Nantero Proves NRAM Scalability Successfully Fabricates 22nm Memory Switch

Woburn, MA. April 5, 2006 -- Nantero, Inc announced today that it has fabricated and successfully tested a 22-nanometer (nm) NRAM^TM memory switch. This switch demonstrates that NRAM^TM is scalable to numerous process technology nodes over several decades. NRAM^TM is a rewritable memory device that holds its data content without power, making it a potential universal memory and an ideal solution for numerous applications, including portable consumer products.

In addition to the advanced R&D work that resulted in the fabrication of the 22nm NRAM^TM switch, Nantero is also engaged in the development of NRAMTM memory chips at technology nodes in use today. This development is being conducted in production CMOS fabs, and Nantero has already developed a production-compatible process for making NRAM^TM, using only existing tools and processes. Nantero’s NRAM^TM switches have been tested by writing and reading data using three (3) nanosecond cycle times, giving it the potential to match the fastest memories in production today.

NRAM^TM switches are fabricated using Nantero’s proprietary carbon nanotube fabric, covered by US patent 6,706,402. Nantero now has over 80 patent applications pending covering multiple aspects of carbon nanotube use in electronics, of which over a dozen have been granted.

The semiconductor industry is actively evaluating emerging memory technologies in their search for a new scalable memory technology because the memory devices in use today are not expected to scale beyond very few additional process technology nodes. Greg Schmergel, Nantero’s co-founder and CEO, stated “These results demonstrate that NRAM^TM can be the standalone and embedded memory of choice. NRAM^TM combines the nonvolatility of flash with the speed of SRAM and the density of DRAM.” Greg noted, ”We have also proven that NRAM^TM can be scaled for many future generations and we believe the scaling will continue down to below the 5nm technology node.”

About Nantero

Nantero is a nanotechnology company using carbon nanotubes for the development of next-generation semiconductor devices. Nantero’s main focus is the development of NRAM™ –a high-density nonvolatile random access storage device. NRAM™ will replace all existing forms of storage, such as DRAM, SRAM and flash memory, with a high-density nonvolatile RAM – ‘universal memory.’ The potential applications for the nonvolatile RAM that Nantero is developing add up to over $100B in revenue potential, including the ability to enable instant-on computers and to replace the memory in devices such as cell phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, and PDAs, as well as applications in the networking arena. NRAM™ can be manufactured for both standalone and embedded memory applications. Nantero is also working with licensees on the development of additional applications of Nantero’s core nanotube-based technology.
www.nantero.com