DRAMTechnologie

DRAMTechnologie denotes the set of techniques for dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), the dominant volatile main memory in computers. A DRAM cell stores a bit as charge on a capacitor, accessed via a transistor. Because capacitors leak, data must be refreshed periodically, hence the term dynamic.

Historically, DRAM emerged in the 1960s and gained prominence in the 1970s for high density at low cost. Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) appeared in the 1990s, followed by DDR generations that increase bandwidth. Modern families include DDR3–DDR5, LPDDR for mobile, and GDDR for graphics.

Technically, a typical DRAM cell is 1 transistor plus 1 capacitor (1T1C). Access uses word lines; bit lines and sense amplifiers read and restore charge during refresh. Densities rise mainly through smaller process nodes and architectural refinements; performance improves with wider interfaces, lower latency, and on-die ECC.

Beyond standard DRAM, packages such as High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and 3D-stacked configurations enhance bandwidth and form factor.

Applications and market: DRAM serves as main memory in most PCs, servers, and mobile devices, balancing capacity, speed, and cost. Its latency, bandwidth, and power influence overall system performance.

Future directions include further density scaling, higher data rates, improved refresh strategies, and integration with emerging nonvolatile memory in heterogeneous systems.