Weebit Nano moves closer to productisation

Demo chips successfully complete functionality testing; scaling embedded ReRAM down to 22nm; technology transfer to SkyWater on-track

April 29, 2022 – Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT, Weebit or Company) is pleased to provide this activity report for the quarter ended 31 March 2022 (Q3 FY22), along with the Company’s Appendix 4C cash flow report.

Commenting on Q3 FY22, Weebit CEO Coby Hanoch said:

“Weebit Nano continues to deliver against its commercialisation strategy, achieving an important technical milestone on its productisation roadmap. Functional testing of the first demo chips with our embedded ReRAM memory module confirmed the technical parameters of our technology, and we are now progressing to characterisation and qualification with SkyWater.

“Our demo chips, designed as a System on a Chip (SoC), provide potential customers with physical samples of our ReRAM memory technology within fully operational chips. While this is an important step towards delivery of a commercial product, it also enables potential customers to begin incorporating Weebit’s memory technology within their future product designs.

“To meet the needs of advanced applications such as AI, 5G and IoT, we are continuing to scale our ReRAM to smaller geometries where embedded flash technology is no longer feasible. We have already commenced work with CEA-Leti on scaling down to 22nm, a process technology only a handful of advanced fabs in the world can support. At the same time, we are continuing to improve the production-level parameters of our baseline ReRAM technology while also progressing the development of a discrete memory solution.”

Demo chips complete functional testing

In early April 2022, Weebit moved closer to delivering a commercial product with the demonstration (demo) chips integrating its embedded ReRAM module successfully completing functional testing. Weebit received the silicon wafers containing the demo chips from manufacturing in December and together with CEA-Leti, sliced the wafers into chips, packaged and extensively tested them.

Testing included set and reset programming and reading of the entire ReRAM array using smart algorithms and various data manipulations. Weebit and CEA-Leti also tested the advanced features of the memory module and the operation of the entire subsystem, confirming the demo chips perform as expected.

Customers can use these demo chips to begin designing Weebit’s ReRAM into their SoCs. The demo chips, manufactured at Leti, have now moved to the next step– characterisation and qualification.

Scaling down embedded ReRAM to 22nm

During the quarter, Weebit commenced scaling its embedded ReRAM technology down to 22nm – an advanced process node for IoT, AI and 5G applications, which only a few of the world’s leading fabs support. The Company is working with development partner CEA-Leti to design a full IP memory module integrating a multi-megabit ReRAM block targeting an advanced 22nm Fully Depleted Silicon On Insulator (FD-SOI) process.

This new 22nm program follows the achievement of production-level parameters at 28nm on 300mm wafers last October. Weebit is leveraging its strong balance sheet to accelerate development plans to scale its technology to smaller geometries where existing embedded flash technology is no longer viable, enabling future customers to create new products in advanced geometries.

Technology transfer to SkyWater’s US fab on track

Weebit’s transfer of its embedded ReRAM technology to SkyWater’s US production fab is on track to tape-out the first demo ReRAM chips by mid-year. While Weebit’s technology uses industry standard materials, the semiconductor manufacturing process is complex, requiring adaptation to the specific tools used by each fab.

Following tape-out of the demo chips, technology qualification will begin, which entails extensive testing of manufacturing processes to ensure the repeatability of Weebit’s embedded ReRAM at scale. SkyWater will then add Weebit’s ReRAM to its 130nm Process Design Kit, enabling SkyWater customers to license Weebit’s technology and embed it within new product designs they develop and mass-produce at SkyWater’s fab.

Demonstrated Weebit’s first crossbar ReRAM arrays

In January, Weebit achieved a key technical milestone with CEA-Leti in the development of discrete (stand-alone) NVM chips, demonstrating its first operational Kilobit (Kb) crossbar arrays that combine Weebit’s ReRAM technology with a selector. Weebit’s crossbar arrays were developed using 1S1R (one selector one resistor) architecture, which in future will enable Weebit’s arrays to be stacked in 3D layers to deliver even higher densities.

Weebit’s 1S1R crossbar ReRAM architecture has the potential to be used as storage class memory, persistent memory and as a NOR flash replacement, and is also ideal for Machine Learning in-memory computations and neuromorphic computing (Artificial Intelligence).

Evaluations with potential partners and customers

Technical evaluations and business discussions with potential customers and partners are ongoing. The functional demo chips enable Weebit to demonstrate its embedded ReRAM to potential customers, supporting adoption prior to qualification by enabling potential customers to test and evaluate the technology within their applications and designs.

Summary of Q3 FY22 cash flows

In Q3 FY22, Weebit Nano received $8.5 million from the exercising of options. A further $300K was raised via the issuing of Placement shares to three directors, following shareholder approval as part of last November’s capital raising. R&D expenses were offset by a GST refund in France, totaling $1.9 million, resulting in a cash inflow from R&D of $759K. Payments to related parties over Q3 FY22 were $752K, which included fees paid to directors and the CEO’s cost of payroll and bonus for the period.

Industry events

Over Q4 FY22, Weebit will participate at prestigious industry events, including:

• May: Weebit’s Chief Scientist Gabriel Molas will present at the International Memory Workshop (IMW) 2022 on ReRAM’s high temperature reliability. At the same event, Weebit’s CTO Ishai Naveh will participate in a panel session.
• June: Weebit’s VP of Marketing & Business Development Eran Briman will present at the New Paradigms for Computing Workshop at CEA-Leti’s flagship Leti Innovation Days event on the state of ReRAM.
• June: Weebit’s VP Technology Development Amir Regev will discuss emerging materials and technologies for ReRAM at CIMTEC in Italy.

Details about these and other invited papers and events are listed on Weebit’s website at www.weebit-nano.com/events.

Looking forward

Weebit remains focused on commercialising its embedded ReRAM memory technology, and is on track to achieve the following milestones by the end of CY22:

• Technology transfer of its technology to SkyWater’s US fab and being in advanced stages of qualification;
• Demonstrating the functionality and performance of its embedded ReRAM module;
• Signing new licensing agreements with partners and customers; and,
• Continue scaling its embedded ReRAM to 22nm.

In parallel, Weebit continues to work with CEA-Leti on the development of a solution for the discrete memory market.

Quarterly cash flow report

To read the report click here

About Weebit Nano Limited

Weebit Nano Ltd. is a leading developer of next-generation semiconductor memory technology. The company’s ground-breaking Resistive RAM (ReRAM) addresses the growing need for significantly higher performance and lower power memory solutions in a range of new electronic products such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, smartphones, robotics, autonomous vehicles, 5G communications and artificial intelligence. Weebit’s ReRAM allows semiconductor memory elements to be significantly faster, less expensive, more reliable and more energy efficient than those using existing Flash memory solutions. Because it is based on fab-friendly materials, the technology can be quickly and easily integrated with existing flows and processes, without the need for special equipment or large investments. See: www.weebit-nano.com