MRAM applications - Page 2

NXP Semiconductors announced a collaboration with TSMC to offer automotive embedded MRAM, in TSMC's 16 nm FinFET technology. NXP says that as automakers transition to software-defined vehicles, they need to support multiple generations of software upgrades on a single hardware platform. Bringing together NXP’s high-performance S32 automotive processors with fast and highly reliable next-generation MRAM in 16 nm FinFET technology provides the ideal hardware platform for this transition.

The new MRAM memory will be able to udpate 20MB of code in ~3 seconds compared to flash memories that take about 1 minute, which will minimize the downtime associated with software updates. MRAM also provides a highly reliable technology for automotive mission profiles by offering up to one million update cycles, a level of endurance 10x greater than flash and other emerging memory technologies.

pMTJ STT-MRAM developer Avalanche Technology announced that its Gen-3 Space Grade Dual QSPI solution is now available in pre-production.

The devices are based on the company's latest generation STT-MRAM technology. Avalanche says that the new devices offer significant density, endurance, reliability, and power benefits, over existing memory solutions for aerospace and defense applications, particularly for easily configuring advanced SoCs and FPGAs, which are known to present complex design challenges.

Everspin Technologies announced that Rimac Technology, designer of cars for its sister company Bugatti-Rimac, has selected Everspin's 256Kb MRAM for use in the upcoming innovative all-electric Nevara supercar.

The MR25H256AMDF 256Kb MRAM device, according to Everspin, is well suited for automotive applications and is qualified to the AEC-Q100 Grade 1 standard for use in demanding memory applications that require extreme reliability in critical data capturing systems.

Disclosure: the author of this post holds share in Everspin

Everspin Technologies announced that it has signed a contract to provide MRAM technology, design, and back end of line manufacturing services to QuickLogic Corporation. At the first stage, Everspin will develop and demonstrate Strategic Radiation Hardened (SRH), high reliability Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology to support identified and future Department of Defense (DoD) strategic and space system requirements.

Everspin says that the initial contract is potentially valued at $2.8 million, with subsequent options bringing the total to approximately $8.7 million. The project is sponsored by DoD’s Trusted and Assured Microelectronics (T&AM) Program.

pMTJ STT-MRAM developer Avalanche Technology announced that it is providing its MRAM Persistent SRAM chips to industrial touch screen applications developed by FALINUX.

FALINUX is using Avalanche's 8Mb P-SRAM device in its next generation Human Machine Interface (HMI) products used in industrial automation systems. The company says it chose Avalanche's MRAM technology due to its ease of use, instant write capability, practically unlimited endurance and data retention in harsh environmental conditions.

MRAM developer Avalanche Technology announced that ESEN has designed Avalanche’s 16Mbit High Performance Serial P-SRAM devices into its high reliability flight safety computer products.

Avalanche's 2nd-Gen P-SRAM evaluation kit

The MRAM memory will provide a highly reliable solution, and Avalanche says that its Gen-2 products were selected for their ease of use, instant write capability, practically unlimited endurance and data retention in harsh environmental conditions. Avalanche Technology says it is the only supplier of low voltage MRAM products at 16Mb density operating at 1.8V in a small form factor with a serial interface.

Taiwan-based Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) announced an agreement with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to co-develop Voltage-Control MRAM (VC-MRAM) technologies.

ITRI says that VC-MRAM is a type of SOT-MRAM that offers improved performance - 50% higher writing speed and 75% less energy consumption. VC-MRAM is said to be ideal for AIoT and automotive industry applications. The partnership is expected to strengthen the link between both parties and accelerate the R&D and industrialization of new memory technologies.

Researchers from Samsung's Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT), have demonstrated what they say is the world’s first in-memory computing based on MRAM, targeting next-generation AI chips.

The researchers explain that In-Memory computing is a new paradigm that seeks to perform both data storage and data computing in a memory network. In such a computing system, a large amount of data, stored in the memory network, can be executed in a highly parallel manner. Power consumption in such systems is substantially reduced.

Advanced aerospace and defense mission-critical electronics developer CAES announced that its radiation-hardened microelectronic devices are on their way to Jupiter, as part of NASA’s Lucy Mission.

Lucy’s payload is comprised of a high-resolution visible imager, an optical and near-infrared imaging spectrometer and a thermal infrared spectrometer. CAES says that the payloaduses two memory devices - 16 Mbit SRAM and 16 Mbit MRAM. The company's UT8MR2M8 chip (shown above), basedon Everspin's MRAM, is a high performance, space grade, 16Mb non-volatile MRAM device with proven flight heritage.

Researchers from Northwestern University developed a new method of building artificial neural networks using MRAM-based stochastic computing units. The researchers say that this design could enable AI devices that are highly energy efficient.

Embedded MRAM technologies are being adopted at major foundries, which enable the use of these technologies for unconventional computing architectures that use the stochasticity of MRAM cells (rather than their nonvolatility), to perform energy-efficient computing operations. MRAM cells exhibit stochastic switching characteristics, which is a challenge for reliable memory devices. But for neural networks, this can be taken advantage of if the MTJs are appropriately designed.