Radiation-Hardened Non-Volatile RAM

Nonvolatile memories, including Magneto Resistive Random Access Memory (MRAM), have limitations in speed, density, power, and manufacturability which limits their use in commercial and space applications. A unique nonvolatile memory architecture has beeninvented by NVE using a patent pending Spin Dependent Tunneling (SDT) cell that will eliminate these limitations. The newly invented SDT nonvolatile memory technology, of which NVE is among the leading researchers, allows a high density and also thelowest energy per bit write or read of any nonvolatile memory technology. Magnetic memory has been demonstrated to be immune to radiation effects and is compatible with silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) process which is available to NVE both through AMI,Honeywell, and others. Problems of disturbs and non-uniform switching thresholds have been eliminated with this new development. This innovation will allow speeds of 10 nanoseconds as well as power levels as low as 0.1 microwatts. Its scalability willallow densities of 16 megabits per square centimeter using 0.15 micron lithography. The new cell architecture developed with SDT technology will have broad application in DoD military, space systems, MILSATCOM, and commercial space systems.The durabilityand low power of the MRAM developed will fill a need for this type of nonvolatile memory both in military and commercial satellite systems as well as missile systems. With no wear out mechanism, this memory will be used for both high speed main memory andnonvolatile buffer applications in artificial intelligence, image processing, radar, sonar signal processing, virtual reality, robotics, control systems, etc.