Kepler Computing Emerges to Build HBM Alternative Using FeRAM
After seven years of operating in stealth mode, a new startup called Kepler Computing has emerged to address the memory crisis using a custom memory technology. The startup claims to have developed an alternative to HBM…
After seven years of operating in stealth mode, a new startup called Kepler Computing has emerged to address the memory crisis using a custom memory technology. The startup claims to have developed an alternative to HBM using a new 3D stacking technique and novel materials, all without relying on cutting-edge semiconductor nodes. Kepler reportedly plans to use ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM). This use of FeRAM is said to allow Kepler to maintain the standard HBM capacity while significantly reducing manufacturing costs. The company has reportedly overcome many challenges in scaling production and has undergone 35 iterations of composites before settling on a single scalable design.
While modern memory production typically requires EUV lithography, Kepler intends to use existing mature nodes to manufacture HBM and SRAM using FeRAM. In early collaborations with GlobalFoundries, Kepler managed to convert a standard 28 nm manufacturing facility into a memory fab in just eight months, which is significantly faster than the typical 24-month lead time for traditional DRAM. Currently, the company has processed about 2,000 wafers of the new DRAM technology, with the first HBM samples expected to arrive later this year. For full-scale volume manufacturing, the company aims to begin production runs at GlobalFoundries' Singapore facility next year, with manufacturing in the United States slated to start in 2028. Read full story
While modern memory production typically requires EUV lithography, Kepler intends to use existing mature nodes to manufacture HBM and SRAM using FeRAM. In early collaborations with GlobalFoundries, Kepler managed to convert a standard 28 nm manufacturing facility into a memory fab in just eight months, which is significantly faster than the typical 24-month lead time for traditional DRAM. Currently, the company has processed about 2,000 wafers of the new DRAM technology, with the first HBM samples expected to arrive later this year. For full-scale volume manufacturing, the company aims to begin production runs at GlobalFoundries' Singapore facility next year, with manufacturing in the United States slated to start in 2028. Read full story