STMicroelectronics Advances in Development of Future Non-Volatile Memory Technology

Leading Flash memory supplier confirms viability of 'Post-Flash' candidate

Geneva, June 16, 2004 - STMicroelectronics, one of the world's leading semiconductor suppliers, has announced significant progress in the development of a new type of electronic memory that could eventually replace the Flash memory technology. Today, Flash is a key component of many electronic applications, from mobile phones, digital cameras, and set-top boxes to automotive engine controllers. The new technology, called Phase-Change Memory (PCM), potentially offers better performance than Flash. Most importantly, PCM is better suited to continuing the rapid shrinking of features for cost and speed advantage that has long characterized the semiconductor industry than Flash and other so-called "Non-Volatile Memories" (NVM), which are able to store information even when their power is switched off.