October 2004

U.S. memory chip maker Micron Technology has stopped R&D work on magnetic RAM and is doubtful about phase-change memory, two approaches to non-volatile memory being pursued elsewhere. The reason Micron is moving away from the technologies is because the company does not see how they would scale effectively with Moore's Law and justify commercialization.

To judge from Durcan's presentation nano-crystalline flash or engineered tunnel barrier (ETB) memory, due to become available in 2006, should appeal to Micron.

In recent years researchers have found that a promising design is a nanowire bent into a circle. It is difficult to manufacture nanoscale rings that are asymmetric, however. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have found that square rings, which are easier to produce because straight lines are less difficult to etch the nanoscale than curves, could solve the problem.

NVE Corporation Reports Second Quarter Fiscal 2005 Results. Expects to roll out MRAM in 2005.
Believes its IP is necessary for high-density/high-perfomance MRAM. Discusses MOT/Freescale license status

Net income for the second quarter was $423,298, or $0.09 per diluted share. We expect selling, general and administrative expenses to increase in fiscal 2005 if we rollout MRAM manufactured under our technology agreement with Cypress... Certain of our patents cover MRAM cells with transistor selection for data retrieval, which we believe may be necessary for successful high-density, high- performance MRAMs. We know of no practical alternative design being pursued by potential MRAM suppliers that could be sold in commercial quantities in the foreseeable future. If Freescale loses its license through Motorola from NVE through ceasing to be controlled by Motorola, or if the Patent License Option Agreement is terminated through a cessation of manufacturing of MRAM Products by Motorola, we would be free to negotiate a new license agreement with Freescale.

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TSMC will handle the front-end of the MRAM manufacturing process, and the Electronics Research and Service Organization (ERSO) of ITRI will handle the back-end processes at its own lab, ITRI said.

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