Proceedings of the 49th Annual Design Automation Conference
Write-optimized reliable design of STT MRAM
Proceedings of the 2012 ACM/IEEE international symposium on Low power electronics and design
Dual pillar spin-transfer torque MRAMs for low power applications
ACM Journal on Emerging Technologies in Computing Systems (JETC) - Special issue on memory technologies
Layout-aware optimization of STT MRAMs
DATE '12 Proceedings of the Conference on Design, Automation and Test in Europe
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Spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memories (STT-MRAM), using magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ), is a resistive memory technology that has spurred significant research interest due to its potential for on-chip, high-density, high-speed, low-power, and non-volatile memory. However, due to conflicting read and write requirements, there is a need to develop optimization techniques for designing STT-MRAM bit-cells to minimize read and write failures. We propose an optimization technique that minimizes read and write failures by proper selection of bit-cell configuration and by proper access transistor sizing. A mixed-mode simulation framework was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of our optimization technique. Our simulation framework captures the transport physics in the MTJ using Non-Equilibrium Green's Function method and self-consistently solves the MTJ magnetization dynamics using Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation augmented with the full Slonczewski spin-torque term. The electrical parameters of the MTJ are then encapsulated in a Verilog-A model and used in HSPICE to perform bit-cell level optimization. The optimization technique is applied to STT-MRAM bit-cells designed using 45 nm bulk and 45 nm silicon-on-insulator CMOS technologies. Finally, predictions are made for optimized STT-MRAM bit-cells designed in 16 nm predictive technology.