Technology Opportunities

Magnetic memory with no permanent magnet

(MSM = Magnetless Spin Memory)

Background

• Memory devices are central building blocks in all computers and modern electronic systems.
• System developers aim at memory devices with high density, low power consumption yet compatible with conventional silicon based IC production technology.
• Current memory device technologies either have to be refreshed periodically, consume high power, are not compatible with embedded applications, or operation speed is sacrificed.
• All existing memory technologies are challenged when critical size is smaller than ~ 45 nm.

Our Innovation

The invented magnetless spin memory (MSM) technology is based on chiral molecules and on chiral induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect, discovered here recently, instead of permanent magnet.
Chiral material is mixed with ferromagnetic nanoparticles and is deposited between two electrodes, creating new magnetic memory device without a permanent magnet. It thus allows the miniaturization of the memory bit down to a single nanoparticle.

Scheme of MSM devices
Top: A scheme of layers based MSM device. A ferromagnetic layer is covered from both sides by chiral layer with same handedness. When current is flowing from top, the ferromagnetic layer is magnetized in one direction and when it flows from bottom the magnetization is in the opposite direction.
Bottom- A scheme of nanoparticles based MSM device. The ferromagnetic layer is replaced by ferromagnetic nanoparticle.

Key Features

• Spin selectivity in MSM is high, and requires much less power compared to existing technologies.
• Compatible with IC manufacturing: Will allow inexpensive, high density universal memory-on-chip production.
• Conduction of electrons through chiral molecules is spin specific, with specificity exceeding 60% at room temperature.
• Non binary memory logic for the same super-paramagnetic limit.
• Development Milestones
• Proof of concept devices fabricated and tested.
• Seeking opportunity to license the technology and funding for further development and commercialization.

The Opportunity

• Memory performance is fast becoming the key bottleneck that limits systems performance.
• There is a growing need for a universal memory which is high-density, high speed, low-power, random accessible, non-volatile and has unlimited endurance.
• Based on the underlying principles of the technology and existing data, the magnetless spin memory (MSM) technology has the potential of becoming the basis of a new generation of memory technology.

Patent Status

PCT Patent filed

Researcher Information

E-mail: paltiel@cc.huji.ac.il
Website: http://aph.huji.ac.il/people/paltiel/group.html