Roy Edwin Scheuerlein

A 10 ns read and write non-volatile memory array using a magnetic tunnel junction and FET switch in each cell

Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) offers an alternative approach to fast low-power non-volatile VLSI memory. MRAM has been pursued for more than 10 years as a robust non-volatile memory for space applications. The magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) MRAM is dramatically different and achieves four orders of magnitude better bandwidth to sense power ratio by utilizing a high resistance and high magneto-resistance (MR) MTJ and including a FET switch in each cell. Non-volatile storage and 10 ns performance are demonstrated in 1 kb arrays. Read and write on-chip power at 2.5 V and 100 MHz are 5 mW and 40 mW respectively.