JEDEC, a leading standard setting organization for  the microelectronics industry, on Thursday published the  final LPDDR3 low power memory standard, designed to satisfy the performance and memory density needs of the new generation of mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, ultra-thin notebooks and so on.  Leading memory makers - Elpida and Samsung - have already demonstrated the first LPDDR3 chips.

“To help address the dramatic rise in data-intensive apps and the resulting demands on device memory, JEDEC LPDDR3 is designed to focus on higher bandwidth requirements for device processors and graphic units. LPDDR3 represents countless hours of collaboration within the JC-42.6 subcommittee, and was developed rapidly in order to meet the mobile industry’s bandwidth requirements,” said Hung Vuong, chairman of JC-42.6 subcommittee, which standardized the LPDDR3 standard.

LPDDR3 offers a higher data rate, improved bandwidth and power efficiency, and higher memory densities over its predecessor, LPDDR2.  LPDDR3 achieves a data rate of 1600MHz (versus 1066MHz for LPDDR2) through the addition of new features, including:

• Write-Leveling and CA Training, which allow the memory controller to compensate for signal skew, ensuring that data input setup and hold timing as well as command and address input timing requirements are met while operating at the industry’s fastest input bus speeds;
• On Die Termination (ODT), an optional feature that enables a light termination to LPDDR3 data lanes to improve high-speed signaling with minimal impact on power consumption, system operation and pin count;
• Low I/O capacitance.

 As with LPDDR2, LPDDR3 supports both package-on-package [stacked] and discrete packaging types in order to meet the requirements of a wide array of mobile devices, offering designers the ability to select the options that best meet the needs of their product. LPDDR3 will preserve the power-efficient features and signaling interface of LPDDR2, allowing for fast clock stop/start, low-power self-refresh, and smart array management.

Both Elpida Memory and Samsung Electronics demonstrated their first 4Gb LPDDR3 memory components operating at 1600MHz last year. Originally, both planned to start production of LPDDR3 in late 2012, but the turmoil situation around Elpida may impact the LPDDR3-related plans. Analysts predict that demand for LPDDR3 will start to emerge in 2013.

“LPDDR3 builds on the revolutionary LPDDR2 standard, which paved the way for an entire generation of high-performance, low-power mobile devices. Now with LPDDR3, JEDEC has taken the standard to a new level, and we are pleased to offer a solution for the performance demands of a new generation of mobile products," said Mian Quddus, the chairman of the board at JEDEC.

Tags: LPDDR3, JEDEC, Samsung, Elpida, DRAM, LPDDR, Mobile DRAM