Makers of Ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), a type of memory that retains its contents after power is removed, have been experimenting with the use of platinum according to the latest reports.

CMP reports that though manufacturers have had the technology in production for years, it has yet to be adopted widely enough to be cost-competitive with mainstream non-volatile memories.

However, suppliers now say that when embedded in system-on-chips (SoCs), there is an opportunity to add value and justify a small price premium.

Jim Handy, an analyst at Semico Research Corporation in Los Gatos, California, says that as part of this process platinum has been introduced to ensure quality and efficiency.

Ferroelectric materials don't play well with silicon, so chipmakers have been putting platinum in between silicon layers.

Experts say discrete FRAM, used mainly in industrial applications, is now making its way into commercial systems.