ChiralMEM - A novel concept for high density magnetic memory technology

从个人计算机到移动的电话的现代信息和通信技术包含电子存储器技术。磁性随机存取存储器（MRAM）是一种新的非易失性计算机存储器，被广泛认为有可能成为存储器的黄金标准。它基于称为自旋电子学的新物理学（涉及电流与磁性的相互作用），并将电子的数字1和0存储为形成MRAM存储器的纳米磁体的两个磁化方向之一。MRAM与其他类型的存储器（SRAM、DRAM和闪存）相比，其优势在于写入和阅读数据的速度，以及即使在没有电源（非易失性）的情况下也能节省内存。这些基本优势促进了MRAM的广泛投资和开发，第一款产品于2006年7月推出。然而，MRAM在数十亿美元的电子存储器市场中与其他技术竞争激烈，必须不断提高可以存储在给定空间中的数据量-称为存储器密度。这种存储器密度的挑战沿着较低的功率要求是MRAM的未来必须解决的关键问题。ChiralMEM概念是用于信息和通信技术的更高密度MRAM的新方法。该概念是基于创建能够在每个单元中存储多位信息的存储器单元，而不是现有技术的每个单元中的常规单位（1或0）。重要的是，ChiralMEM与现有的磁存储器技术兼容。这些改进联合收割机降低了传统MRAM的成本和功耗，并且可以继续允许在以下应用中使用：+移动的手持消费电子产品，+电池的替代品加上SRAM+即时启动计算机和断电后的内存恢复+SRAM的位移，DRAM和闪存解决方案ChiralMEM在单个单元中存储多个数据位的能力是通过控制多个铁磁纳米线中的磁性状态。这种控制取决于在数据“写入”过程中形成的畴壁边界的手性或“类型”。在技术应用中，存储器状态将被“读出”为电阻，该电阻可以具有取决于存储器单元的磁状态的多个值。这个存储器概念的核心物理过程涉及通过选择畴壁手性来控制磁化行为，并且在达勒姆通过实验工作和计算模拟的组合来阐明。第一批结果发表在最近的《应用物理快报》上。为了了解ChiralMEM的潜力，建议进行新的技术研究，以开发一系列概念演示器，探索技术关键问题，包括最大比特密度和运营利润，以激发商业公司的兴趣。这些新知识将直接用于并行的业务开发工作，包括市场研究，以了解更广泛的市场问题，并为潜在合作伙伴确定有意义的技术路线图，重要的是，业务发展将通过与潜在商业合作伙伴的直接互动积极促进ChiralMEM。在12个月的资助期结束时，最好的结果将是工作示范结构，以及详细的商业知识和与商业合作伙伴的协议，将ChiralMEM带到产品开发的下一个阶段。

Modern information and communication technology from personal computers to mobile phones contains electronic memory technology. Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM) is a new non-volatile computer memory that is widely regarded as having the potential to become the gold standard for memory. It is based on new physics called spintronics (that involves the interaction of electric current with magnetism) and stores the digital 1s and 0s of electronics as one of two directions of the magnetization of nanomagnets that form the memory in MRAM. The benefits of MRAM compared to other types of memory called SRAM, DRAM and Flash come from the speed of writing and reading data and the fact that the memory is saved even when there is no power (non-volatile). These fundamental benefits have promoted wide investment and development in MRAM and the first product was launched in July 2006. However, MRAM is in stiff competition with other technologies in a multi-billion dollar electronic memory market and must continuously improve the amount of data that can be stored in a given space - called memory density. This memory density challenge along with lower power requirements are critical issues that must be addressed for the future of MRAM.The ChiralMEM concept is a new approach to higher density MRAM for information and communication technology. The concept is based upon creating memory cells capable of storing multiple bits of information per cell in contrast to the conventional single bit (1or 0) per cell of existing technologies. Importantly, ChiralMEM is compatible with existing magnetic memory technology. These improvements combine to reduce costs and power consumption of traditional MRAM and may go on to allow use in applications such as;+ mobile hand held an consumer electronics,+ substitutes for battery plus SRAM+ Instant On computers and memory recovery from power loss+ displacement of SRAM, DRAM and Flash solutionsThe capacity of ChiralMEM to store multiple data bits in a single cell is achieved by controlling the formation of multiple magnetic states in a ferromagnetic nanowire. This control depends upon the chirality or 'type' of domain wall boundary that is formed during the data 'write' process. In technological application the memory state will be 'readout' as an electrical resistance that can have multiple values depending on the magnetic state of the memory cell. The physical processes central to this memory concept involve controlling the magnetization behaviour by selection of the domain wall chirality and were elucidated in Durham through a combination of experimental work and computational simulations. The first results were published very recently in the journal Applied Physics Letters.To understand the potential of ChiralMEM it is proposed that new technical research is undertaken to develop a series of concept demonstrators exploring technologically critical issues including maximum bit-densities and operating margins to excite the interest of commercial companies. This new knowledge will feed directly into the parallel business development work involving market research to understand wider market issues and define a meaningful technology route map for potential partners, and importantly, business development will actively promote ChiralMEM through direct interaction with potential commercial partners.At the end of the twelve month funding period the best possible result will be working demonstration structures together with a detailed commercial knowledge and an agreement with a commercial partner to take ChiralMEM to the next stage towards product development.