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.

Researchers from the School of Engineering at Stanford University discovered that a metallic compound called manganese palladium three MnPd3 is a promising material to build SOT-MRAM memory devices. 

The researchers say that the new material enables a breakthrough in SOT-MRAM device performance, as it is the first material that generates spin in the z-direction, rather than the y-direction as in most materials, which is a property needed in high-performance SOT-MRAM. In fact MnPd3 is able to generate spins in any orientation because its internal structure lacks the kind of crystal symmetry that would force all of the electrons into a particular orientation.

Everspin Technologies reported its financial results for Q1 2023, with revenues of 14.8 million, at the high end of its guidance and an increase of 3% from 2022. The company's earnings remain positive (now for two years in an row), and cash flow during the quarter was $1.2 million.

The company says that its product backlog for the rest of 2023 and 2024 remains high, and the company is optimistic regarding its sales in the near future.

Here are some recent and popular news that you may find of interest:

• Everspin launches a new family of SPI interface MRAM products
• Researchers develop sub-volt nanoscale perpendicular VC-MRAM devices
• Everspin to build a new MRAM production line in Indiana
• Renesas develops 22-nm circuit technologies for embedded STT-MRAM
• Samsung first to demonstrate MRAM-based in-memory computing
• Everspin reports excellent financial results in Q4 2022
• IBM to reveal the world's first 14nm STT-MRAM node
• ITRI and UCLA to co-develop VC-MRAM technologies
• Avalanche starts production of its 3rd-Gen 22nm MRAM devices
• Samsung improves its MRAM performance, to expand target applications
• TSMC shows its eMRAM technology roadmap
• Researchers developed the world's smallest STT-MRAM MTJ
• Samsung is progressing towards 14 nm eMRAM

Everspin Technologies announced its financial results for Q4 2022, with revenues of $15.7 million (above the high end of guidance, and up 3% from Q1 2022). The company reported net income of $0.6 million, this is the 7th profitable quarter in a row, and a positive cash flow of $5.2 million.

In 2022, Everspin reached record revenues of $60 million up 9% from 2022. In the year the company's cash flow from operation was $9.5 million, and the net income was $6.1 million.

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.

Hprobe, a developer of testing equipment for magnetic devices, announced a new addition to its product line, the RF Pulse Module. The company says that this is the commercially available testing system to both collect statistics of error rate of the memory unit cell and take a deep look into switching dynamics of resistive memories.

Hprobe's IBEX system

Hprobe says that the RF Pulse Module is two orders of magnitude faster than existing devices and can help increase manufacturing yields. Hprobe has already begun shipping to tier-1 companies and major research institutes around the world.

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

Earlier this year, Everspin Technologies announced that it aims to build a new production line in the state of Indiana, US, that will increase Everspin's production capacity for both Toggle MRAM and STT-MRAM. The company is working with state and federal government sources to secure funding for the new production line.

Everspin says it also plans to work with the local research community to enhance domestic research for MRAM technology development, creating a Technology Development Center at the proposed Indiana-based location. Everspin says that it is the only US-based commercial manufacturer of MRAM devices today, and increasing its capacity in the US is of strategic importance to its commercial and US Government partners.

A research team from Northwestern Engineering, led by Prof. Pedram Khalili developed highly efficiency nanoscale perpendicular MRAM (pMTJ) devices that use sub-volt switching. The researcher say that this new technology can allow scaling MRAM to very high densities.

The new devices are referred to as voltage-controlled MRAM (VCM), that does not rely on current like regular MRAM devices. Most VCM devices need high switching voltage (at least 2 volts), but by using a new material structure with significantly higher sensitivity of the magnetic properties to voltage, the researchers were able to operate at less than one volt.