High Performance Memories New Architecture DRAMs and SRAMs - Evolution and Function

by Prince, Betty

• ISBN13: 9780471986102
• ISBN10: 0471986100
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-08-03
• Publisher: WILEY

Summary

High Performance Memories New architecture DRAMs and SRAMs evolution and function Revised Edition Betty Prince Memory Strategies International, Leander, Texas, USA Now presenting extra product specific material on the new DDR SDRAMs, ESDRAMs and DDR ESDRAMs, Direct Rambus DRAMs, SLDRAM, VCDRAM, SGRAM and DDR SGRAM, and DP-DRAM. Fully updated to incorporate the latest industry achievements in this fast-moving field, High Performance Memories, Revised provides an overview of the issues involved in advanced memory design. Drawing on her work at the cutting edge of memory technology, Prince surveys the latest trends in development and assesses the range of memory devices and systems available. New features include: * Examination of the latest DRAMs standards * Discussion of electrical characteristics of high speed memories including SSTL interfaces and techniques in the testing of fast RAMS * Coverage of the effect of packaging on memory speed, encompassing DDR DRAM, DR-DRAM and SLDRAM Written by an internationally respected author, this comprehensively revised edition will be a boon to practising engineers involved in the design and manufacture of high speed systems and semiconductor memories. Advanced students of electrical engineering and researchers in computing and telecommunications will find High Performance Memories, Revised an invaluable reference.

Author Biography

Betty Prince has over 30 years' experience in the semiconductor industry having worked with Texas Instruments, N.V. Philips, Motorola, R.C.A., and Fairchild and is currently CEO of Memory Strategies International. She has authored four books and served from 1991-1994 on the Technical Advisory Board of IEEE Spectrum magazine. She is a Senior Life Member of the IEEE and served as an IEEE SSCS Distinguished Lecturer and on the Program Committee of the IEEE Custom Integrated Circuit conference. She was founder of the JEDEC JC-16 Interface Standards Committee and was active for many years on the JC-42 Memory Committee where she was co-chair of the SRAM standards group. She has been U.S. representative to the IEC SC47A WG3 Memory Standards Committee. Dr Prince has served on the Technical Advisory Board of several memory companies and has been on the Board of Directors of Mosaid Technologies. She holds patents in the memory, processor and interface areas and has degrees in Physics, Math, and Finance with doctoral dissertation in fractal modeling.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi	(2)
About the author	xiii	(2)
Introduction	xv
1 Overview of High Speed Memories and Memory Systems	1	(12)
1.1 Overview of Fast Memory Trends	1	(2)
1.2 New Memory Architectures to Improve Bandwidth	3	(3)
1.3 Memories in Computer Systems	6	(5)
1.3.1 Cache SRAMs	7	(2)
1.3.2 DRAMs in High Performance Main Memory	9	(1)
1.3.3 DRAMs in Graphics Subsystems	10	(1)
1.4 Effect of Electrical System Characteristics on Speed	11	(1)
1.5 Effect of Packaging on Speed	11	(1)
Bibliography	12	(1)
2 High Performance Memory Applications	13	(24)
2.1 The Concept of a High Performance Memory	13	(1)
2.2 System Architecture Determines Performance	14	(1)
2.3 Systems Applications for High Performance SRAMs	14	(8)
2.3.1 Overview of Fast SRAM Applications	14	(2)
