This volume contains the papers presented at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Magnetism and Structure in Systems of Reduced Dimension", held at l'Institut d'Etudes Scientifiques de Cargese - U.M.S. - C.N.R.S. - Universite de Corte­ Universite de Nice Sophia - Antipolis during June 15-19, 1992. The ordering of papers in the volume reflects the sequence of papers presented at the workshop. The aim was not to segregate the papers into rigidly defmed areas but to group the papers into small clusters, each cluster having a common theme. In this way the parallel, rather than serial, development of areas such as preparation of films, magnetic and structural characterization was highlighted. Indeed the success of the field depends on such parallel development and is assisted by workshops of this nature and the international collaborations which they foster. The organizers and participants of the NATO workshop express their thanks to Mme. Marie-France Hanseier and the staff at l'Institut d'Etudes Scientifiques de Cargese­ U.M.S. - C.N.R.S. - Universite de Corte - Universite de Nice Sophia - Antipolis for making the workshop and local arrangements a memorable success. Warm thanks are also expressed to Varadachari Sadagopan and Pascal Stefanou for their encouragement and help in making the workshop a reality. We are also grateful to Kristl Hathaway, Larry Cooper and Gary Prinz for advice in developing the workshop program.

Magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) is poised to replace traditional computer memory based on complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (CMOS). MRAM will surpass all other types of memory devices in terms of nonvolatility, low energy dissipation, fast switching speed, radiation hardness, and durability. Although toggle-MRAM is currently a commercial product, it is clear that future developments in MRAM will be based on spin-transfer torque, which makes use of electrons’ spin angular momentum instead of their charge. MRAM will require an amalgamation of magnetics and microelectronics technologies. However, researchers and developers in magnetics and in microelectronics attend different technical conferences, publish in different journals, use different tools, and have different backgrounds in condensed-matter physics, electrical engineering, and materials science.This book is an introduction to MRAM for microelectronics engineers written by specialists in magnetic materials and devices. It presents the basic phenomena involved in MRAM, the materials and film stacks being used, the basic principles of the various types of MRAM (toggle and spin-transfer torque; magnetized in-plane or perpendicular-to-plane), the back-end magnetic technology, and recent developments toward logic-in-memory architectures. It helps bridge the cultural gap between the microelectronics and magnetics communities.

Magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) is poised to replace traditional computer memory based on complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (CMOS). MRAM will surpass all other types of memory devices in terms of nonvolatility, low energy dissipation, fast switching speed, radiation hardness, and durability. Although toggle-MRAM is currently a commercial product, it is clear that future developments in MRAM will be based on spin-transfer torque, which makes use of electrons’ spin angular momentum instead of their charge. MRAM will require an amalgamation of magnetics and microelectronics technologies. However, researchers and developers in magnetics and in microelectronics attend different technical conferences, publish in different journals, use different tools, and have different backgrounds in condensed-matter physics, electrical engineering, and materials science.

This book is an introduction to MRAM for microelectronics engineers written by specialists in magnetic materials and devices. It presents the basic phenomena involved in MRAM, the materials and film stacks being used, the basic principles of the various types of MRAM (toggle and spin-transfer torque; magnetized in-plane or perpendicular-to-plane), the back-end magnetic technology, and recent developments toward logic-in-memory architectures. It helps bridge the cultural gap between the microelectronics and magnetics communities.

Magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) is poised to replace traditional computer memory based on complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (CMOS). MRAM will surpass all other types of memory devices in terms of nonvolatility, low energy dissipation, fast switching speed, radiation hardness, and durability. Although toggle-MRAM is currently a commercial product, it is clear that future developments in MRAM will be based on spin-transfer torque, which makes use of electrons’ spin angular momentum instead of their charge. MRAM will require an amalgamation of magnetics and microelectronics technologies. However, researchers and developers in magnetics and in microelectronics attend different technical conferences, publish in different journals, use different tools, and have different backgrounds in condensed-matter physics, electrical engineering, and materials science.

This book is an introduction to MRAM for microelectronics engineers written by specialists in magnetic materials and devices. It presents the basic phenomena involved in MRAM, the materials and film stacks being used, the basic principles of the various types of MRAM (toggle and spin-transfer torque; magnetized in-plane or perpendicular-to-plane), the back-end magnetic technology, and recent developments toward logic-in-memory architectures. It helps bridge the cultural gap between the microelectronics and magnetics communities.

This volume contains the papers presented at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Magnetism and Structure in Systems of Reduced Dimension", held at l''Institut d''Etudes Scientifiques de Cargese - U.M.S. - C.N.R.S. - Universite de Corte­ Universite de Nice Sophia - Antipolis during June 15-19, 1992. The ordering of papers in the volume reflects the sequence of papers presented at the workshop. The aim was not to segregate the papers into rigidly defmed areas but to group the papers into small clusters, each cluster having a common theme. In this way the parallel, rather than serial, development of areas such as preparation of films, magnetic and structural characterization was highlighted. Indeed the success of the field depends on such parallel development and is assisted by workshops of this nature and the international collaborations which they foster. The organizers and participants of the NATO workshop express their thanks to Mme. Marie-France Hanseier and the staff at l''Institut d''Etudes Scientifiques de Cargese­ U.M.S. - C.N.R.S. - Universite de Corte - Universite de Nice Sophia - Antipolis for making the workshop and local arrangements a memorable success. Warm thanks are also expressed to Varadachari Sadagopan and Pascal Stefanou for their encouragement and help in making the workshop a reality. We are also grateful to Kristl Hathaway, Larry Cooper and Gary Prinz for advice in developing the workshop program.

