STT-MRAM (also called STT-RAM or sometimes ST-MRAM and ST-RAM) is an advanced type of MRAM devices. STT-MRAM enables higher densities, low power consumption and reduced cost compared to regular (so-called Toggle MRAM) devices. The main advantage of STT-MRAM over Toggle MRAM is the ability to scale the STT-MRAM chips to achieve higher densities at a lower cost.

STT-MRAM has the potential to become a leading storage technology as it is a high-performance memory (can challenge DRAM and SRAM) that can scale well below 10nm and challenge the low cost of flash memory.

What is STT-MRAM?

STT stands for Spin-Transfer Torque. In an STT-MRAM device, the spin of the electrons is flipped using a spin-polarized current. This effect is achieved in a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) or a spin-valve, and STT-MRAM devices use STT tunnel junctions (STT-MTJ). A spin-polarized current is created by passing a current though a thin magnetic layer. This current is then directed into a thinner magnetic layer which transfers the angular momentum to the thin layer which changes its spin.

What is perpendicular STT-MRAM?

A "regular" STT-MRAM structure (similar to the one you see above) uses an in-plane MTJ (iMTJ). Some STT-MRAM devices use a more optimized structure called perpendicular MTJ (pMTJ) in which the magnetic moments are perpendicular to the silicon substrate surface.

Perpendicular STT-MRAM is more scalable compared to iMTJ STT-MRAM and is also more cost competitive. Perpendicular STT-MRAM is thus a more promising technology to replace DRAM and other memory technologies

STT-MRAM chips

Several companies, including IBM and Samsung, Everspin, Avalanche Technologies, Spin Transfer Technologies and Crocus are developing STT-MRAM chips. In April 2016 Everspin announced that it started shipping 256Mb ST-MRAM samples to customers. The new chips demonstrate interface speeds comparable to DRAM, with DDR3 and DDR4 interfaces. Volume production is expected "soon".

In August 2016 Everspin started sampling pMTJ-based ST-MRAM chips. The first chips are also 256Mb in size, but the pMTJ versions offer improved performance, higher endurance, lower power, and better scalability compared to previous iMTJ ST-MRAM products. Everspin is now ramping out 256Mb pMTJ ST-MRAM production and is developing a scaled-down 1Gb version.

 

 

Latest STT-MRAM news

Everspin starts pilot production of its 28nm 1-Gb STT-MRAM chips

Everspin Technologies announced that it completed the development activity and entered the pilot production phase of its 28 nm 1-Gigabit (Gb) STT-MRAM chips. Everspin targets the enterprise infrastructure and data center markets which can utilize its MRAM technology to increase reliability and performance.

Everspin 1-Gb chip family (EMD4E001G) includes both 8-bit and 16-bit DDR4 compatible (ST-DDR4) interface versions of the device and are available in a JEDEC-compliant BGA package.

Read the full story Posted: Jun 12,2019

Avalanche Technology raises $33 million in a new funding round

pMTJ STT-MRAM developer Avalanche Technology announced that it closed its latest funding round led by Thomvest Ventures, having raised $33 million.

Avalanche currently brands its MRAM chips as P-SRAM (persistent SRAM) devices. The new funds will enable the company to develop higher-density P-SRAM devices. In addition, Avalanche says it will develop the higher densities of "persistent DRAM" required for the next generation of machine learning architectures.

Read the full story Posted: Jun 03,2019

Everspin reported its Q4 2018 financial results

Everspin announced its financial results for Q4 2018. Revenues in the quarter grew 21% from last year to reach $12.3 million, while total year revenues in 2018 grew 38% from 2017 to reach $49.4 million. Net loss in the quarter was $3.5 million (down from $4.4 million in Q4 2017). Net loss for the whole 2018 was $17.8 million (down from $21.1 million in 2017).

Everspin says that it has increased the production volume of its 40nm 256Mb STT-MRAM in support of its lead flash array customer. Everspin ended 2018 with with cash and cash equivalents of $23.4 million.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 15,2019

Intel says its embedded 22nm MRAM is production ready

In October 2018 Intel revealed that it is developing embedded MRAM - and that the company has successfully integrated embedded MRAM into its 22nm FinFET CMOS technology on full 300mm wafers.