2.3.2 Systems with Fast Caches	16	(1)
2.3.3 Synchronous and Asynchronous SRAMs in Fast Caches	17	(2)
2.3.4 Cache Size and Speed Requirements of Computer Systems	19	(2)
2.3.5 SRAM Use Based on Processor Speed	21	(1)
2.4 Overview of Applications for High Performance DRAMs	22	(1)
2.5 Main Memory Applications for DRAMs	22	(4)
2.5.1 Mainframe and Supercomputer Applications	23	(1)
2.5.2 DRAMs in Main Memory in Workstations	24	(1)
2.5.3 DRAMs in Main Memory in PCs	25	(1)
2.5.4 DRAMs in Add-On Modules for Main Memory	26	(1)
2.6 DRAMs in Graphic Subsystems	26	(6)
2.6.1 Television Displays	26	(1)
2.6.2 DRAMs in Television Related Applications	27	(1)
2.6.3 Graphics DRAMs in Computer Graphics Subsystems	27	(5)
2.6.4 Frame Buffer Operations to Improve System Bandwidth	32	(1)
2.7 Peripheral Applications for DRAMs	32	(1)
2.7.1 Printers	32	(1)
2.8 Consumer Applications for Fast DRAMs	33	(1)
2.8.1 Fast DRAMs in Consumer Games	33	(1)
2.9 Communications Applications for DRAMs	33	(1)
2.9.1 Digital Switching Systems	33	(1)
2.10 Emerging Communications Applications	34	(2)
2.10.1 Video Conferencing and Interactive TV Equipment	34	(1)
2.10.2 ATM Switches	34	(1)
2.10.3 Digital Compression	35	(1)
2.10.4 Mobile Communications	35	(1)
2.11 Industrial Applications for DRAMs	36	(1)
2.11.1 Medical Systems	36	(1)
2.11.2 Embedded Controllers	36	(1)
Bibliography	36	(1)
3 Fast SRAMs	37	(30)
3.1 Overview of Fast SRAMs	37	(1)
3.2 Fast SRAM Technology	37	(2)
3.3 Architectural Influence on SRAM Speed	39	(5)
3.3.1 Separate and Common Inputs and Outputs	39	(3)
3.3.2 Output Enable	42	(1)
3.3.3 Wide Bus SRAMs for Bandwidth Improvement	42	(2)
3.4 Fast Technologies	44	(2)
3.4.1 BiCMOS Technology for Speed	44	(1)
3.4.2 GaAs Technology for Speed	45	(1)
3.5 Effect of Lower Power Supply Voltage on Speed	46	(1)
3.6 Effect of Temperature on Speed	46	(1)
3.7 Revolutionary Pinout for Speed	47	(2)
3.7.1 Revolutionary Interface on ECL SRAMs	49	(1)
3.8 Latched and Registered SRAMs	49	(13)
3.8.1 Overview	49	(1)
3.8.2 Latches	50	(3)
3.8.3 Registers	53	(5)
3.8.4 Synchronous (Registered) SRAM with Separate I/O Option	58	(1)
3.8.5 Fast SRAMs with Early Write Feature, Zero Bus Turnaround	59	(3)
3.8.6 Double Data Rate Synchronous SRAMs	62	(1)
3.9 FIFOs	62	(3)
3.10 Fast Non-volatile Memories	65	(1)
Bibliography	65	(2)
4 Fast Cache Memory	67	(30)
4.1 Overview	67	(1)
4.2 Cache Concept and Theory	67	(4)
4.2.1 The Problem	68	(1)
4.2.2 Supplying Data from DRAM Main Memory	69	(1)
4.2.3 Supplying Data from a Cache Hierarchy	70	(1)
4.3 Effective Speed of the Cache Hierarchy	71	(1)
4.4 First Level Cache	71	(1)
4.5 Limitations in Size of an L1 Cache	72	(1)
4.6 Increasing the Hit Rate of the Cache: Cache Theory	73	(1)
4.6.1 Simple Cache Theory	73	(1)
4.7 Cache Architecture	73	(2)
4.7.1 Principles of Locality of Time and Space	74	(1)
4.8 Data and Instruction Caches	75	(1)
4.9 Cache Associativity	76	(3)
4.9.1 Direct Mapped Cache	77	(1)
4.9.2 N-Way Set Associative Cache	77	(1)
4.9.3 Content Addressable Memory	77	(2)
4.10 Dual-port Caches	79	(1)
4.11 Increasing the Hit Rate by Adding an L2 Cache	80	(1)
4.12 Operations to Ensure Cache Coherency	80	(1)
4.12.1 Write-Through	80	(1)
4.12.2 Copy-Back	81	(1)
4.13 External Cache Subsystems	81	(5)
4.13.1 Types of SRAMs Used for Cache Tags	82	(4)
4.14 SRAMs Tailored for Cache Data RAMs	86	(7)
4.14.1 Asynchronous Cache SRAMs	86	(1)
4.14.2 Synchronous Cache SRAMs	86	(1)
4.14.3 Burst Mode on Synchronous Cache SRAMs	87	(4)
4.14.4 Pipelined Burst SSRAMs	91	(2)
