Spin Memory

Orthogonal Spin Transfer MRAM (OST-MRAM) technology developer Spin Memory is shutting down. The company's main investor and founding company, Allied Minds, said in a statement that the main reasons challenges in securing new customers and COVID-19 which "significantly delayed the required testing of its development chip with ARM".

This is a sad ending to Spin Memory, which began its way as Spin Transfer Technologies - a spin-off from NYU that was established together with Allied Minds.

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.

Spin Memory (previously Spin Transfer Technologies) announced that it has raised $8.3 million in an extension to its Series B funding. The company's recent investors in the company participated in this round, out of which Allied Minds invested $4 million.

The new funding includes Arm, Applied Ventures (the VC arm of Applied Materials) and Abies Ventures. Spin Memory says that the additional funding will support the company's MRAM R&D.

Spin Memory (previously Spin Transfer Technologies) announced that is has signed a licensing agreement with Arm. The license includes Spin Memory's Endurance Engine technology and IP - and as part of the agreement Arm and Spin memory will also work together to create SRAM-class MRAM design solutions.

Spin Memory's Endurance Engine is a design architecture that is used to develop embedded MRAM solutions.

Spin Transfer Technologies (STT) announced that its unique Precessional Spin Current (PSC) structure can increase the spin-torque efficiency of any MRAM device by 40-70 percent, which means dramatically higher data retention while consuming less power.

Following advanced testing, the company says that these higher spin-torque efficiencies translate to retention times lengthening by a factor of over 10,000 while reducing write current.

ActualTech Media RoadCast posted an interview with Spin Transfer Technologies (STT) CEO, Tom Sparkman, who explains the company's history, technology and business:

ActualTech Media also posted an interview with STT's VP of product, Andy walker, who gives an MRAM technology primer:

Spin Transfer Technologies (STT) announced that it has signed an agreement with Tokyo Electron (TEL) to collaborate on the development of next-generation SRAM and DRAM-class STT-MRAM devices.

Spin Transfer Technologies says that the combination of its STT-MRAM technology with TEL’s advanced PVD MRAM deposition tool will allow the companies to quickly develop processes for the highest density and endurance devices.

Spin Transfer Technologies announced that it has raised $22.8 million via a convertible bridge facility. STT says that this will help the company get ready to complete its Series B funding round, targeting strategic investors and planned to conclude by end of Q1 2018.

In January 2017 STT announced that it has started to deliver fully functional ST-MRAM samples to customers in North America and Asia. The sample devices are based on the company's Orthogonal Spin Transfer Magneto-Resistive Random Access Memory technology (OST-MRAM), and use 80nm perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs)., the latest generation of MRAM technology.

Spin Transfer Technologies announced that it started to deliver fully functional ST-MRAM samples to customers in North America and Asia.

The sample devices are based on the company's Orthogonal Spin Transfer Magneto-Resistive Random Access Memory technology (OST-MRAM), and use 80nm perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs)., the latest generation of MRAM technology.

Spin Transfer Technologies (STT) announced that it fabricated 20nm perpendicular MRAM magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) based on the company's Orthogonal Spin Transfer MRAM (OST-MRAM).

STT is now preparting to deliver OST-MRAM samples to select customer, following requests from "certain major semiconductor and systems companies". The company is processing more than 40 wafer lots at its R&D fab in Fremont, California.