although it is expected to be several years before the technology reaches commercial devices.