4.15 Use of Parity in Caches	93	(3)
Bibliography	96	(1)
5 Evolution of Fast Asynchronous DRAMs	97	(40)
5.1 Overview	97	(3)
5.2 Basic DRAM Operation	100	(2)
5.3 Early Speed Improvements	102	(6)
5.3.1 Nibble Mode	103	(2)
5.3.2 Wide I/O	105	(3)
5.4 Special Access Modes	108	(24)
5.4.1 Page Mode	108	(1)
5.4.2 Fast (Enhanced) Page Mode	109	(4)
5.4.3 Static Column Mode	113	(1)
5.4.4 Fast Page with EDO (Hyperpage)	114	(7)
5.4.5 Hyperpage Mode with Output Enable Control	121	(1)
5.4.6 Hyperpage Mode with Write Enable Control	122	(2)
5.4.7 Burst Mode with EDO	124	(4)
5.4.8 Pipeline Burst EDO	128	(4)
5.5 Technology Speed Trends	132	(1)
5.5.1 High Density 64M and 256M EDO DRAMS	133	(1)
5.6 Other Factors in DRAM Speed	133	(3)
5.6.1 Access Time vs. Power Supply Voltage	133	(2)
5.6.2 Low Temperature Operation for Speed	135	(1)
5.6.3 Address Demultiplexed DRAMs	135	(1)
5.6.4 BiCMOS DRAMs for Speed	136	(1)
5.7 Early Experiments in High Speed	136	(1)
Bibliography	136	(1)
6 New Architectures for Fast DRAMs	137	(88)
6.1 Overview	137	(2)
6.2 Synchronous Interface on DRAMs	139	(2)
6.3 High Speed Modes on Synchronous DRAMs	141	(1)
6.4 Pipelining on Synchronous DRAMs	142	(1)
6.5 Prefetch Architectures in Synchronous DRAMs	143	(1)
6.6 Combinations of Pipelining and Prefetch	144	(1)
6.7 Multiple Internal Banks	145	(3)
6.8 Overview of Types of Synchronous DRAMs	148	(1)
6.9 The Early 16M JEDEC SDRAMs	148	(3)
6.9.1 Features	148	(1)
6.9.2 New Pin Function Descriptions	149	(2)
6.10 Architecture of JEDEC SDRAMs	151	(1)
6.10.1 Synchronous and Registered Inputs and Outputs	151	(1)
6.10.2 Multiple Internal Banks	152	(1)
6.10.3 Output Structure	152	(1)
6.11 Operational Features	152	(3)
6.11.1 Mode Register	152	(2)
6.11.2 Burst Mode Access	154	(1)
6.11.3 CAS Latency	154	(1)
6.11.4 Chip Select Latency	155	(1)
6.12 Operational Functions of the SDRAM Truth Table	155	(6)
6.12.1 SDRAM Truth Table	155	(1)
6.12.2 Auto-Precharge	156	(1)
6.12.3 External Precharge Timing	157	(1)
6.12.4 Write Latency	158	(2)
6.12.5 DQM Latency for Reads	160	(1)
6.12.6 DQM Latency for Writes	160	(1)
6.12.7 The 2-N Rule	160	(1)
6.13 Refresh and Power Down on the JEDEC SDRAM	161	(2)
6.13.1 Auto Refresh Function	162	(1)
6.13.2 Self Refresh	162	(1)
6.14 Power Down and Clock Enable	163	(3)
6.14.1 Clock Enable	163	(1)
6.14.2 Power Down	163	(1)
6.14.3 Clock Suspend	163	(3)
6.15 A State Diagram for the JEDEC SDRAM	166	(1)
6.16 Power On Sequence for the JEDEC SDRAM	166	(2)
6.17 Interface Options for the JEDEC SDRAM	168	(1)
6.18 64M, 128M, and 256M SDRAM I (SDR)	168	(11)
6.18.1 64M SDRAM I	168	(10)
6.18.2 128M and 256M SDRAM I	178	(1)
6.19 SDRAM II--Double Data Rate SDRAM	179	(11)
6.20 Trends in SDRAM Characteristics	190	(1)
6.21 Cache DRAMs	191	(21)
6.21.1 Introduction	191	(2)
6.21.2 The Enhanced DRAM	193	(4)
6.21.3 Enhanced Synchronous DRAM I	197	(4)
6.21.4 Enhanced Synchronous DRAM II (DDR)	201	(1)
6.21.5 The CDRAM	202	(9)
6.21.6 Virtual Channel SDRAM	211	(1)
6.22 Packet Protocol Synchronous DRAMs	212	(11)
6.22.1 Packet Protocol Synchronous DRAMs from Rambus, Inc.	213	(8)
6.22.2 Synchronous Link DRAM (SLDRAM)	221	(2)
Bibliography	223	(2)
7 Graphics DRAMs	225	(50)
7.1 Overview of DRAMs for Graphics Subsystems	225	(1)
7.2 Frame Memories for Television Applications	226	(3)
7.2.1 Simple Serial Field Memory for Temporary Frame Storage	226	(1)
7.2.2 Serial DRAM for High Definition TV Frame Storage	227	(2)
7.3 Single Port Asynchronous DRAMs for Graphics Applications	229	(1)
