New developments in magnetic memories

Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM), a non-volatile memory technology, is poised to revolutionize data storage. As Liliana Prejbeanu, professor at Grenoble INP-Phelma and researcher at Spintec explains, “Rather than the electric charge, Spintronics focuses on the spin of the electrons, a quantum property that can be compared to an intrinsic magnetic moment, with the aim of carrying and manipulating information. Unlike conventional RAM memory, which requires a constant power supply to retain data, MRAM uses magnetic properties to store information even when the power is off.”

Spin-Orbit Torque Magnetic Random Access Memory (SOT-MRAM), the fourth generation of magnetic memory, was designed using Spin-Orbit Torque (SOT) technology. These durable, ultra-fast memory devices are ten times more energy-efficient than their predecessors and could effectively replace the random access memory (RAM) currently used for cache memory in computers. Researchers at the Spintec Laboratory, a joint research unit of UGA, CEA and CNRS, have been studying the SOT-MRAM concept for over ten years.

Numerous benefits

The main problem with magnetic memories, such as STT-MRAM (Spin Transfer torque), currently being produced and used by major manufacturers, is that they cannot combine both endurance (capacity perform multiple write cycles) and speed due to their intrinsic physical properties, which limits their deployment in the embedded memory market. SOT-MRAM therefore offers the key advantages of high writing and reading speeds, high endurance (number of read/write cycles), and long-term data retention without power. “These features make SOT-MRAM ideally suited for replacing or supplementing existing memory technologies in applications ranging from mobile devices to data centres.”

The SOT memory technology developed at Spintec is now being integrated into other components (e.g. transistors) to create circuits through collaboration with CEA-Leti. “We have demonstrated proof of concept in the laboratory, but we now need to transition to an industrial scale. Yet our academic platforms lack the necessary production capacity.” The partnership with NY Creates will initially focus on research and the co-development of SOT-MRAM devices with the aim of using them to store computer data in embedded memory and assessing new computational concepts. These devices will be produced at the 300 mm wafer-scale, the industry-standard format for manufacturing electronic chips.

* New York Center for Research, Economic Advancement, Technology, Engineering, and Science
**CEA-Irig, CNRS, UGA, Grenoble INP - UGA