Hynix Semiconductor and Toshiba have agreed to jointly develop spin-transfer torque Magnetoresistance RAM (MRAM). Once technology development is successfully completed, the two parties intend to cooperate in manufacturing MRAM products in a production joint venture.
Hynix and Toshiba have also extended their patent cross licensing and product supply agreements, the companies said.
"MRAM is a rare gem full of exciting properties, like ultra high-speed, low power consumption, and high capacity, and it will play the role of key factor in driving advances in memories. It will also be a perfect fit for growing consumer demand in more sophisticated smartphones. MRAM is our next growth platform," said Oh Chul Kwon, CEO of Hynix.
"We believe that MRAM has huge potential as highly scalable non-volatile RAM," said Kiyoshi Kobayashi, Corporate Senior VP of Toshiba, and President and CEO of Toshiba's Semiconductor and Storage Products Company. "We will strongly promote initiatives in integration of storage solutions including MRAM, NAND, and HDD. The MRAM joint development program with Hynix is one of the key steps to support our efforts."
MRAM is a next-generation memory solution that uses magnetic properties to store data. Unlike DRAM, which distinguishes between 0 and 1 by passing an electron through a capacitor, data in MRAM can be determined by measuring the difference in resistance from magnetization on a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). Data is written and saved by reorienting the magnetization of a thin magnetic layer in a tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) element using a spin-polarized current.