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MRAM, which companies and countries are focusing on development and investment?

Google 우선 소스Published2019.11.26 12:05
MRAM (Magnetic Random Access Memory) is a memory that enables high speed, large capacity, and high integration. Companies around the world are spurring the development of MRAM, and commercialization is already underway. In addition, the government is actively promoting investment.


- Domestic sector -

Samsung Electronics announced that it has shipped eMRAM solution products based on the 28nm FD-SOI process in 2019. It has implemented a write speed 1,000 times faster than existing flash memory, and plans to mass-produce a 1Gb eMRAM test chip within this year. In addition, it acquired Grandis, a US company that holds the original patent for MRAM, in 2011, and is conducting joint research with IBM, which holds the original technology.

▲Planar, FinFET structure used in MRAM (Data = Samsung Electronics)

After signing a business agreement, SK Hynix and Toshiba introduced 4Gbit Density STT-MRAM at the 2016 International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM). In addition, SK Hynix is accelerating the development of next-generation memory by acquiring Toshiba's memory division for 4 trillion won in 2018.


- Overseas Division -

According to EETimes, Intel disclosed technical details of its embedded STT-MRAM based on a 22nm FinFET process at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) in 2019. Intel engineer Ligiong Wei announced that additional bits are needed for error detection and control, but this increases chip size and power consumption, so they are in the process of being improved.

▲22nm-class FinFET STT-MRAM (Source: Intel)

In 2018, IBM, together with MRAM specialist Everspin, introduced IBM FlashCore®, a 19TB SSD utilizing STT-MRAM. Existing memories were volatile and had to rely on external power, and the high power consumption of FPGA-based designs was a headache. However, they announced that they have improved the above problems by utilizing STT-MRAM.

▲STT-MRAM mass production chip (Data = Everspin)

At IEDM 2018, Global Foundries announced that it has developed automotive eMRAM in collaboration with eVaderis, a provider of IP solutions for next-generation memories, and has secured G1 reliability specifications. The 22FDX®, which uses 22nm FD-SOI technology combined with eVaderis’ ultra-low-power MCU Reference Design technology, is expected to be applied to IoT products such as wearable devices.

For ARM, it was announced at the 2019 Tech Symposia that it was providing a wide range of MRAM Compliers in cooperation with Spin Memory in the US. It was also said that it was already in the process of replacing eFlash memory with eMRAM in 2019 and had also provided it to Samsung's 28nm-class FD-SOI-based MRAM process. It also said that it plans to supply products for IoT and Edge AI in 2020 and replace SRAM thereafter.

TSMC is developing a 22nm-class ULL (Ultra-Low Leakage) Embedded MRAM with low power as its core, and in 2018, it announced that it met the 168-hour high-temperature operation (HTOL) requirement of the semiconductor device standard of the Solid State Technology Association (JEDEC). eMRAM is expected to replace eFlash in MCUs, IoT, and wearable devices.

▲ Partnership for Embedded MRAM Development (Source: Yole Développement)


- Government level -

Efforts to develop MRAM are being made not only by companies in each country but also by the government. In Korea, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (currently the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy) opened the 'Next Generation Memory Industry-Academia-Research Joint Research Center' in 2009 in cooperation with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix at the Fusion Technology Center of Hanyang University. The STT-MRAM market is expected to reach 53 billion dollars by 2015, and the goal is to occupy 45% of that.

In addition, the Japanese government has declared a growth roadmap, 'Society 5.0', and is focusing on the 'Super Smart Society'. Accordingly, in 2019, Tohoku University established 'Power Spin Incorporated' at the Center for Innovative Integrated Electronics System (CIES). In addition to focusing on improving the performance and integration of STT-MRAM, we are also working on developing IoT devices and AI chips using STT-MRAM.

▲ Power Spin Incorporated (Data = Tohoku University)
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