Invention MeRAM - magnetic random access memory

New energy efficient computer memory engineers use magnetic materials using electric voltage instead of a running current , Henry Samueli magnetic researchers, School of Engineering and Science UCLA's application learning has made major improvements to a super-fast, high-capacity computer memory class called Magnetic Random Access Memory, or MRAM (Magnetic Ram).

UCLA's improved memory, which they call MeRAM - magnetic random access memory, has great potential for use in future memory chips for nearly all electronic applications, including including smartphones (smartphones), tablets, computers and microprocessors, as well as data storage, like solid-state drives used in computers and large data centers .

The key advantage of MeRAM on existing technology is that it combines exceptional low power with extremely high read and write speeds, and the ability to retain data when power is lost, similar to hard drives and flash memory sticks, but MeRAM is much faster.

Currently, magnetic memory is based on a technology called spin-transfer (STT) technology, which uses the magnetic properties of electrons - referred to when spinning - in addition to the task of electrons. .

STT uses an electric current to move electrons to write data to memory.

However, while STT is better in many aspects of competitive memory technology, its electric-based recording mechanism still requires a certain amount of energy, meaning that it radiates heat when the data is write to it. In addition, its memory capacity is limited by the distance between each bit of data that can be set, a process that is itself limited by the required current to record information. Low bit capacity, on the other hand, translates into a bit per bit at a relatively large cost, limiting the scope of STT applications.

For MeRAM, UCLA's team replaced STT's current with voltage to write data to memory. This eliminates the need to move a large number of electrons through wires and instead uses voltages - differences in electrical potential - to convert magnetic bits and record information. into the memory. This makes computer memory emit much less heat, making it 10 to 1,000 times more power efficient. And memory increases more than five times when condensed, with many bits of information stored in the same physical area, which also reduces the cost per bit.

The team is led by lead investigator Kang L. Wang, UCLA Raytheon Professor of Electrical Engineering, and includes authors Juan G. Alzate, an electrical engineering graduate, and Pedram Khalili, a home Research in electrical engineering and project management for UCLA DARPA research program in logic does not evaporate (ie no loss of content contained within the supply stop).

"The ability to convert nanoscale magnets using voltage is an exciting and rapidly growing field of magnetic research , " Khalili said. "This work presents new insights into questions such as how to control transitions directly using electrical impulses, how to ensure that devices will work without external magnetic fields, and how to integrate them into high density memory arrays'.

"After developing into a product," he added, "MeRAM's competitive technology advantage will not limit its lower energy-saving properties, but equally important, it can allow Extremely dense MRAM, this can open up new application areas where low cost and high potential are the main difficulties. "

Alzate said: "The recent publication of the first commercial chips for STT-RAM also opened the door for MeRAM, since our device shared a very similar set of fabrication materials and processes. create, maintain compatibility with logic circuit technologies of STT-RAM while reducing energy and density restrictions ".

This study was presented December 12 in an article entitled "Voltage -Induced Switching of Nanoscale Magnetic Tunnel Junctions" at the IEEE 2012 International Electronics Conference in San Francisco.

MeRAM uses a nanoscale structure called the voltage that controls insulating magnets of intersections, in which there are many layers stacked on top of other layers, including two layers of magnetic materials. However, while the magnetic control of a layer is installed, the other can be manipulated through an electric field. The device is designed especially sensitive to electric field. When the electric field is applied, it causes a voltage - a difference in the potential between the two magnetic layers. This voltage accumulates or depletes electrons on the surface of the layers, recording bits of information into memory.

This work is supported by the US Department of Defense Research and Funding Administration (DARPA) Logic Program. Other authors include researchers from the UCLA Department of Electrical Engineering, UC Irvine Department of Physics and Astronomy, hosting Hitachi global technology (Western Digital Company) and Singulus Technologies, Germany.