Technologies pave way for magnetoresistive RAM

Spin transfer switching and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy technologies are demonstrated in a magnetic tunnel junction.

Toshiba is claiming an important breakthrough in key technologies for magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), a promising, next-generation semiconductor memory device.

The company has successfully fabricated a MRAM cell integrating the new technologies and verified its stable performance.

Full details of the new technologies were presented at the 52nd Magnetism and Magnetic Materials Conference in Tampa, Florida, USA.

MRAM is an eagerly awaited next-generation nonvolatile semiconductor memory device that offers fast random write/access speeds, enhances endurance in operation with very low power consumption.

MRAM can theoretically achieve high level integration as the memory cell structure is relatively simple.

In making these major advances, Toshiba applied and proved the spin transfer switching and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) technologies in a magnetic tunnel junction, which is a key component in the memory cell.

Spin transfer switching uses the properties of electron spin to invert magnetisation and writes data at very low power levels.

It is widely regarded as a major candidate among next-generation principles for new memory devices.

PMA aligns magnetisation in the magnetic layer perpendicularly, either upward or downward in, rather than horizontally as in in-plane shape anisotropy layers.

The technology is being increasingly used to enhance for storage capacity for high-density hard disc drives (HDDs), and Toshiba has successfully applied it to a semiconductor memory device.

With PMA data write operation and magnetic switching can be achieved at a low energy level.

Toshiba also overcame the hurdle of achieving the required precision in the interface process and significantly cutting write power consumption.

In order to realise a miniature memory cell based on PMA, Toshiba optimised the materials and device structure of the new MRAM.

Close observation of performance confirms stable operation.

Toshiba will further enhance development toward establishing fundamental technologies within the coming years.

Development of the new MRAM technologies was partly supported by grants from Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO).

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