Technical / Research

Elpida and Qimonda are discussing joint development of Phase-change RAM (PRAM) and also magneto-resistive RAM (MRAM) together with other potential technologies such as Si through-hole electrode technology. The two DRAM-making companies are talking about a merger.

Hynix and Grandis have also entered into a collaborative agreement to jointly integrate Grandis' STT-RAM technology into Hynix' future memory products. Technical teams from both companies will work together to implement Grandis' STT-RAM technology, including magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) materials and structures.

Micromem Technologies is pleased to announce the company has significantly enhanced its product offering as a result of the foundry success with its MRAM design. With the success of the GaAs version the company can now look to enhance its memory offerings with recently filed patents for silicon germanium and silicon designs. Micromem plans to announce market release dates for each memory option in the future. The company’s sales and marketing effort is now being divided between MRAM and sensors.

Micromem also announces that its foundry success has enabled the company to explore the lucrative magnetic sensor market. The ultra low power, high sensitivity Hall cross sensor, is a strategic component of the non-volatile random access memory design. Based on business development contacts and sharing foundry results with key verticals, Micromem has now expanded its portfolio into the following key markets:

We have been informed of two interesting job openings:

• A fully funded startup in the MRAM space is looking for a VP of engineering
• Another startup is looking for a VP of NVM, MRAM experience is a plus

Nick Meyler

Micromem Technologies is pleased to announce its Magneto-resistive random access memory (MRAM) is a highly probable candidate for the  universal memory, characterized mainly by high speed (read/write), high density and non-volatility. Micromem has designed a new process architecture for MRAM. We are pleased to announce that our foundry tests have demonstrated a number of valuable advantages for a magnetic-based sensor and memory device: including high sensitivity, thermal stability and simplicity and low cost manufacturing.

E2v has introduced an MRAM which is an extended-reliability version of the MR2A16A from Freescale Semiconductor.

The EV2A16A operates at SRAM speeds with symmetrical 35ns read and write cycles. Its standard SRAM interface allows a seamless system integration of this memory device by directly connecting to standard memory controllers.

“The EV2A16A is the first device of a new family that is scheduled to be offered with higher screening grades for this 4Mbit device. The company also plans to introduce higher density products within the coming months,” said Eric Marcelot, marketing manager at e2v.

The EV2A16A is available in a standard 44-lead TSOP type II package in both extended (-40 to +110 deg C) and military (-55 to +125 deg C) temperature ranges.

Samsung Electronics and Hynix Semiconductor, the world's two largest memory chip manufacturers, have agreed to join hands to develop the next generation of semiconductors so that South Korea can stay competitive with its foreign rivals.

Under the three-stage plan A total of about 50M$ will be spent to design and build futuristic chips such as the spin-torque-transfer magnetic-random-access-memory (STT-MRAM) and various non-volatile memory devices.

For their MRAM memory element, Hitachi and the university group employed spin injection, a technology that is used for hard-drive magnetic heads and enables the structure around the element to be simplified. For the free layer where the bit is actually recorded, the element adopts the same laminated-ferri structure used in MRAM devices sold by U.S. firm Freescale Semiconductor Inc. This free layer has a double-layered composition made from cobalt-iron-boron and ruthenium.

New York University researchers have developed a new form of magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), which will provide non-volatile storage of frequently updated, critical data, and instant-on convenience. The patented MRAM technology uses spin transfer to rapidly change the magnetic orientation of nanometer scale magnets.