MRAM

[revolutn]

I hate to cross-post, but after originally posting the topic in Memory and Storage, I thought it might be even more appropriate here instead.

Instead of truly cross posting all the information, I'll simply point to the original thread:

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2161472&enterthread=y

Very interested in this technology and your thoughts on it.

Quick overview: Magnetic Based Ram, so imagine non volitale ram that holds data when power is removed like SDRAM today, but that flips bits magnetically, like Hard Drives do so there's no cell death or huge penalty for writes / high power requirements / huge charge time delays.

Rev

 

[Born2bwire]

Everything old is new.

 

[firewolfsm]

I remember reading some articles on a university project that dealt with magnetic transistors, IIRC they actually scaled them down to 110nm, and that was a couple years ago too. They claimed it consumes less power so I wonder what happened to the idea.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Looks like they've re-invented teh design in the form of STT-RAM and that densities have gone down in the process but, seems to have some potential. Guess we'll just wait and see.

 

[Eskimo]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'too large' except that I am guessing you mean the density is presently pretty low, which is based largely on the fact that it's still being produced on old fab technology, which was part of my original point.

It seems as if the original technological limitations of die shrink for MRAM was solved by STT, so....it seems to me (from my limited reading so far) as if the only reason we aren't getting MRAM to market is that suppliers are dedicating all resources to producing DRAM and SRAM because that's where demand is.

I'm just thinking that the first major memory producer to break away from the pack and dedicate a MODERN (or retrofitted old) production fab to MRAM would stand to really profit.

Rev

My company is involved in MRAM development, I can't speak to specifics but there has been a lot of intensive research and development to find the Next Generation of Memory. MRAM, FeRAM, and Phase Change technologies are all being pursued by the major players. Just like with most new technology there is competing formats (i.e. HD-DVD vs Bluray). NEC and Freescale are major backers of MRAM, TI is major backer of FeRAM, and Intel and ST are major backers of Phase Change. IBM has dabbled in all of them including some even more novel MEMs based memory and the rest of the industry is supporting all/most of them until a clear winner emerges.

The technology is not mature from a mass manufacturing standpoint which is why you have not seen a producer dedicate a newer facility to make this product. Until someone can demonstrate competitive density with a manufacturing complexity simple enough to put cost on par with modern DRAM/SRAM you will not see that sort of dedication of capital resources. NEC claims to have developed an SRAM replacemet with MRAM technology and the new Intel/ST merger (Numonyx) will likely ship a phase change memory product this year.

 

[revolutn]

Originally posted by: Eskimo

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'too large' except that I am guessing you mean the density is presently pretty low, which is based largely on the fact that it's still being produced on old fab technology, which was part of my original point.

It seems as if the original technological limitations of die shrink for MRAM was solved by STT, so....it seems to me (from my limited reading so far) as if the only reason we aren't getting MRAM to market is that suppliers are dedicating all resources to producing DRAM and SRAM because that's where demand is.

I'm just thinking that the first major memory producer to break away from the pack and dedicate a MODERN (or retrofitted old) production fab to MRAM would stand to really profit.

Rev

My company is involved in MRAM development, I can't speak to specifics but there has been a lot of intensive research and development to find the Next Generation of Memory. MRAM, FeRAM, and Phase Change technologies are all being pursued by the major players. Just like with most new technology there is competing formats (i.e. HD-DVD vs Bluray). NEC and Freescale are major backers of MRAM, TI is major backer of FeRAM, and Intel and ST are major backers of Phase Change. IBM has dabbled in all of them including some even more novel MEMs based memory and the rest of the industry is supporting all/most of them until a clear winner emerges.

The technology is not mature from a mass manufacturing standpoint which is why you have not seen a producer dedicate a newer facility to make this product. Until someone can demonstrate competitive density with a manufacturing complexity simple enough to put cost on par with modern DRAM/SRAM you will not see that sort of dedication of capital resources. NEC claims to have developed an SRAM replacemet with MRAM technology and the new Intel/ST merger (Numonyx) will likely ship a phase change memory product this year.

Interesting.
Thanks for the information.

If you have any good resources for reading up on the competing technologies, or even just more details on MRAM link us up man.

Rev

 

[Eskimo]

I can't link internal documents so I have to google just like you.

FeRAM Summary from 2000 - Dated but still a good summary of the technology. If you understand basic memory you should be able to follow.

MRAM Summary from IBM/UT - Compares MRAM to conventional DRAM

Phase Change Memory Summary - This is the technology that Intel and ST liscensed a few years ago. Keep in mind the people who put this presentation together developed the technology so bias is possible.

Non-Technical Article Comparing Technologies
University Student's Comparison

 

[revolutn]

Originally posted by: Eskimo
I can't link internal documents so I have to google just like you.

FeRAM Summary from 2000 - Dated but still a good summary of the technology. If you understand basic memory you should be able to follow.

MRAM Summary from IBM/UT - Compares MRAM to conventional DRAM

Phase Change Memory Summary - This is the technology that Intel and ST liscensed a few years ago. Keep in mind the people who put this presentation together developed the technology so bias is possible.

Non-Technical Article Comparing Technologies
University Student's Comparison

LoL
Nice little google backhand - it's cool though I've been guilty of saying straight up Google MuthaFu@ka Do you Use it?!

Don't let a little thing like, oh I dunno say a pesky NDA stop you from releasing some choice internal docs

But seriously, I guess what I meant was a resource that you knew to be decent and factually relevant and accurate, not just some nimrod rambling about it, like oh i dunno ME for example.

Thanks for the post, I'll review all of them particularly the FeRam doc, since it sounds based on your response to be the most technical ..... it'll also be a good self check to see how much of it I actually can follow.

Rev