Overview
The Magnetic Random Access Memories (MRAM) group develops advanced concepts in this emerging technology. The goal is to realize cells with improved thermal stability, lower power consumption and/or faster switching. Our research covers material stack deposition, nano-fabrication and electrical test evaluation, for applications as standalone memory and non-volatile logic and more recently in neuromorphic computing architectures.
Research directions
Perpendicular Anisotropy Materials
High energy barriers for spin transfer torque (STT) MRAM cells can be achieved with perpendicular anisotropy magnetic tunnel junctions. Solutions for high density MRAM cells to diameters below 20nm require continuous improvements in perpendicular surface anisotropy, while maintaining high TMR properties.
Perpendicular STT MRAM
Evaluation of MRAM concepts requires simulation of expected reversal mechanisms and electrical characterization of individual cells. We aim at understanding dynamics of magnetization reversal and the expected impact of stack modifications to explore application specific optimizations.
Nanofabrication Challenges
Innovation on dense MRAM using pre-patterned substrates, CMOS integration of multifunctional cells and sub-10nm lateral sizes. Tunnel junction nanofabrication in our platform is essential to evaluate MRAM concepts and performance.
Perpendicular Shape Anisotropy
A solution for sub-10nm cell sizes uses high aspect ratios to generate perpendicular shape anisotropy providing scalable retention at the smallest cell sizes. Spin transfer torque switching is possible in these cells, where the reversal dynamics is now under study.
The team
Former members
Post-docs
- Andrey TIMOPHEEV (2014-2017)
- Van Dai NGUYEN (2016-2018)
- J. Ranier Roiz (2015-2016)
- Nikita Strelkov (2016-2019)
PhD
- Luc TILLIE (2015-2018)
- Nicolas PERRISSIN (2015-2018)
- Jyotirmoy CHATTERGEE (2014-2017)
- Hieu Tan NGUYEN (2013-2016)
- Antoine Chavent (2013-2015)
Process Engineers
- Jude GUELFFUCCI (2015-2017)
- Nathalie LAMARD (2016-2017)
- Guillaume LAVAITTE (2015-2016)
Projects
- Samsung SGMI (2014-2017)
- ANR Excalyb (2014-2017)
- Heumem (2015-2018)
- EU-FET Spice (2016-2019)
- EU Great (2016-2019)
- ERC Magical (2015-2020)
Partners
- CEA LETI, Grenoble, France
- Institut NEEL, Grenoble, France
- Crocus Technology, Grenoble, France
- Samsung, San Jose, USA
- Singulus AG, Kahl am Main, Germany
- Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Radboud Universiteit, Neijmegen, Netherlands
Recent news
- Two very successful MRAM events organized by SPINTEC and the IEEE Magnetics Society at IEDM 2017 (January 24th, 2018)
IEDM is the main annual conference of the IEEE Electron Devices Society. It took place in San Francisco, 4-6 December 2017. Since 2016, IEEE EDS and IEEE Magnetics Society have been collaborating on the organization ... - Seminar : Ultrafast Magnetization Manipulation in Multisublattice Magnets (November 27th, 2017)
On December 4, we have the pleasure to welcome Marwan Deb from Université de Lorraine, France. At 11H, he will give a seminar on “Ultrafast Magnetization Manipulation in Multisublattice Magnets” in room 434A. Femtomagnetism is a relatively ... - Enhanced annealing stability and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions using W layer (November 15th, 2017)
The stiffening of the perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (pMTJ) stack resulting from the W insertion due to its very high melting temperature, is the key mechanism behind the extremely high thermal robustness. Thicker W layer ... - Proposals for student internships for Spring 2018 (October 03rd, 2017)
You find here the list of proposals for Master-2 internships to take place during Spring 2018. In most cases, these internships are intended to be suitable for a longer-term PhD work. Interested Master-1 students are ... - Book – Introduction to Random-Access Memory (September 01st, 2017)
B. Dieny, R. B. Goldfarb, K.-J. Lee (Eds), IEEE Press, Wiley (2017). With chapter authorship from Spintec: L. Buda-Prejbeanu, L. Prejbeanu, B. Diény. DOI: 10.1002/9781119079415 Magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) is poised to replace traditional computer memory based on ...
