MRAM production - Page 9

Everspin has announced a new MRAM chip (MR4A16B) with 16-megabit (Mb) density. Samples are available now, and mass-production will begin in July 2010. There are two options for the chips: commercial chips and industrial chips (that have a larger temperature range: -40°C to +85°C). Everspin also promises to continue and deliver MRAM at increasingly higher densities.

Everspin MR4A16B

This is the first time since the MRAM chips were introduced by Freescale in 2006 that they announce higher-density chips.

NVE says that they have completed several custom anti-temper MRAM integrated circuit designs. NVE designs conventional semiconductor ICs which they fabricate at outside foundries. Then they add the Spintronic structures, in this case spin-dependent tunnel junction memory cells, in their own factory.

NVE now reveals that they have received a number of the foundry wafers they have designed and they are in the process of adding MRAM to the wafers. The prototypes look promising so far although a fair amount of development remains before production.

Everspin has a new prodcut - a dual-supply MRAM designed to directly interface with next-generation logic products requiring low voltage I/Os. RAID systems using advanced logic controllers operating with 1.8 volt I/Os will be able to seamlessly interface with this MRAM.

The MR0D08B dual supply MRAM product operates from a VDD main supply voltage of 3.0 to 3.6V and allows a wide, user defined I/O operating range by setting the VDDQ I/O supply voltage level from 1.65 to 3.6V. Typical applications using 1.8V logic controllers would set VDDQ at 1.8V to support direct connections between the controller and the MRAM, eliminating any requirements for level shifters. The devices are housed in a small footprint 8mm x 8mm, 48-BGA package with 0.75mm ball centers.

Everspin is introducing a new family of MRAM products, with a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus. The new family is called MR24H and includes 256Kb, 512Kb and 1Mb products. These Everspin MRAM devices require no write delay, run at clock speeds as fast as 40 MHz and have unlimited endurance with more than 20 years data retention. 

The MR25H256 (256Kb), MR25H512 (512Kb) and MR25H10 (1Mb) serial MRAM products operate from  2.7 to 3.6 volts while offering low standby and operating currents as well as a 3 uA (typical) sleep mode to further improve the system power consumption. They are byte-organized internally, containing 32KB, 64KB and 128KB of data respectively. Industry-standard serial SPI command codes and timing enable easy connection to existing MCU and system designs. The devices are housed in low profile 8-pin RoHS-compliant DFN packages that are pin-out and footprint compatible with serial EEPROM, Flash and FeRAM products in comparable DFN or SOIC packages.

Micromem says that their Memory (MRAM) product is now complete through the Global-Communication-Semiconductor and BAE Systems foundries. The MRAM is fully packaged in arrays, and it's being tested and evaluated against standard and routine memory tests.

Emerson Network Power says they will use Everspin's 4Mb MRAM in three of their newest high-performance single-board computers (the MVME7100 and MVME4100 VMEbus boards and CPC16200 CompactPCI board).

EverSpin MR2A16 Chips

Emerson's boards are used in industrial, medical, military, aerospace and advanced telecom platforms. 

Everspin says that in secure applications, their MRAM is capable of holding both security keys and the security algorithms that can be updated frequently during operation without concern for memory wear-out like traditional Flash memory. In addition, MRAM can be erased in just milliseconds if a concern or compromising situation occurs, minimizing potential threats to security.

Crocus announced today that Israeli Tower fab will manufacture their next-gen MRAM chips. Tower has an exclusive agreement to make the MRAM chips at their 200mm Fab2 facility. Tower has also invested 1.25$ at Crocus.

Crocus aims to start making the chips towards the end of 2009.

Crocus' basic technology is based on Field-Induced MRAM (Toggle MRAM), which is in some ways similar to Everspin's technology (or 1st generation MRAM). Historically, Field-Induced MRAM is very hard to scale, and has stability and retention problems. Crocus aims to solve all this using a thermally activated magnetic latch. They call their technology Thermally Assisted Switching or TAS. Basically this means that the latch helps the cell retain the memory value very well. It can also scale quite well. We have talked to Crocus' CEO, back in March 2009.

Everspin has shipped more than 100K 4Mbit MRAM chips to Siemens’ Industry Automation division. Siemens uses the MRAM in an industrial touch-screen application. They have reported zero field failures over the last two years.

EverSpin MR2A16 Chips

Siemens uses Everspin MRAM to maintain software-programmable logic controller (SoftPLC) process data for its Simatic Multipanel MP 277 and MP 377 multi-panel human machine interface (HMI) products without battery backup.

Siemens started using the MRAM back in March 2008.

There's a new STT-RAM startup called Avalanche Technology (from California, US) that plans to commercialize 65nm standalone STT-RAM within 2 years.

Everspin Technologies, the global leader in MRAM and integrated magnetic products, has greatly expanded its worldwide sales network in response to the growing interest in MRAM and the rapid increase in customer design activity incorporating its products.

“We have an expanding global base of customers in storage, industrial automation, communication, consumer, gaming and avionics markets,” said Saied Tehrani, chief operating officer for Everspin Technologies.