Next-gen MRAM structure delivers improved retention, efficiency
The company, which develops spin-transfer (ST) MRAM technologies and products that can replace SRAM (static RAM) and eventually DRAM (dynamic RAM) in embedded and standalone applications, says that advanced testing of its Precessional Spin Current (PSC) structure confirm that it will increase the spin-torque efficiency of any MRAM device by 40 to 70%. This improves data retention by over 10,000 times while reducing write current, paving the path, the company says, for MRAM to take a significant share of the embedded memory market.
For example, the improved data retention means that one hour retention becomes more than one year retention. And improved efficiency, says the company, is critical for enabling MRAM to replace SRAM and DRAM in mobile, datacenter, and AI applications, as well as for improving retention and performance in high-temperature automotive applications.
The PSC structure was designed to be modular and fabricated with any perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (pMTJ) — the “bit” that stores the memory state in an MRAM memory. The structure is compatible with a wide range of standard MRAM manufacturing processes, materials, and tool sets – enabling any foundry to readily incorporate the PSC structure into existing pMTJ stacks without adding significant complexity or manufacturing costs.
According to the company, the advantages of the PSC structure come without degradation to other performance parameters, and the data indicate significant potential for enabling high-speed applications as well as high-temperature automotive and other applications. Furthermore, says the company, since the data shows that the PSC structure’s efficiency gains actually increase as the pMTJ get smaller, the PSC structure opens new pathways to achieving embedded SRAMs in the latest 7- and 5-nm generations.
“There is a huge demand for a memory with the endurance of SRAM, but with higher density, lower operating power and with non-volatility,” says Mustafa Pinarbasi, CTO and SVP of Magnetics Technology at Spin Transfer Technologies. “We believe the improvements the PSC structure brings to STT-MRAM technology will make it a highly attractive alternative to SRAM for these reasons. We are excited to enable the next generation of STT-MRAM and to shake up the status quo of the memory industry through our innovation.”
Related articles:
Emerging non-volatile memory to see growing use in low-power IoT, wearables
Spin Transfer: Advanced MRAM Technology
‘Bending current’ current innovation promises energy-efficient magnetic memories