Can Magnetic Memory (MRAM) Displace DRAM

Abstract

Magnetic Memory has been commercialized for more than a decade. It is offered as embedded memory of SoC and as discrete memory. The emb-MRAM has found a sweet spot in the market, replacing emb-FLASH at 28-nm node and below; and it is poised to replace SRAM of the last level cache at sub-10-nm node for its advantage over SRAM in density and in standby power. Can discrete MRAM displace a portion of the DRAM $70B (2017) market? That has been the question in people s mind. This presentation attempts to address this question from two viewpoints: (1) MTJ intrinsic device limit, thus its product implication, (2) extrinsic factors, such as the matching CMOS and memory architecture. CMOS is crucial to the memory density and DDR compliance is essential to data throughput performance. Today, MRAM technology is maturing to the point of industrial production. At this stage, the technology has not reached its full performance potential. A continuous improvement will take place. This presentation gives a prediction how the scaled STT-MRAM may fare in the near future and how MRAM may evolve in the long term.