This volume contains the papers presented at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Magnetism and Structure in Systems of Reduced Dimension", held at l'Institut d'Etudes Scientifiques de Cargese - U.M.S. - C.N.R.S. - Universite de Corte­ Universite de Nice Sophia - Antipolis during June 15-19, 1992. The ordering of papers in the volume reflects the sequence of papers presented at the workshop. The aim was not to segregate the papers into rigidly defmed areas but to group the papers into small clusters, each cluster having a common theme. In this way the parallel, rather than serial, development of areas such as preparation of films, magnetic and structural characterization was highlighted. Indeed the success of the field depends on such parallel development and is assisted by workshops of this nature and the international collaborations which they foster. The organizers and participants of the NATO workshop express their thanks to Mme. Marie-France Hanseier and the staff at l'Institut d'Etudes Scientifiques de Cargese­ U.M.S. - C.N.R.S. - Universite de Corte - Universite de Nice Sophia - Antipolis for making the workshop and local arrangements a memorable success. Warm thanks are also expressed to Varadachari Sadagopan and Pascal Stefanou for their encouragement and help in making the workshop a reality. We are also grateful to Kristl Hathaway, Larry Cooper and Gary Prinz for advice in developing the workshop program.

Magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) is poised to replace traditional computer memory based on complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (CMOS). MRAM will surpass all other types of memory devices in terms of nonvolatility, low energy dissipation, fast switching speed, radiation hardness, and durability. Although toggle-MRAM is currently a commercial product, it is clear that future developments in MRAM will be based on spin-transfer torque, which makes use of electrons’ spin angular momentum instead of their charge. MRAM will require an amalgamation of magnetics and microelectronics technologies. However, researchers and developers in magnetics and in microelectronics attend different technical conferences, publish in different journals, use different tools, and have different backgrounds in condensed-matter physics, electrical engineering, and materials science.This book is an introduction to MRAM for microelectronics engineers written by specialists in magnetic materials and devices. It presents the basic phenomena involved in MRAM, the materials and film stacks being used, the basic principles of the various types of MRAM (toggle and spin-transfer torque; magnetized in-plane or perpendicular-to-plane), the back-end magnetic technology, and recent developments toward logic-in-memory architectures. It helps bridge the cultural gap between the microelectronics and magnetics communities.

Magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) is poised to replace traditional computer memory based on complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (CMOS). MRAM will surpass all other types of memory devices in terms of nonvolatility, low energy dissipation, fast switching speed, radiation hardness, and durability. Although toggle-MRAM is currently a commercial product, it is clear that future developments in MRAM will be based on spin-transfer torque, which makes use of electrons’ spin angular momentum instead of their charge. MRAM will require an amalgamation of magnetics and microelectronics technologies. However, researchers and developers in magnetics and in microelectronics attend different technical conferences, publish in different journals, use different tools, and have different backgrounds in condensed-matter physics, electrical engineering, and materials science.

This book is an introduction to MRAM for microelectronics engineers written by specialists in magnetic materials and devices. It presents the basic phenomena involved in MRAM, the materials and film stacks being used, the basic principles of the various types of MRAM (toggle and spin-transfer torque; magnetized in-plane or perpendicular-to-plane), the back-end magnetic technology, and recent developments toward logic-in-memory architectures. It helps bridge the cultural gap between the microelectronics and magnetics communities.

Magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) is poised to replace traditional computer memory based on complementary metal-oxide semiconductors (CMOS). MRAM will surpass all other types of memory devices in terms of nonvolatility, low energy dissipation, fast switching speed, radiation hardness, and durability. Although toggle-MRAM is currently a commercial product, it is clear that future developments in MRAM will be based on spin-transfer torque, which makes use of electrons’ spin angular momentum instead of their charge. MRAM will require an amalgamation of magnetics and microelectronics technologies. However, researchers and developers in magnetics and in microelectronics attend different technical conferences, publish in different journals, use different tools, and have different backgrounds in condensed-matter physics, electrical engineering, and materials science.

This book is an introduction to MRAM for microelectronics engineers written by specialists in magnetic materials and devices. It presents the basic phenomena involved in MRAM, the materials and film stacks being used, the basic principles of the various types of MRAM (toggle and spin-transfer torque; magnetized in-plane or perpendicular-to-plane), the back-end magnetic technology, and recent developments toward logic-in-memory architectures. It helps bridge the cultural gap between the microelectronics and magnetics communities.

This volume contains the papers presented at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Magnetism and Structure in Systems of Reduced Dimension", held at l''Institut d''Etudes Scientifiques de Cargese - U.M.S. - C.N.R.S. - Universite de Corte­ Universite de Nice Sophia - Antipolis during June 15-19, 1992. The ordering of papers in the volume reflects the sequence of papers presented at the workshop. The aim was not to segregate the papers into rigidly defmed areas but to group the papers into small clusters, each cluster having a common theme. In this way the parallel, rather than serial, development of areas such as preparation of films, magnetic and structural characterization was highlighted. Indeed the success of the field depends on such parallel development and is assisted by workshops of this nature and the international collaborations which they foster. The organizers and participants of the NATO workshop express their thanks to Mme. Marie-France Hanseier and the staff at l''Institut d''Etudes Scientifiques de Cargese­ U.M.S. - C.N.R.S. - Universite de Corte - Universite de Nice Sophia - Antipolis for making the workshop and local arrangements a memorable success. Warm thanks are also expressed to Varadachari Sadagopan and Pascal Stefanou for their encouragement and help in making the workshop a reality. We are also grateful to Kristl Hathaway, Larry Cooper and Gary Prinz for advice in developing the workshop program.