Instrumentation • Electronics
Dr Bertrand F Cambou, the executive chairman of Crocus Technology, states: “MLU has the potential to replace SRAM, DRAM, NAND, NOR and OTP (one-time programmable) in many standalone and embedded memory products. Because MLU’s NOR, NAND and XOR capabilities are built on a single wafer manufacturing process with different design architectures, they can be easily integrated into system-on-chip (SOC) implementations.” Indeed, Crocus announced at the end of 2011 that it
had formed an alliance with Starchip, a company focused on designing and qualifying secure semiconductor products for mass production, to develop next-generation SOC products. Crocus and Starchip will work together to embed MLU memory and logic functions within next-generation secure processor-based architectures.
MRAM successes
Everspin Technologies, which is a venture-funded spin-out from Freescale Semiconductor, is relatively advanced in manufacturing MRAM devices. At the start of 2012, the company reported that shipments in 2011 were three times those achieved in 2010. Everspin says it is now supplying more than 300 active customers, in three major markets, with over 100 different MRAM products for in excess of 100 applications. As well as its discrete MRAM products, Everspin began shipments of embedded MRAM products in 2011, with an initial volume of more than two million units. Jim Handy, an analyst with Objective Analysis, comments:
“MRAM has gained acceptance as a superior alternative to non-volatile SRAM for RAID (redundant array of independent discs) controllers, allowing Everspin to capitalise on its unique position as a high-volume MRAM supplier. The company’s impressive progress this past year is proof of OEMs’ (original equipment manufacturers’) increased interest and readiness to use MRAM in diverse applications.” Building on its track record in the industrial, energy, and automotive and transportation markets, Everspin achieved
its significant growth in 2011 through its activities in the enterprise storage, server and networking segment. A number of leading vendors in this segment have turned to MRAM technology for critical data storage in RAID systems, servers and routers, which require reliable, enduring, fast non-volatile memory to capture meta-data that must be preserved reliably in the event of a power failure. According to Everspin, MRAM enhances data centre
and networking fault recovery capabilities to reduce system downtime. Compared with alternative non-volatile RAM technologies, MRAM also simplifies design by eliminating the need for external components such as resistors, capacitors, batteries or super-capacitors. At the same time, eliminating these components improves data fidelity and system form factor while providing greater reliability at a lower overall cost. Dell is using MRAM as a journal memory in its RAID storage systems, including Dell Poweredge servers and Powervault Direct Attached Storage (DAS), as well as Dell Equallogic Storage Area Network (SAN) arrays. A more extreme application for MRAM is highlighted in the side panel.
Higher reliability
MRAM devices have been available for use in harsh operating conditions for several years. In October 2009, e2v claimed to be the first to market with MRAM devices for extended- reliability applications, with the EV2A16A (Fig. 1). This is an extended-reliability version of the MR2A16A from Everspin Technologies, offering fast read and write cycle times (35ns), with non-volatility and unlimited read/write endurance (over 20 years for data retention), for demanding applications in the defence, avionics and industrial markets. The 4MB, small form-factor EV2A16A boasts an operating temperature range of -5 to +125°C. To simplify its integration with existing devices, the MRAM module is SRAM-compatible so that existing SRAM controllers may be used without the need for any redesign.
Fig. 2. Solid-state drives such as these Micron 1.8-inch products typically use NAND flash memory, but MRAM offers a number of advantages for future SSDs.
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