SBIR Phase I: Structures for reduced critical current to enable Spin Torque MRAM

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目的目的是开发一种自旋扭矩磁阻随机存取存储器（ST-MRAM），大大降低了写入电流。如果切换电流足够低以由每个磁性隧道结（MTJ）存储器件下方的最小尺寸的存取晶体管通过，则最高位密度是可能的。减小写入电流还提高了可靠性，因为在写入操作期间通过MTJ的较小电流密度减小了薄电介质隧道势垒上的应力。ST-MRAM具有在单个存储器中提供非易失性、高密度、高速、低功率和无限耐久性的潜力。ST-MRAM技术有潜力满足对高性能、可扩展半导体存储器的需求，同时在功耗方面提供优势，这在便携式电子产品中至关重要，在许多其他领域（如企业计算）中越来越受到重视。传统的半导体存储器，如静态RAM、闪存和动态RAM，在未来几年面临着重大的扩展挑战，它们都不具有MRAM所提供的独特属性。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is aimed at developing a spin torque magnetoresistive random access memory (ST-MRAM) that has significantly reduced write current. The highest bit density is possible if the switching current is low enough to be passed by a minimum sized access transistor beneath each magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) storage device. Reducing the write current also improves reliability because the smaller current density through the MTJ during the write operation reduces the stress on the thin dielectric tunnel barrier. ST-MRAM has the potential to provide non-volatility, high density, high speed,low power, and unlimited endurance in a single memory. ST-MRAM technology has the potential to meet the need for a high-performance, scalable semiconductor memory while providing benefits in power consumption that are critical in portable electronics and increasingly valued in many other areas, such as enterprise computing. Conventional semiconductor memories like Static RAM, Flash, and Dynamic RAM are facing significant scaling challenges in the coming years and none of them have the unique set of attributes provided by MRAM.