Weebit Nano Limited (ASX:WBT), a developer of advanced memory technologies for the global semiconductor industry, is partnering with the Nino Research Group (NRG) in the University of Florida’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering to study the effects of radiation on Weebit’s resistive random access memory (ReRAM) technology. Results of initial studies confirm Weebit ReRAM arrays are tolerant to high radiation levels.
Being conducted by NRG, Weebit, and Weebit’s R&D partner CEA-Leti, initial studies show that Weebit ReRAM maintains data integrity and memory functionality after being subjected to doses of gamma irradiation exceeding the most demanding requirements. The group will next measure performance of the Weebit ReRAM module under a mixed radiation environment in real-time at the University of Florida Training Reactor (UFTR).
Weebit Nano CEO Coby Hanoch said, “There is growing interest in our ReRAM for applications in high-radiation environments, including aerospace and medical. Industry studies have shown ReRAM technology is inherently tolerant to the radiation that semiconductor chips encounter in those settings. Our work with NRG will enable us to demonstrate the radiation tolerance of Weebit ReRAM and gain additional insights into its robustness.”
NRG was established in 2003 by Juan C. Nino, Ph.D., professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Florida. The group focuses on developing advanced functional materials for sustainable energy solutions. Their research also includes investigating electronics under extreme environments, neuromorphic neural networks, energy conversion and storage, and semiconductors and scintillators for radiation detection.
Commenting on the study, Dr. Nino said, “We know ReRAM technology to be relatively insensitive to ionizing radiation, single event effect damage, and displacement damage given there is no direct interaction between radiation and the storage mechanism of the technology. Our initial results show that Weebit ReRAM technology is very resilient to high radiation levels, and we look forward to leveraging the UFTR to conduct additional tests in mixed radiation environments.”