August 2014

Researchers from the A*STAR institute in Singapore suggest a new design that could make STT-MRAM devices faster. Using a computational model, the researchers tried different designs for the relative orientation of the magnetic fields in both MRAM layers (the 'field-like' term).

The strength of the 'field-like' term depends on the device geometry and the materials used. Devices with a strong field-like term has a greater potential to reduce switching times than for devices in which the field-like term is negligible.

Here's an interesting video interview with Joe O'Hare, Everspin's Director of Product Marketing. Joe explains the company's MRAM (and ST-MRAM) tech and business, especially how it relates to enterprise SSD, which seems to be the focus of MRAM applications at the moment:

During the interview, Joe updates that everspin is now designing a 256Mb chip, and this will be the next product the company will introduce. Currently their highest-density chip is the 64Mb ST-MRAM chip (announced in 2012, but only ramped-up recently).

Avalanche Technology has been awarded new key patents in the areas of STT-MRAM technology, MRAM integration and manufacturing and perpendicular Magnetic Tunnel Junction (pMTJ) STT-MRAM. This follows eight new key patents awarded to Avalanche since the beginning of 2014.

Avalanche (founded in 2006 and based in California, US) developed patented Spin Programmable STT-MRAM (SPMEM) memory that uses a revolutionary proprietary spin current and voltage switching technology. The company wants to license their technology for embedded applications and also build discrete standalone memory devices. In July 2012 the company raised $30 million.

Everspin announced the world's first STT-MRAM chip back in 2012, and they started offering it to customers in 2013. So far we only heard of a single product that actually uses those chips: Buffalo Memory's S6C industrial SATA III SSD. Today Everspin announced it is ramping up production, and the company disclosed several new customer and ecosystem relationships.

Everspin is collaborating with FPGA leader Altera, and is showcasing three new customers: SMART Modular Technologies, Mobiveil and Mangstor. SMART Modular is demonstrating a PCIe-based, high speed, and persistent FPGA-based memory solution using Everspin's STT-MRAM chips. SMART are using Evespin's EMD3D064M 64Mb DDR3 ST-MRAM chips. Mangstor unveiled the MX6000 family of Intelligent Storage Devices that use Everspin's ST-MRAM chips.