MRAM-Info is a news hub and knowledge center born out of keen interest in MRAM memory technologies.
MRAM is a next-generation memory technology, based on electron spin rather then its charge. Often referred to as the "holy-grail of memory", MRAM is fast, high-density and non-volatile and can replace all kinds of memories used today in a single chip.
pMTJ STT-MRAM developer Avalanche Technology announced that its new industrial-grade Serial (SPI) P-SRAM (Persistent SRAM) memory devices are now available. The Serial (SPI) memory devices are designed to be drop-in replacements to Cypress F-RAM and Everspin Toggle MRAM memory products.
The Series (SPI) series supports up to 50MHz clock rate in 1Mb and 4Mb density options, in two packages - 8-pin SOIC and 8-pin WSON. These use Avalanche's 40nm pMTJ STT-MRAM chips.
A team of researchers from the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan have discovered that by adding a layer of platinum only a few nanometers thick, one can switch the pinned magnetic moments at MRAM cells at will. This was never achieved before, and can lead to faster and more efficient MRAM devices.
The platinum layer is placed between the two layers of the MRAM device - the upper layer, a freely flipping magnet used for data computation and the bottom layer that consists of a fixed magnet, responsible for data storage. Due to spin-orbit interactions, the electric current drives the collective motion of electron spins first. The spin current then switches the pinned magnetic moment effectively and precisely.
SOT-MRAM developer Antaios raised $11 million from VCs and Applied Ventures, to accelerate its next-generation memory development and develop new strategic partnerships.
SOT-MRAM devices feature switching of the free magnetic layer done by injecting an in-plane current in an adjacent SOT layer, unlike STT-MRAM where the current is injected perpendicularly into the magnetic tunnel junction and the read and write operation is performed through the same path.
TSMC announced, during the company's virtual European technology symposium, that it is developing MRAM technologies for its 16nm FinFET platform. The company expects to offer flash-like configuration risk production starting in 4Q21 and RAM-like risk production scheduled for 4Q22.
The company also expects to "explore smaller geometries" for its MRAM (and RRAM) solutions. TSMC started offering 22nm MRAM in 2018.
An international team of researchers led by Israel's Bar Ilan University have developed a new type of MTJ that has four resistance states. The researchers also demonstrated how it is possible to switch between these four different states using spin currents.
The four-state design uses a structure that is in the form of two crossing ellipses instead of one of the standard magnetic layers of the MTJ. Such a design could be used to create multi-level MRAM which stores data more densely compared to current MRAM memories which only have two states in each MTJ.
Spin Memory (previously Spin Transfer Technologies) announced that it has developed a new innovative technology, called the Universal Selector, which will significantly improve the capabilities of existing and emerging memory technologies (including MRAM, DRAM and ReRAM) as it enables a novel way to design vertical cell transistors which achieves higher levels of performance, reliability and density.
Spin Memory’s Universal Selector is a selective, vertical epitaxial cell transistor whose channel has a low enough doping concentration that it operates in full depletion. For MRAM memory, the Universal Selector enables manufacturers to create 1T1R memory bitcells of 6F2 – 10F2 (6F2 – 10F2), enabling manufacturers to embed up to five times more memory in the same area footprint with minimal additional wafer processing costs.
Everspin Technologies reported its financial results for Q2 2020. Total revenues reached $11.8 million, up 37% from Q2 2019, and the GAAP net loss was $1.3 million (compared to a net loss of $3.7 million in Q2 2019). Cash and equivalents at the end of Q2 2020 were $12.9 million.
Everspin says it has extended its momentum into the second quarter, with record revenues of its 1Gb STT-MRAM product. Looking into Q3, Everspin says it sees a delay in new product introduction plans by customers, and so sees its revenues between $10 million and $10.8 million.