Elpida Memory Inc. has raised the bar in DRAM, unveiling what it claims to be the first memory device to use “dual-gate” transistor technology.

The 512Mbit DDR3 SDRAM – aimed at notebook, desktop PC and server applications – will feature high-speed data transfer of up to 1,333Mbps, double the speed of the DDR2 architecture currently in volume production, the company said.

By tapping into dual-gate transistor technology, Elpida claims high-speed operation with low-power consumption. This technology suppresses leakage current in the DRAM device, which occurs when pursuing low-voltage operation while maintaining or improving transistor performance.

“The goal when developing next-generation DDR3 memory is for it to maintain the benefits of DDR2, such as low-voltage operation, while significantly boosting the speed,” said Jun Kitano, director of technical marketing for Elpida Memory, in a statement.

“Our use of dual-gate transistors -- a first in DRAM -- will allow our new 512-megabit DDR3 device to achieve the high-performance operation that will be critical for future advanced computing applications,” he added.

In addition to increasing data transfer, the DDR3 SDRAM device uses less power -- 1.5 volts compared with the 1.8 volts that DDR2 devices consume, the company said. A new automatic calibration feature for the output buffer enhances control of the system timing budget during variations in voltage and temperature, Elpida noted.

The 512Mbit DDR3 SDRAM will utilize 90nm process technology, for which Elpida has already established volume production.

Elpida said it expects to ship customer samples of the new device by the end of the year. Initial production is anticipated for 2006 in accordance with market demand