➀ SRAM has been used in high-performance computing architectures as embedded cache for decades, but its bit density expansion has slowed down and is affected by standby power issues.
➁ Spin Orbit Torque (SOT) MRAM offers advantages like low standby power, GHz-level switching speed, negligible leakage, almost infinite endurance, high reliability, and scalability, making it a promising alternative to SRAM.
➂ SOT-MRAM uses magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) as its basic building block, where the magnetic orientation can be vertical or in-plane, affecting the read and write operations.
➃ Recent advancements in SOT-MRAM technology, including improvements by imec, have demonstrated high switching speeds and durability, addressing key challenges in cache applications.
➄ Imec has developed innovative solutions for field-free switching, low dynamic power consumption, and scaling SOT-MRAM devices to the limit, making it a milestone for high-density SRAM applications.
➅ Further optimization of performance and reliability parameters, such as retention rate and write error rate, is being explored to bring SOT-MRAM closer to real-world specifications.
➆ Imec has also presented a novel composite free layer for MTJ, which improves the reliability of SOT-MRAM devices and reduces sensitivity to external magnetic disturbances.