Context & perspectives

Objectives of WAKeMeUP

The WAKEMEUP project objective is to set-up a pilot line for advanced microcontrollers with embedded non-volatile memory, design and manufacturing for the prototyping of innovative applications for the smart mobility and smart society domains.

 

The main goals of WAKeMeUP are to:

  • Setup a complete manufacturing Platform for non-volatile embedded Phase Change Memory - ePCM - disruptive technology built on top of the 28nm FDSOI logic for the prototyping of innovative microcontrollers in Europe.
  • Extend the microcontroller 40nm technology Platform with the integration of flash memory, power management, connectivity and strong security and to build a solid manufacturing platform.
  • Benchmark alternative non-volatile memory solutions with the ePCM and the ‘conventional’ eFlash.
  • Develop new devices and systems on the application side in automotive, secure and general purpose, based on the 40nm and the 28nm FD-SOI microcontroller technologies.
  • Strengthen and extend the MCUs portfolio in Europe with Low power and High Performance, integrated RF and strong security versions able to answer next step of disruptive digital innovation and to sustain the corresponding fast-growing markets – including “smartX”, IoT.

The already defined microcontrollers with 40nm embedded flash technology will be consolidated to build a solid manufacturing platform. Additional developments will be performed for the integration of memory, power management, connectivity, hard security on the same chip.

The project will also target the industrialization of the embedded Phase Change Memory (PCM) technology built on top of the FDSOI 28nm logic process pilot line. The development of the ePCM will be driven by the final application requirements as well as decreasing the power consumption.

The alternative memory solutions will be also studied as they have different - and complementary - traits in such areas as read/write speed, power and energy consumption, retention and endurance, and device density and benchmarked with the ePCM and the conventional eFlash. Continued advances in materials, device physics, architectures and design could further reduce the energy consumption of these memories.

Related Projects

The WAKeMeUP project is part of this long series of projects on the ‘More than Moore’, which made the success of Europe over the last 10 years. It complements ongoing and future initiatives. Indeed, 3 major projects take similar technological challenges:

  • PANACHE project, ENIAC (IA) Pilot Line, which started in January 2014 for a period of 4 years with a scheduled completion in December 2017. It represented a breakthrough with respect to previous projects of the same lineage (NEMESYS in particular), with the clear separation of the ‘eNVM’ technology roadmap according to the targeted market segment: Automotive, Industrial, Secure and Consumer. In the past, the automotive market was the one to dictate its specifications and all the advanced technological developments were concentrated on this area: Automotive MCUs.
  • WAY2GO FAST, ECSEL (IA) Pilot Line, started in May 2015, to end in September 2017. This second project focused on the development of the most advanced roadmap in FDSOI incorporating High Performance (HP) specifications and Ultra Low Power (ULP).
  • PRIME ECSEL (RIA), started in April 2016 for a 3 years period with a scheduled completion in May 2019. This third project led by IMEC is focused on the development of highly advanced low power memories for the IoT. The activities in PRIME are upstream with the aim at exploration and the validation of innovative low power Logic and embedded Memory technologies by building and demonstrating capability of the main sub-blocks components of the IoT architecture.