Intel 22nm eMRAM slide (Feb 2019)

Now Intel gave more details on its embedded STT-MRAM, and said that the technology is ready for high-volume manufacturing. Intel said it has used a "write-verify-write" scheme and a two-stage current sensing technique to create 7Mb perpendicular STT-MRAM arrays in its 22FFL FinFET process.

Read the full story Posted: Feb 20,2019

Everspin starts to ship customer samples of its 28nm 1Gb STT-MRAM chips

Everspin Technologies announced that it started to ship pre-production customer samples of its 28 nm 1Gb STT-MRAM chips in December 2018. Everspin already announced that it started to sample these new 1Gb STT-MRAM chips in November 2018.

In November 2017 Everspin announced it will delay its 1Gb STT-MRAM chips as its focus has shifted to its 256 Mb STT-MRAM chips. It is great, tough, to see Everspin progressing with its larger MRAM chip and we hope that mass production will begin, as planned, in the middle of 2019.

Read the full story Posted: Jan 08,2019

Tohoku University researchers develop the world's fastest STT-MRAM

Researchers from Japan's Tohoku University developed a 128 Mb STT-MRAM device that features a write speed of 14 nm, the world's fastest STT-MRAM chip at a density over 100 Mb.

Tohoku 128 MB STT-MRAM 14 ns write speed image

To achieve this high speed, the researchers developed MTJs that are integrated with CMOS, which also significantly reduces the power-consumption of the memory device.

Read the full story Posted: Dec 30,2018

Yole Developpement sees STT-MRAM leading the embedded emerging-NVM market

Market analyst firm Yole Developpement presents its latest next-generation memory forecasts in an interesting new article. The company says that following more than 15 years of development, PCM is finally taking off in stand-alone applications due to strong support from Intel and Micron.

Emerging NVM market (2018-2023, Yole)

STT-MRAM is expected to lead the embedded memory race as many foundries are rushing to add MRAM support and expertise to their product lines. STT-MRAM is promising for enterprise storage SCM.

Read the full story Posted: Dec 04,2018

IMEC: STT-MRAM is suitable for 5 nm last level cache, offers significant energy gains over SRAM in large memory densities

Researchers at Belgium-based research institute Imec presented the first power-performance area comparison between SRAM and STT-MRAM last-level cache at the 5 nm node.

The analysis, based on design-technology co-optimization and silicon verified models, reveals that STT-MRAM meets the performance requirements for last-level caches in the high-performance computing domain. For larger memory densities, STT-MRAM was found to offer significant energy gains compared to SRAM.

Read the full story Posted: Dec 04,2018

Avalanche Technology announces its 2nd-generation pMTJ STT-MRAM chips at 1-32 Mb densities

pMTJ STT-MRAM developer Avalanche Technology announced its 2nd-generation serial non-volatile discrete MRAM memory family. The SPnvSRAM family offers 1 Mb to 32 Mb densities at extended-temperature industrial-grade specifications. Avalanche says that these devices, available in low pin count, small package options, are ideal for a broad range of industrial, automotive and consumer applications.

Avalanche Technology SPnvSRAM G2 MRAM evaluation board photo

Avalanche's 2-Gen SPnvSRAM is offered in 108-MHz Quad Serial Peripheral Interface (QSPI) performance as a byte addressable memory thus eliminating the need for software device drivers.

Read the full story Posted: Nov 18,2018

SMART Modular Technology launces aMRAM-enhanced n nvNITRO U.2 Sotrage Accelerator

SMART Modular Technologies has launched its new nvNITRO U.2 Storage Accelerator that features Everspin's STT-MRAM technology. The nvNITRO is ideally suited for synchronous logging applications such as those used for financial trading.

Smart nvNITRO U.2 MRAM card photo

SMART's nvNITRO U.2 Storage Accelerator uses a standard NVMe interface that is 1.2.1 compliant and provides less than six microseconds of industry-leading low latency access with persistence so that all logging data is safe. The U.2 form factor brings with it the advantage of being hot-swappable.

Read the full story Posted: Nov 14,2018