Europe Restarts Memory Chip Production: German FMC Bets on FeRAM Technology
The German ferroelectric memory company (FMC) announced that it had reached a strategic cooperation with the semiconductor company Neumonda to establish a new non-volatile memory chip (FeRAM) production line in Dresden, Germany. This marks a significant milestone for European semiconductor manufacturing.
This is the first attempt in Europe to restart the local production of memory chips after the bankruptcy and closure of Infineon and Qimonda’s DRAM factories in Germany in 2009. The initiative represents an important step toward rebuilding Europe’s semiconductor independence.
At the heart of this collaboration is FMC’s “DRAM+” technology. The technology uses hafnium oxide (HfO₂) compatible with sub-10nm process as the ferroelectric layer to replace the traditional lead zirconate titanate PZT material, and the storage capacity is increased from 4-8MB of traditional FeRAM to the Gb-GB level, while maintaining the characteristics of no data loss when the power is off.
FeRAM is similar to SDRAM and is a random access memory technology. It uses a layer of ferroelectric material to replace the original dielectric substance, so it also has the function of non-volatile memory, combining the speed of conventional RAM with the persistence of storage technologies.
Thomas Rueckes, CEO of FMC, explains: “The ferroelectric effect of hafnium oxide transforms DRAM capacitance into a non-volatile memory cell that achieves low power consumption while maintaining high performance, making it ideal for persistent memory needs for AI computing.”
The two companies will rely on Neumonda’s three test systems, Rhinoe, Octopus, and Raptor, to build a complete chain from R&D to mass production, ensuring quality and efficiency throughout the manufacturing process.
Peter Poechmueller, CEO of Neumonda, said: “Our ultimate goal is to rebuild Germany’s memory chip industry, and this partnership is a crucial step.” This collaboration could potentially revitalize European semiconductor manufacturing at a time when chip supply chains have become a matter of strategic importance globally.
