Small Tilt in Magnets Makes them Viable Memory Chips
August 4, 2015 | UC BerkeleyEstimated reading time: 1 minute
A research team led by Sayeef Salahuddin, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences, has found that tilting magnets slightly makes them easy to switch without an external magnetic field. This opens the door to a memory system that can be packed onto a microprocessor, a major step toward the goal of reducing energy dissipation in modern electronics.
“To reduce the power draw and increase the speed, we want to be able to manufacture a computer chip that includes memory so that it is close to the computational action,” said Salahuddin. “However, the physics needed to create long-term storage are not compatible with integrated circuits.”
Creating and switching polarity in magnets without an external magnetic field has been a key focus in the field of spintronics. Generating a magnetic field takes power and space, which is why magnets have not yet been integrated onto computer chips.
Instead, there are separate systems for long-term magnetic memory. These include a computer’s hard disk drive where data are stored, and the various kinds of random-access memory, or RAM, on the integrated circuits of the central processing unit, or CPU, where calculations and logic operations are performed.
A large portion of the energy used in computing is spent on transferring data from one type of memory to another. Doing that quickly takes more energy and generates more heat.
In past research, Salahuddin and his colleagues found that directing electrical current through the rare metal tantalum creates polarity in magnets without an external magnetic field. But the battle wasn’t over.
Packing a sufficient number of nanomagnets onto a chip meant aligning them perpendicularly, but that vertical orientation negated the switching effects of tantalum.
“We found that by tilting the magnet – just 2 degrees was enough – you get all the benefits of a high-density magnetic switch without the need for an external magnetic field,” said Salahuddin.
The study’s lead author is Long You, a research scholar in Salahuddin’s lab.
The Department of Energy, National Science Foundation Center for Energy Efficient Electronics Science, and the Semiconductor Technology Advanced Research Network’s Function Accelerated nanoMaterial Engineering Center (STARNET FAME) helped support this research.
Suggested Items
Gartner Forecasts Worldwide IT Spending to Grow 8% in 2024
04/17/2024 | Gartner, Inc.Worldwide IT spending is expected to total $5.06 trillion in 2024, an increase of 8% from 2023, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc. This is an increase from the previous quarter’s forecast of 6.8% growth and puts worldwide IT spending on track to surpass $8 trillion well before the end of the decade.
Argonne, RIKEN Sign a Memorandum of Understanding in Support of AI for Science
04/16/2024 | BUSINESS WIRELeaders in high performance computing in the U.S. and Japan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishing a cooperative relationship in support of artificial intelligence (AI) computing projects.
RAICo Fellowship to Widen Participation Within the Field of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
04/12/2024 | RAICoWOMEN and those early in their academia career who are passionate about robotics and artificial intelligence are encouraged to apply for a RAICo Fellowship.
Indium to Host Free Webinar on Lead-Free Solder Paste for Automotive Applications
04/09/2024 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation’s Senior Research Metallurgist, Jie Geng, Ph.D., will conduct a webinar on low-voiding, high-reliability, lead-free solder paste for automotive applications.
SMTA Announces Program for High Reliability: Strategic Technology Advancement Research Forum
04/08/2024 | SMTAThe SMTA announced the finalized program for the High Reliability: Strategic Technology Advancement Research Forum which takes place on May 2, 2024 in Olathe, Kansas, USA. The event, now in its second year, addresses challenges for electronics manufacturers in the high reliability sector.