7.3.1 Wide DRAM for Unified Memory in Low End PC	229	(1)
7.3.2 Wide DRAM for High Speed Printer Graphics	230	(1)
7.4 Graphics Features on Asynchronous Single Port DRAMs	230	(2)
7.4.1 Write-Per-Bit	230	(2)
7.4.2 Persistent Write-Per-Bit	232	(1)
7.5 Synchronous Single Port DRAMs Used in Graphics Systems	232	(5)
7.5.1 4M Synchronous Graphics DRAMs	233	(3)
7.5.2 8M SGRAMs	236	(1)
7.6 Special Graphics Features on SGRAMs	237	(8)
7.6.1 Load Special Mode Register Cycle	239	(1)
7.6.2 Load Mask Register	239	(1)
7.6.3 Load Color Register	239	(2)
7.6.4 Active Graphics Commands	241	(1)
7.6.5 Masked Write-Per-Bit	242	(1)
7.6.6 Block Write	243	(1)
7.6.7 Clock Enable on SGRAM	243	(1)
7.6.8 Current State Truth Table on SGRAM	243	(2)
7.7 16M SGRAMs	245	(1)
7.8 Other Single Port Graphics DRAMs	246	(6)
7.8.1 Synchronous Protocol DRAM from Rambus, Inc.	247	(3)
7.8.2 Multiple Bank DRAM from Mosys	250	(2)
7.9 Overview of Multi-Port Graphics DRAMs (VRAMs)	252	(1)
7.10 An Introduction to VRAMs, the 4M VRAMs	253	(1)
7.11 RAM Operations	254	(3)
7.11.1 Extended Read and Write Mode	255	(1)
7.11.2 Random Port Mask Functions	255	(2)
7.11.3 Flash Write	257	(1)
7.12 Transfer Operations between the RAM and SAM	257	(3)
7.12.1 256 x 16 SAM	257	(2)
7.12.2 512 x 16 SAM	259	(1)
7.13 SAM Operation	260	(1)
7.14 Video DRAM Standards and Market	261	(1)
7.15 8M Video DRAM	262	(2)
7.15.1 Samsung "Window RAM"	262	(2)
7.16 8M and 16M Synchronous VRAMs	264	(1)
7.17 Triple Port VRAM	265	(2)
7.18 VRAMs with Z-buffers	267	(1)
7.18.1 3D-RAM	267	(1)
7.19 DDR SGRAMs	267	(1)
7.20 Dual Port Graphics DRAM	268	(2)
7.21 Integrated Frame Buffers	270	(2)
Bibliography	272	(3)
8 Power Supply, Interface, and Test Issues	275	(22)
8.1 Different Voltages in the System	275	(2)
8.2 Fast Interfaces	277	(14)
8.2.1 Established Interfaces	277	(4)
8.2.2 Newer High Speed Interfaces	281	(9)
8.2.3 Packet Protocol DRAM Interfaces	290	(1)
8.3 Difficulties in Specification of High Speed Components	291	(1)
8.4 Testing High Speed Memories	291	(5)
8.4.1 Testing High Density Memories	291	(1)
8.4.2 Testing Stand-alone RAMs using BIST	292	(1)
8.4.3 Testing with Boundary Scan	292	(1)
8.4.4 Testing High Speed RAMs	293	(2)
8.4.5 Power and Heat Management	295	(1)
Bibliography	296	(1)
9 Fast Packaging Techniques	297	(32)
9.1 Fast Memory Component Packaging	297	(1)
9.2 Packages for Fast DRAMs	297	(4)
9.2.1 Trends to Smaller Sizes in Commodity DRAM Packages	297	(1)
9.2.2 Reverse Pinout Packages for Double Sided Modules	298	(1)
9.2.3 Vertical DRAM Packages	298	(1)
9.2.4 Speciality DRAM Packages	299	(2)
9.3 DRAM SIMM and DIMM Modules	301	(15)
9.3.1 8/9 Bit SIMM Modules	301	(2)
9.3.2 "x32" SIMM Modules (72-Pin SIMM)	303	(2)
9.3.3 Small Outline 72-Pin DIMMs	305	(1)
9.3.4 168-Pin 64/72-Bit (8-Byte) DRAM DIMM Module	306	(6)
9.3.5 72-Bit (8-Byte) 200-Pin Synchronous DRAM DIMM Module	312	(4)
9.4 Fast SRAM Packages	316	(6)
9.4.1 Packages for Fast Synchronous SRAMs	317	(3)
9.4.2 Speed Considerations in SRAM Package Selection	320	(1)
9.4.3 Trends in Systems Using Miniature Packaging	321	(1)
9.5 SRAM Modules	322	(4)
9.5.1 Multi-Package SRAM Modules	322	(1)
9.5.2 SRAM Multichip Packages and Multichip Modules	322	(3)
9.5.3 SRAM Multichip Modules	325	(1)
9.6 Package Considerations in Replacing or Upgrading a Cache SRAM	326	(2)
9.6.1 General Considerations	326	(1)
9.6.2 First Generation Upgrades	327	(1)
9.6.3 Second Generation Upgrades	327	(1)
9.6.4 Next Generation System Redesigns	328	(1)
Bibliography	328	(1)
Index	329