Everspin Technologies
 | |
| private company | |
| Industry | Semiconductors |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Chandler, Arizona, USA |
| Website | www.everspin.com |
Everspin Technologies is a private semiconductor company that develops and manufactures magnetic RAM or Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM), including stand-alone and embedded MRAM products.
History
Everspin Technologies was formed in June 2008 as a spin out of Freescale Semiconductor. Investors include: New Venture Partners, Lux Capital, Sigma Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Epic Ventures.
Timeline
- 1984 GMR Effect discovered[1]
- 1996 Motorola begins MRAM research
- 1998 First Motorola MTJ
- 1999 Motorola develops 256Kb MRAM Test Chip[2]
- 2002 Toggle patent granted to Motorola[3]
- 2004 Motorola separates semiconductor business into Freescale Semiconductor[4]
- 2006 Industry first MRAM (4Mb) product commercially available[5]
- 2008 Freescale Semiconductor spins out MRAM business as Everspin Technologies[6]
- 2008 Everspin announces BGA packages, product family from 256Kb to 4Mb[7]
- 2009 Everspin releases SPI MRAM product family[8]
- 2009 Everspin ships first embedded MRAM samples
- 2010 Everspin sells first million MRAMs
- 2010 Everspin qualifies industry first embedded MRAM
- 2010 Everspin releases 16Mb density[9][10]
- 2011 Everspin ships its four millionth stand-alone MRAM[11]
- 2011 Everspin ships its two millionth embedded MRAM
- 2012 Everspin produces 64Mb ST-MRAM on a 90 nm process[12]
Technology
MRAM uses the magnetism of electron spin to provide the fastest non-volatile memory with unlimited endurance. MRAM stores information in magnetic material that is integrated with silicon circuitry to deliver the speed of RAM with the non-volatility of Flash.
As the world's first volume MRAM supplier[13] for stand-alone and embedded MRAM products, Everspin has established an MRAM intellectual property portfolio of more than 600 active patents and applications, many of which are fundamental and essential for MRAM technologies including MTJ-based products.
Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Everspin owns and operates a manufacturing line for its proprietary magnetic back-end-of-line wafer processing, and uses standard CMOS wafers from foundries. Everspin's current MRAM products are based on 180-nm and 130-nm process technology nodes and industry standard packages, and are shipping in volume .
Markets
Data Center and Storage
MRAM is used in storage, server and networking applications such as RAID, NAS, SAN and DAS applications, as well as rack and blade servers and routers.[14]
Energy and Infrastructure
MRAM products have been designed into energy and infrastructure applications such as smart grid, smart meter, solar and wind applications, industrial computing and automation, and casino gaming.[15][16][17]
Automotive and Transportation
Everspin supplies MRAM products for automotive and transportation applications including power train, brakes, safety, data logging, multimedia, navigation, camera and black box. [18] [19] [20] [21]
Products
Everspin’s first-generation Toggle MRAM portfolio addresses persistent SRAM application needs and currently includes:
- Standard asynchronous, parallel 16-bit I/O products in 1Mb, 4Mb and 16Mb densities
- Standard asynchronous parallel 8-bit I/O products in 256Kb, 1Mb, 4Mb and 16Mb densities
- Serial I/O products in 256Kb, 1Mb and 4Mb densities
- Commercial, industrial and automotive temperature options
- Industry standard TSOP2, SOIC and small footprint, low profile BGA and DFN packages, which are all lead free and RoHS compliant
Everspin is developing the next-generation of MRAM products using a spin-polarized current for switching. Referred to as Spin-Torque MRAM (ST-MRAM), this advancement will enable scaling of MRAM to gigabit densities to address persistent DRAM applications.
References
- ↑ "GMR: A Giant Leap for IBM Research", IBM.
- ↑ N.P. Vasil'eva (October 2003), "Magnetic Random Access Memory Devices", Automation and Remote Control 64 (9): 1369–1385
- ↑ States6633498 United States 6633498, Engel; Bradley N., Janesky; Jason Allen, Rizzo; Nicholas D., "Magnetoresistive random access memory with reduced switching field"
- ↑ "Freescale completes spin-off from Motorola". EE Times Asia. December 7, 2004.
- ↑ David Lammers (October 7, 2006). "MRAM debut cues memory transition". EE Times.
- ↑ Michael J. de la Merced (June 9, 2008). "Chip Maker to Announce It Will Spin Off Memory Unit". The New York Times.
- ↑ Mark LaPedus (November 13, 2008). "Freescale's MRAM spin-off rolls new devices". EE Times.
- ↑ R Colin Johnson (16 November 2009). "MRAM chips go serial in smart meters". EE Times.
- ↑ David Manners (April 20, 2010). "Everspin Launches 16Mbit MRAM, Volume In July". Electronics Weekly.
- ↑ Ron Wilson (April 19, 2010). "Everspin MRAM reaches 16 Mbits, looks toward embedded use in SoCs". EDN.
- ↑ Stacey Higginbotham (January 18, 2012). "Everspin takes MRAM to Dell, LSI and beyond". GigaOM.
- ↑ Charlie Demerjian (November 16, 2012). "Everspin makes ST-MRAM a reality, LSI AIS 2012: Non-volatile memory with DDR3 speeds". SemiAccurate.com.
- ↑ Nicolescu, Gabriela; Ian O'Conner; Christian Piguet (2012). Design Technology for Heterogeneous Embedded Systems. Springer. p. 342.
- ↑ Josh Wolfe (January 18, 2012). "Dell and LSI Flip for Everspin MRAM in Data Storage". Forbes.
- ↑ R Colin Johnson (November 16, 2009). "MRAM chips go serial in smart meters". EE Times.
- ↑ "Everspin partners with Emerson Network Power on new computer boards". Business Journal. July 17, 2009.
- ↑ John Walko (March 31, 2008). "Siemens to use MRAM in touch screen HMI". EE Times.
- ↑ Terry Costlow (May 13, 2011). "Everspin targets transportation with nonvolatile MRAM". SAE International.
- ↑ "Airbus uses Everspin's MRAMs". EE Times Europe. September 8, 2009.
- ↑ Janine Love (May 3, 2011). "Everspin expands MRAM to automotive applications". EE Times.
- ↑ Jim Harrison (April 3, 2011). "MRAM meets AEC-Q100 automotive specs". Hearst Electronic Products.