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IN A continuing trend of resources companies diversifying their businesses into the technology sector, coal development company Fitzroy Resources will take over Australian memory technology developer 4D-S.
4D-S was founded in 2007, and is developing intellectual property around non-volatile memory storage known as Resistive Random Access Memory (ReRAM), which it is positioning as a replacement for conventional NAND Flash memory.
The business has a wholly owned US subsidiary which operates from leased facilities in Silicon Valley, which undertakes R&D activities for 4D-S.
4D-S says it has invested approximately US$10 million has been invested in developing ReRAM technology since 2007. This work has resulted in 15 US patents for the technology and materials deposition process, as well as several related patents in other key jurisdictions.
A number of companies and research institutions are developing ReRAM technologies, as part of the emerging non volatile memory market.
ReRAM cells consist of a switching material sandwiched between two electrodes. These cells are arranged in a cell matrix to form a memory array.
When a voltage is applied to the memory cell, the resistance changes. Changing the applied voltage reverses the resistive change. The different resistive states become the On and Off states fundamental to binary memory systems.
Many ReRAM developers use a filamentary switching system, where the change in voltages cause the formation and breakage of filaments within the sandwiched material, causing varying resistance between electrodes.
However, because the filament is a type of short circuit, this can be random and difficult to control. Forming and reforming filaments can lead to eroding performance over time. The approach also restricts the ability to scale down, since the filamentary current remains the same regardless of the size of the cells.
4D-S claims to avoid the issue because its ReRAM switching mechanism is a MOHJOTM hetero junction, which does not rely on the formation of a filament.
Instead, the overall MOHJOTM memory cell reduces and increases its resistance to form the “On” and “Off” states.
The company notes that given the cost to setup and operate a high-volume high-density memory fabrication plant, it is not realistic to become a new memory maker. The focus is on IP development, in the hopes of getting noticed by a memory maker and being bought out.
To get noticed by memory makers, 4D-S intends to develop its technology sufficiently to indicate that production of a commercial product is viable. To do this, it must demonstrate scalability (small memory cell size with small space between memory cells) and consistency of its memory cell behaviour, by improving the memory cell architecture, the manufacturing process, and the PCMO deposition equipment.
The acquisition will provide the business with the business plan, budget and financial authorisation to continue its research and development work.