Superfast MRAM with low power consumption on the anvil
March 9th, 2011 - 5:52 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Mar 9 (ANI): A new invention by Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) is set to revolutionize digital data storage.
Magnetic Random Access Memories (MRAM) are the most important new modules on the market of computer storage devices but offer short access times and unlimited writing properties.
The new device, however, has a special chip connection, in association with dynamic triggering of the component, which reduces the response from - so far - 2 ns to below 500 ps.
Power consumption and the thermal load will be reduced, as well as the bit error rate.
It is also designed to store information in the case of an interruption of the power supply because the information is not stored in the form of an electric charge, but via the magnetic alignment of storage cells (magnetic spins).
They also allow faster access, a high integration density and an unlimited number of writing and reading cycles.
The PTB scientists have optimized the MRAM design and integrated the so-called ballistic bit triggering which has also been developed at PTB. Here, the magnetic pulses which serve for the programming are selected in such a skilful way that the other cells in the MRAM are hardly magnetically excited at all.
The pulse ensures that the magnetization of a cell which is to be switched performs half a precision rotation (180 degrees), while a cell whose storage state is to remain unchanged performs a complete precision rotation (360 degrees).
In both cases, the magnetization is in the state of equilibrium after the magnetic pulse has decayed, and magnetic excitations do not occur any more.
This optimal bit triggering also works with ultra-short switching pulses with duration below 500 ps. In addition, several bits can be programmed at the same time which would allow the effective write rate per bit to be increased again by more than one order. (ANI)
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Tags: access times, anvil, bit error rate, chip connection, computer storage devices, digital data storage, equilibrium, integration density, interruption, magnetic excitations, magnetic pulse, magnetic pulses, magnetization, mram, new invention, physikalisch technische bundesanstalt, power consumption, ptb, random access, storage cells