IIT Mandi researchers develop magnetic RAM for higher storage, faster computation

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi, developing magnetic Random Access Memory (RAM) which is faster, more energy-efficient and capable of storing more information in a smaller volume than existing data storage technologies.

A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi has developed a magnetic Random Access Memory (RAM), which is faster, energy-efficient and stores more data in a smaller volume as compared to existing data storage technologies.

The Spin-transfer Torque (STT) based nano spintronic devices will help the user to save data loss due to interruptions of power supply or other technical glitches. This will help in transforming the next-generation computers, smartphones, and other gadgets, the IIT Mandi team claimed.

As per the researchers, in the magnetic RAMs, the data are represented as the spin of electrons, which in-turn helps in better storage capabilities than the conventional charge-based RAM.

A device using spintronic technology utilizes the spin of the electrons to transmit and process information, unlike normal electronic devices that are driven by electron charges. Harnessing the spin of electrons to be manipulated from the magnetic state leads to what is known as Spin-Transfer Torque-Magnetic Random Access Memory (STT-MRAM), they said.

While commenting on the RAM, Satinder K Sharma, Associate Professor at IIT Mandi's School of Computing and Electrical Engineering, said "Universal memory solutions must have high storage density, ultrafast operability, and nonvolatility, that is, able to retain data even when there is no electricity or power. It is required as with time the abundance of digital devices is expected to generate data volumes requiring 1 trillion hard drives at every instant by 2024. Existing semiconductor RAM cannot meet these massive demands of data storage. Indeed, experts in data science predict that the demand for memory capacity will outpace production by 2020 end."

The research by the IIT Mandi team has been published in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, a reputed international journal. The five-member team includes Sharma, his colleague Srikant Srinivasan and three research scholars-- Mohamad G Moinuddin, Shivangi Shringi and Aijaz H Lone.

"The RAM developed by IIT Mandi team have very low switching current density and free-layer switching duration of fewer than three nanoseconds. This is a very promising start and further optimization will make them prospective candidates for next-generation RAM devices," said Srinivasan.

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