A 1-Mbit Fully Logic-Compatible 3T Gain-Cell Embedded DRAM in 16-nm FinFET

Gain-cell embedded DRAM (GC-eDRAM) is a logic-compatible embedded memory alternative to SRAM, offering higher density, lower leakage power consumption, and an inherent two-ported functionality. However, increased leakage currents and process variations under technology scaling lead to a reduced data retention time (DRT), resulting in increased refresh power and reduced memory availability, currently limiting its implementation to planar 28-nm technologies and above. This letter presents the first GC-eDRAM in 16-nm FinFET technology, featuring a mixed-VT 3T gain-cell structure to minimize the storage node (SN) leakage. The implemented 1-Mbit 3T GC-eDRAM is fully logic-compatible and provides a 2x smaller bitcell size compared to a 6T SRAM with similar design rules, offering the highest density logic-compatible memory cell in 16-nm technology. Measurement results demonstrate a 77-mu s DRT under a 600-mV VDD, which is over 10x longer than previously reported GC-eDRAMs in 28-nm technologies. The memory was fully operational at temperatures spanning -40 degrees C to 125 degrees C and under a supply voltage as low as 450 mV, providing the lowest measured VDDmin and widest temperature range reported in the literature for GC-eDRAM.