December 2019

Researchers from Tokyo's Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) developed a new MRAM cell structure (called USMR MRAM) that features a very simple structure with only two layers - which could hopefully enable lower-cost MRAM devices.

The new design uses a combination of a topological insulator with a ferromagnetic semiconductor which enables a giant unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance (USMR).

2019 is soon over - and this was another year of MRAM progress - with a wider range of chips on the market, new devices that use MRAM being released, eMRAM being introduced and exciting new research findings.

Here are the top 10 stories posted on MRAM-Info in 2019, ranked by popularity (i.e. how many people read the story):

1. Samsung starts shipping 28nm embedded MRAM memory (Mar 8)
2. Intel says its embedded 22nm MRAM is production ready (Feb 20)
3. Everspin starts to ship customer samples of its 28nm 1Gb STT-MRAM chips (Jan 8)
4. Hprobe teams up with IMEC to develop SOT-MRAM testing tools (Apr 4)
5. NTHU researchers manage to manipulate exchange bias by spin-orbit torque (Mar 17)
6. Everspin starts pilot production of its 28nm 1-Gb STT-MRAM chips (Jun 12)
7. IBM to use Everspin's 1Gb STT-MRAM in its next-gen FlashCore modules (Aug 11)
8. Everspin reported its Q4 2018 financial results (Mar 15)
9. Hprobe says first MRAM tester qualified by a major foundry in Taiwan for production use (Sep 24)
10. Analysts expect MRAM revenues to grow 170X by 2029 to reach $4 billion (Jul 9)

Researchers from the National Taiwan University developed a new ultra low power STT-MRAM architecture, called Super Lattice STT-MRAM, or SL-STT-MRAM. The researchers say that SL-STT-MARM simultaneously achieves ultra-high MR ratio, high-speed switching, and low RA.

An SL-STT-MRAM is based on an SL-STT-MTJ, which uses a superlattice barrier to replace the single crystalline (MgO) barrier in traditional STT-MTJ. The superlattice barrier is made of alternating metal and insulator layers, in which only amorphous rather than single crystalline is used in the insulator. The SL-STT-MRAM features higher reliability for repeated writing than compared to traditional MgO based STT-MRAM.

Mentor announced that it will provide a unique IC test solution for the Arm's eMRAM compiler IP which is built on Samsung Foundry’s 28nm FDSOI process technology.

Mentor says it is working with Arm to leverage industry-leading Tessent software Built-In Self-Test (BIST) Design-for-Testability (DFT) technologies for testing the next-generation of Arm's eMRAM compiler IP in development.

Everspin Technologies announced that It is has received the qualification notice from a major OEM for its 1Gb STT-MRAM device. The company is now qualified to start making production shipments of its new chip for its first customer.

Everspin further announced that since it started MRAM production, it shipped over 120 Toggle MRAM and STT-MRAM devices.

Intel researchers have demonstrated 2MB STT-MRAM devices that are suitable for on-chip L4 cache applications. Intel says these devices feature data retention, endurance and bit error rates good enough for L4 cache.

Intel's new STT-MRAM features 20 nm write times, 4 ns read times, an endurance of 1012 cycles and memory retention of one second at 110 degrees. The bit rates are good enough to be handled with error-correcting code (ECC) techniques. To achieve these features, Intel reduced the magnetic junction size to 55 nm (from 70-80 nm it had achieved before).

Researchers at Tohoku University demonstrated a high-speed spin-orbit-torque MRAM (SOT-MRAM) memory cell compatible with 300 mm Si CMOS technology.

The SOT device achieved high-speed switching (down to 0.35 ns) and a high thermal stability factor (E/kBT 70) which the researchers say is sufficient for high speed non-volatile memory applications. The device can withstand annealing at 400°C. The researchers used these devices to create a complete SOT-MRAM memory cell.

Researchers from TU Dresden developed a novel memory device that is based on a combination of an light emitting material and a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitor.

The so-called pinMOS device is a non-volatile memory-capacitor with high repeatability and reproducibility. pinMOS devices can store several states, since charges can be added or removed in controllable amounts. This device can also be controlled (read and write) both electrically and optically. The light emitting material is an OLED device.