TOKYO -- Toshiba Corp. and Infineon Technologies AG Thursday announced a development agreement to commercialize nonvolatile memory chips using ferroelectric technology.

Toshiba and Infineon said they will initially create a 32-Mbit ferroelectric random-access memory (FeRAM) aimed at replacing NOR-based flash memories and SRAMs in cell phones.

“We are excited about this new activity with such a competent partner," said Andreas von Zitzewitz, chief operating officer at Infineon in Munich.

The joint development activities will focus on creating a memory cell structure for high-speed access, long-term reliability, and establishing new techniques for resolving metal contamination during chip production.

Toshiba said the collaborative effort will pick up from its development of an 8-Mbit FeRAM, and the first engineering samples of a jointly developed device will be available in March 2001. Commercialization of the 32-Mbit FeRAM is expected at the end of 2002. The R&D partnership will then be extended to 64-Mbit memories, and potentially 128-Mbit FeRAMs, depending upon market demand, the companies said.

Toshiba and Infineon have collaborated in DRAM technology since the early 1990s. "Our long relationship includes joint development of leading-edge process technology for DRAMs, and we are very confident that this latest collaboration in FeRAM will allow us to reinforce our presence in the market," said Yasuo Morimoto, president and CEO of Toshiba's Semiconductor Co., Tokyo.

Toshiba and Infineon said the attributes of the FeRAM makes it well-suited for a range of applications, such as video game consoles, cell phones, wireless communication devices, and IC cards.

The companies said the joint-development program will start in early January 2001 at Toshiba's Advanced Microelectronics Center and Ofuna Office of Semiconductor System Engineering Center in Yokohama, Japan.

Development costs will be shared.

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