ST-MRAM fundamentals, challenges, and applications

Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM) technology emerged from research and development into volume production within the last decade in the form of Toggle MRAM. The latest Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) based memory technology, Spin-Torque MRAM, has reached the level of customer sampling, offering higher density and bandwidth. Spin-Torque MRAM enables new applications, offers a wide range of features for use in embedded memory, and has the potential to extend to technology nodes beyond the capability of DRAM. This paper describes the devices, fundamental circuit challenges, and applications of this evolving MTJ based memory.