东芝开发能够支持千兆位容量的新的MRAM

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from www.physorg.com
Toshiba develops new MRAM device which opens the way to giga-bits capacity

CellStructure. A material with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, which isused for recording media and a type of cobalt-iron, is employed in themagnetic layer, with magnesium oxide in the insulating layer andcobalt-iron-boron in the interface layers. Credit: Toshiba

Toshiba Corporation today announced important breakthroughs in keytechnologies for magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), apromising, next-generation semiconductor memory device.

The company has successfullyfabricated a MRAM memory cell integrating the new technologies andverified its stable performance. Full details of the new technologieswere presented today at the 52nd Magnetism and Magnetic MaterialsConference in Tampa, Florida, USA which is being held from November 5thto 9th.
MRAM is a highly anticipatednext-generation non-volatile semiconductor memory device that offersfast random write/access speeds, enhances endurance in operation withvery low power consumption. MRAM can theoretically achieve high levelintegration as the memory cell structure is relatively simple.

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

Spin transfer switching uses the properties of electron spin to invert magnetization and writes [size=100%]dataat very low power levels. It is widely regarded as a major candidateamong next-generation principles for new memory devices. PMA alignsmagnetization in the magnetic layer perpendicularly, either upward ordownward, rather than horizontally as in in-plane shape anisotropylayers.

The technology is being increasingly used to enhance for storagecapacity for high-density hard disc drives (HDDs), and Toshiba hassuccessfully applied it to a semiconductor memory device. With PMA datawrite operation and magnetic switching can be achieved at a low energylevel. Toshiba also overcame the hurdle of achieving the requiredprecision in the [size=100%]interface process and significantly cutting write power consumption.

In order to realize a miniature memory cell based on PMA, Toshibaoptimized the materials and device structure of the new MRAM. Closeobservation of performance confirms stable operation (see the diagramfor full explanation of structure).

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

Source: Toshiba